First 25 Sessions #DubaiLitFest

1-10

MARCH

2018

10TH EMIRATES AIRLINE FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE FIRST 25 SESSIONS www.emirateslitfest.com

First 25 The ‘First 25’ sessions and feature events are here! To mark our milestone 10th year at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, we have decided to start the celebrations with a bang! For the first time ever we have released tickets for an unmissable list of sessions, and for a limited time, until 24 November, you will receive a 15% Early Bird discount!

Our ‘First 25’ list spans genres, age groups and nationalities, with a one-of-a-kind event at Dubai Opera* that we could not hold back even if we wanted to! We anticipate that these sessions will be in high demand and so encourage you to book now.

And don’t forget to browse the rest of our author line-up online, so you can plan who else you would like to see when the complete programme goes on sale in January 2018.

Buy your tickets now at emirateslitfest.com *Early Bird concession prices available until 24 November, set by Dubai Opera for all ticket purchasers

The Big Event FOR THE LOVE OF WORDS AT DUBAI OPERA POETS TAKE THE STAGE

Prepare to be awed by the spoken word as the finest contemporary poets from the UAE and UK unite on stage at Dubai Opera in this celebration of the power of poetry to bring people together across cultures. The event will include the following all-star line-up: John Agard, Khalid AlBudoor, Nujoom Nasser AlGhanem, Simon Armitage, Afra Atiq, Harry Baker, Imtiaz Dharker, Carol Ann Duffy, Roger McGough, Grace Nichols, Lemn Sissay.

Tuesday 6 March 2018, 20:00 - 22:00 (Ar/En)

The Storytellers AN AUDIENCE WITH ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH Join us for an hour of mischief, laughter and master storytelling with one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved writers.

Friday 2 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

KEVIN KWAN: CRAZY RICH ASIANS Join Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians, the tell-all novel about the lives of Asia’s super-rich, for a behind the scenes look at those #richpeopleproblems from the person who knows them best!

Friday 2 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)

CHETAN BHAGAT: ONE INDIAN GIRL In Chetan Bhagat’s only Festival session, India’s best-selling author discusses his latest book One Indian Girl and the demands placed on young women caught between family, career and love.

Friday 9 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)

The Food Legends COME DAL WITH ME: DINNER WITH MADHUR JAFFREY Spice up your Friday night with an evening of mouthwatering food, with the Queen of Curries, Madhur Jaffrey. Join us for themed entertainment and a delicious four-course meal based on recipes from Madhur’s books.

Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 21:30 (En)

MY STIR-FRIED LIFE: DINNER WITH KEN HOM Let your tastebuds be inspired by Asian culinary legend Ken Hom’s favourite recipes. This sumptuous three-course dinner will follow an insightful talk on Hom’s journey to international stardom.

Friday 9 March 2018, 19:30 - 21:30 (En)

From Page to Screen JAMES DASHNER: THE MAZE RUNNER As the final Maze Runner film hits screens in 2018, meet the man behind the epic Young Adult phenomenon and hear how he created Thomas, WICKED and the Gladers.

Friday 2 March 2018, 12:00 - 13:00 (En)

LION: SCREENING AND TALK WITH SAROO BRIERLEY When Saroo Brierley was just five years old, he got lost and years later, living in Australia, he began a search that would change his life. Watch the Oscarnominated film, Lion, in a whole new light, as Saroo talks about the true story behind the film.

Wednesday 7 March 2018, 19:30 - 22:00 (En)

ANDY WEIR: THE MARTIAN AND BEYOND (LIVE VIDEO LINK) In this live video link session, The Martian author Andy Weir reveals all about his latest space adventure, Artemis, which follows smuggler Jazz Bashara and a conspiracy on the moon.

Friday 9 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

CHERYL STRAYED: WILD Join Cheryl Strayed as she relives her life-changing journey that was adapted into the critically-acclaimed film Wild starring Reese Witherspoon, and shares the inspiring stories behind her other books.

Friday 9 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)

The Story Innovators RHIANNA PRATCHETT: THE RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER Rhianna Pratchett’s remarkable career has seen her redefine video game storytelling. This is your chance to find out how she rebooted the Tomb Raider series and took on the challenge of reinventing the gaming icon Lara Croft.

Friday 2 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)

NNEDI OKORAFOR: WHO FEARS DEATH Meet the author responsible for ‘the next Game of Thrones’ set in postapocalyptic Africa. Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death is being adapted for television by HBO and George RR Martin and follows the journey of Onye – a women on a quest for vengeance against her sorcerous father.

Friday 2 March 2018, 16:00 - 17:00 (En)

LOCKE & KEY: JOE HILL AND GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ The Eisner Award-winning Locke & Key comic series pits a grieving family against the forces of evil and their own buried secrets. For the first time in Dubai, the creators discuss their work, an upcoming TV adaptation, and their reunion in Tales from the Darkside.

Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 20:30 (En)

The World Travellers and Shapers DIGITAL DIPLOMACY: OMAR SAIF GHOBASH AND THOMAS FLETCHER In a world where heads of state can share their every idle thought with the world at the push of a button, what’s a diplomat to do? Two inspiring young diplomats suggest how technology could be used responsibly by those with power.

Saturday 3 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)

SHASHI THAROOR: INGLORIOUS EMPIRE What is Britain’s legacy in India? Politician Shashi Tharoor and author William Dalrymple get together to discuss the history of British Imperial (mis)rule in India.

Saturday 3 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)

KATE ADIE: WOMEN AND WAR Women kept the war machine running during World War One, and lives were changed forever. Are the repercussions still being felt 100 years on? Awardwinning journalist Kate Adie investigates.

Friday 9 March 2018, 12:00 - 13:00 (En)

LEVISON WOOD: HITCHHIKING THE SILK ROAD Bestselling author, explorer and photographer Levison Wood takes us on an epic journey across continents from England to India and recounts the eccentric (and occasionally dangerous) characters he encountered on the way.

Saturday 10 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)

From the Arab World IBRAHIM NASRALLAH: DOG WAR II IPAF-shortlisted author Ibrahim Nasrallah made a surprising move from telling the story of 250 years of Palestinian history to futuristic dystopian fiction in Dog War II. He tells us his story and how he made this literary transition.

Friday 2 March 2018, 16:00 - 17:00 (Ar)

KHALED KHALIFA: ALEPPO IN OUR HEART Don’t miss the chance to listen to celebrated Syrian author Khaled Khalifa talk about how his writing portrays the life of Aleppo and its people over the period of history from the First World War to 2003.

‫عة‬

‫تاس‬

‫عة ال‬

‫الطب‬

Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 20:30 (Ar) ‫محمد حسن علوان‬

‫الجائزة العالمية‬ ‫للرواية العربية‬ 2017 ‫بوكر‬

MOHAMMED HASAN ALWAN: A SMALL DEATH In this session Mohammed Hasan Alwan, winner of the 2017 IPAF award for A Small Death, a historical fiction novel about the great Sufi scholar Ibn Arabi, discusses his powerful book and what he learned while writing it. ’‫مؤلّف الرواية األكرث مبيعاً ‘سقف الكفاية‬

‫‘منذ أوجدين الله يف مرسيّة حتى توفاين يف دمشق وأنا يف سف ٍر‬ ‫ رأيت بالدا ً ولقيت أناساً وصحبت أولياء وعشت‬.‫ال ينقطع‬ ‫تحت حكم املوحدين واأليوبيني والعباسيني والسالجقة يف‬ ‫ من يولد يف مدينة محارصة‬.‫طريقٍ قدّره الله يل قبل خلقي‬ ‫ املؤمن يف‬.‫تولد معه رغبة جامحة يف االنطالق خارج األسوار‬ ،‫ من ترك السفر سكن‬.‫ والوجود كله سف ٌر يف سفر‬.‫سف ٍر دائم‬ ’.‫ومن سكن عاد إىل العدم‬

‫ صدر له عن دار الساقي‬.‫محمد حسن علوان كاتب وروايئ سعودي‬ ‫ ‘سقف‬،)2013 ‫‘القندس’ (القامئة القصرية لجائزة بوكر العربية‬ .’‫ ‘صوفيا‬،’‫ ‘طوق الطهارة‬،’‫الكفاية‬

Thursday 8 March 2018, 18:30 - 19:30 (Ar) www.daralsaqi.com

Simultaneous translation available

The Children’s Blockbusters JACQUELINE WILSON: THE HISTORY GIRLS Get ready to travel back in time with Shirley, Hetty and many more of your favourite characters with master writer and superstar children’s author Jacqueline Wilson.

Friday 2 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

ANTHONY HOROWITZ: ALEX RIDER RETURNS Alex Rider is back by popular demand to put an end to Scorpia once and for all.

So what’s in store for the world’s greatest teenage spy? Anthony Horowitz spills the beans about his new adrenalin-fuelled novel, Never Say Die.

Saturday 3 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

THE WORLD OF DAVID WALLIAMS Number one bestselling children’s author, talent show judge and actor, David Walliams returns to Dubai to reveal all about his latest laugh-out-loud books!

He’ll be in conversation with fellow author Andy Riley about hilariously horrible kids, gangsta grannies and ssspectacularly surprising snakes.

Friday 9 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

For the Book Clubs and Writers RICHARD & JUDY’S FESTIVAL BOOK CLUB KEVIN KWAN, SHARI LAPENA, KATE MOSSE

Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan found fame as Britain’s foremost daytime TV duo and in this session they meet with their pick of Festival authors for a live Book Club session and you’re invited to join!

Saturday 3 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)

CREATIVE WRITING COURSE WITH GREG MOSSE Greg Mosse is a highly regarded creative writing teacher, writer and editor with more than 20 years of professional experience, and he’s ready to guide you to plan a novel and build up characters, location and dialogue.

Sunday 4 March 2018, 09:30 - 17:00 (En)

CREATIVE WRITING COURSE WITH IBRAHIM NASRALLAH How can writers break out of their comfort zone and diversify their writing?

Don’t miss award-winning author Ibrahim Nasrallah’s one-day creative writing course for aspiring novelists writing in Arabic.

Sunday 4 March 2018, 09:30 - 17:00 (Ar)

Not a Foundation Friend yet?

Join now for additional discounts and benefits.

Why not become a Foundation Friend member and receive an additional 10% off. It isn’t too late to join and take advantage of a whole range of additional benefits, including the guarantee of priority seating.

Join today at emirateslitfest.com

1-10 MARCH 2018

10TH EMIRATES AIRLINE FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE