Gladstone's Library in Flintshire has announced the launch of their second annual literary festival which takes place this weekend.

Gladfest 2014, based at the Hawarden library in Church Lane, sees the return of North Wales and Chester’s affordable literary festival, building upon the success of last year’s hugely popular debut with a line-up of celebrated names.

From Friday, September 5 to Sunday, September 7, Britain’s finest residential library will transform itself into a veritable literary haven.

The Flintshire venue will be hosting a truly diverse range of speakers including former diplomat and politician Douglas Hurd, writer and broadcaster Richard Holloway and popular novelists Salley Vickers and Melissa Harrison.

In 2013 the library launched its inaugural festival, boosted by the success of their year round Writer in Residence scheme, bringing together some really inspiring leading thinkers and speakers.

This year’s festivities aim to be even more ambitious.

Gladfest 2014 offers a programme that is bursting at the seams with a selection of internationally renowned poets, writers, politicians and journalists.

With events ranging from talks by finance journalist Hugh Pym and literary critic and editor Robert McCrum to creative writing workshops held by Martin Daws (Young People’s Laureate), Vanessa Gebbie, Nadene Ghouri, Tania Hershman, Michael Nobbs and many more, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Louisa Yates, festival director at Gladstone’s Library, said: “We’re extremely excited for this year’s Gladfest and to be uniting such established household names as Douglas Hurd, Richard Holloway and Salley Vickers with some really inspiring new voices, such as Zoe Pilger, Katherine Angel and Michael Nobbs. We can’t wait for September 5.”

Highlights include:

September 5 - Douglas Hurd and Edward Young Library – 8.30pm - Disraeli: or The Two Lives is the third collaboration between renowned politician and author Douglas Hurd and Edward Young. In this event they will strip away myths, correct assumptions and treat the audience to a reappraisal of Queen Victoria’s favourite Prime Minister, literally in the shadow of his great political rival (like last year, Gladstone’s Statue will be looking down on all presenters!).

September 6 - Michael Nobbs - Glynne Room – 10am - Michael Nobbs is a writer, artist and blogger. He believes that anyone can Build a Creative Life in Just 20 Minutes a Day. Join him in this fun, interactive workshop and get started – whatever creative enterprise you’re interested in. The workshop is repeated at 11.30am on September 7.

September 7 - Hugh Pym - Library – 1pm - In this talk, Hugh Pym – part of the BBC News team, which won an award for its coverage of the financial crisis, shares his unique perspective on the events that unfolded in Downing Street, the City of London, and the Financial Services Authority. Inside the Banking Crisis: The Untold Story is one of the first comprehensive investigations to draw on unpublished sources and insider knowledge of one of the world’s worst peacetime crises.

To book or find out more email enquiries@gladlib.org or call 01244 532350. Talks are £6 per person and workshops are £10.

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