1 to 13 May

Swindon Festival of Literature: 1- 13 May For further information pick up a programme at any of the venues below or visit www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk . For venue details not listed see page 24 1

Want to feel good? Like being pampered?

Wednesday 1 May, 5.30am!

Dawn Chorus— minstrels, musicians, poets, performers. Lawn Woods, High Street, Old Town. Free Wednesday 1 May, 1pm

Poems That Could Save Your Life

— useful verse. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £3 (£2) Wednesday 1 May, 6pm Terry Pratchett OBE, master storyteller, — in conversation. Main Hall, University Campus, Marlowe Ave. Tel: 614837. £5 (£4) Thursday 2 May, 1 pm Sunbathing In The Rain — Award winning poet, Gwyneth Lewis being cheerful about depression. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £3 (£2) Thursday 2 May,6pm Clive Brain Memorial Lecture: Is Man just another Animal? Professor of Genetics Steve Jones sets out to prove the facts of evolution. Swindon College. Tel: 498300. Free Thursday 2 May,7.30pm Branching Out. Writing workshop inspired by nature. Town Council Chambers, Highworth. Tel: 762377. £5 Thursday 2 May, 8pm Matthew Collings —on art, then and now! Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. £5 (£4) Friday 3 May, 1pm Howard Jacobson. Controversial columnist talks about humour as a serious business. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3)

Friday 3 May, 7.30pm

International Evening. Former Observer editor Will Hutton talks about the state of the world. Music, stories and poems from Jessica D'Este and Inez Aponte. Town Hall, Regent Circus. Tel: 463210. £5 (£4) Friday 3 May, 7.30pm Thomas Hardy: Village Atheist or Distracted Preacher? asks Bishop of Swindon Michael Doe. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £3 (£2) Saturday 4 May, 10am - 5pm Children's Day - li ve authors, lively workshops, bear necessities! STEAM Saturday 4 May, 4pm Chimney Sweeping — through the centuries! STEAM £4 (£3) Saturday 4 May, 8pm Poems and Pints — rhyme. rhythm, and refreshment. Town Hall, Regent Circus. £5 (£4) Sunday 5 May, 12.30pm Literary Lunch — with Chris Woodhead: Class Wars. De Vere Hotel, Shaw Ridge. Tel: 614837.L'25 Sunday 5 May, 7pm Campfire Storytelling — stories, round the fire with Cat Weatherill, under the stars. Lower Shaw Farm. Tel: 771080. £3 (£2) Monday 6 May, 2pm to 4pm

Storywalk in Ravensroost Woods

— in glades, among bluebells. Ravensroost Woods, Minety. Tel: 771080. £3 (£2) Monday 6 May, 8pm Pulsar Live Mic Poetry — read your own, friendly and together. Riffs Bar, Greatfield,Near Purton Tel: 875941 or 778304. Free

Sir Bernard Ingham replacing

Margaret Thatcher on 13 May Tuesday 7 May, 1pm Primo Levi - a life. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3)

Tuesday 7 May, 7.30pm

Mo Mowlam. One of the more respected figures in British politics talks with candour and humour. Wyvern Theatre. £10 (£9) Wednesday 8 May, 1pm Magnus Mills. Booker short author on being a working writer! Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3) Wednesday 8 May, 7pm John Humphrys—interview sponsored by The Link. Arts Centre. £7 (£6)

Thursday 9 May, 1pm

Linda Grant —and the Orange Prize! Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3) Thursday 9 May, 6pm Aesop's Fables — a talk about wood engravings. Arts Centre. Free Thursday 9 May, 7pm Steam Locomotives —an ill ustrated talk. STEAM. £4 (£3) Thursday 9 May, 8pm Will Self — in conversation. Arts Centre. £7 (£6)

Friday 10 May, 1 pm

David Lodge —on good reading and writing. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3) Friday 10 May, 7.30pm Postcolonialism — cultural identity. New ideas about culture and identity from Professor Robert Young. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £3 (E2)

Friday 10 May, 6.30pm

Japanese fil m — and a lecture, by Keiichi Ogata. cre8 Studios, Town Hall. Tel: 01793 463210. £4.50 (£3)

Friday 10 May, 8pm

Jenny Eclair & Arthur Smith . Wit, wisdom and wicked laughs from Britain's most ballsey female comic and broadcaster and raconteur Arthur Smith. Arts Centre. £8.50 (£7.50) Saturday 11 May & Sunday 12 May Writing Workshop—two days, doing it, together! Lower Shaw Farm, West Swindon. Tel: 01793 771080. £45 Saturday 11 May, all day Steam Lines —a trip down the sidings of railway verse. STEAM Saturday 11 May, all day Local Authors and Local History Day. STEAM. Free Saturday 11 May, 1 pm Sarah Miles — actor and writer, in conversation. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery. £4 (£3) Saturday 11 May, 8pm Swindon Poetry Slam! Nationally renowned rumble of performances, points. pints, prizes! Serious stanzaic fun. Town Hall. £5 (£4) Sunday 12 May, 7pm Getting Into Print—journalism: tips and information. Lower Shaw Farm, West Swindon. £5 (£4)

Monday 13 May, 1pm

Lauren Roche — an extraordinary life. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery, £4 (£3)

Monday 13 May, 7.30pm

Sir Bernard Ingham — in conversation, in place of Margaret Thatcher. Wyvern Theatre. £8 (£7)

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