Alistair Moffat sums up the 2011 festival

Sunshine matters, and it shone brilliantly out of a clear autumn sky at Lennoxlove House last weekend, bathing the book festival in glorious light, backlighting the brown and yellow leaves and warming the hearts of all who came. 

Lennoxlove House

Scottish literary festival: A dramatic opening

It opened with drama; the pipes and drums of Loretto School and a magnificent firework display. More dazzle followed when we showed an exclusive extract from War Horse, the new Steven Spielberg film based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel, and the author spoke about the business of adaptation. Then Alistair Darling gave a brilliant exposition of the financial crash, the crash and burn of the banks- and from a vantage point in the middle of the pyrotechnics.

Loretto School Pipe Band

Book festival weekend highlights

And the weekend was off! Excellent session followed excellent session, but perhaps a highlight was the re-staging of John Byrne’s brilliant play, Writer’s Cramp, 35 years after its premiere on the Edinburgh Fringe in 1977. After two of the original cast of three had dropped out through illness, Isla Blair and John Sessions took their parts alongside Bill Paterson and brought the house down. It was magical.

2011 cast of Writer's Cramp

Feedback

And so was Lennoxlove, a magical festival, full of atmosphere, full of warmth and light. The literary editor of The Herald said: ‘I can’t think of a better setting for a book festival, or a more appreciative audience.’  Isla Blair and Julian Glover said: ‘we are still glowing from that wonderful weekend… fantastic, so well organised yet really warm and friendly.’  And Mrs Sandra Crace, attending her very first book festival, said ‘it made one proud to be Scottish’.

Thanks to all those who came and made the festival what it was.  We would very much appreciate your feedback:  if you didn’t fill in a questionnaire at the festival, please fill in our online Audience Survey and you will be entered into a prize draw for £75 worth of book tokens.

A glorious weekend

Lennoxlove Book Festival 2012

And for those wanting to take advantage of early booking next year, please don’t forget our Friends scheme: you can join online.

Until next year!

Alistair Moffat, Festival Director

And we're off...day one fireworks and bagpipes

The first pics from Day 1 of the 2011 festival. Festivities kicked off with the talented Loretto School Pipe Band while fireworks lit up the sky.

Festival marquees were packed with audiences eager to hear Claire Tomalin, Michael Morpurgo, and Alistair Darling. All three speakers didn't disappoint and lively question and answer sessions were enjoyed by all.

Kelvin Sewell shared insights from his years as a homocide detective in Baltimore, and revealed that the hit series, 'The Wire', is very close to the truth of real events. Quote of the night from Kelvin, "I've had two contracts put on my life...I didn't tell my wife until after the book came out."

Loretto School Pipe Band

Fireworks light up the sky

Some great events to follow today, with the fun packed Knight Frank Family Book Festival. Look out for Debi Gliori and 'The Scariest Thing of All', Adam Hart Davis and 'A Brief History of Time', and the splendiferous James and the Giant Peach Party.

And today for adults: whet your appetite with Alys Fowler and her Thrifty Foraging, cycle the Americas with Mark Beaumont, or find out about life behind doors at number 10 Downing St with Sarah Brown. Many other additional sessions on offer...full programme information from Lennoxlove Book Festival Box Office.

NB Photos courtesy of Writer Pictures

A cast of Hallowe’en horrors

After the haunting of Hallowe’en night, comes the zombies, fiends, monsters and fright at Lennoxlove Book Festival…all in a creaking ancient house full of its own Scottish ghosts…come and join us if you think you’re brave enough. Children welcome to come in fancy dress.

Haunted with Eleanor Updale

Award-winning author Eleanor Updale will be at Lennoxlove to read from and talk about her tale of a very modern ghost, who haunts his victim through a computer. Ages 9+.

Invisible Fiends, Barry Hutchison

Barry Hutchison’s creepy, deliciously nightmarish Invisible Fiends are guaranteed to make your blood run cold. Ages 9-13.

Gruffalo, Julia Donaldson

Knobbly knees and turned out toes and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose. Julia Donaldson and her very famous monster are back for lots of Gruffalo fun. Ages 5+.

You can draw the Horrible Histories with Martin Brown

Learn to draw all the nasty bits of history in a witty cartoon style. See how Martin Brown, illustrator of the Horrible Histories series, creates his illustrations the ‘horrible’ way and join in with your own gory drawings. Ages 7+.

Fleshless Skulls and Bulging Eyes, Vivian Collins, Ross Young

Does Fiddleduster Squint win the prize as the creepiest zombie of all? Help create a truly scary graphic novel based on The Tales from the Five Kingdoms! Ages 9+.

The Scariest Thing of all with Debi Gliori

Calling all active imaginations to come and help Debi Gliori draw some Gobblers, Hissters and Giant Woodtrolls and discover how Pip met the Scariest Thing of All ... and survived to tell the tale. Age 4-7.

And for the adults…
Allan Little, Dictators I Have Known

Fresh from elections in Tunisia, , Allan will offer his tales of encounters with Saddam Hussein, Slobodan Milosevic, Robert Mugabe, Nicolae Ceausescu, Charles Taylor, Mobutu Sese Seko and Radovan Karadzic and his daughter, Sonja. A line-up of real life monsters…

 Visit the Lennoxlove Box Office website for full programme details.

Lennoxlove House - a literary love story

Lennoxlove House on the outskirts of Haddington is the exquisite venue which has become synonymous with the annual Lennoxlove Book Festival. Dating back to the fourteenth century and owned by the 16th Duke of Hamilton, the house is steeped in history and offers a truly atmospheric backdrop for our unique Scottish book festival. No wonder then that the UK’s finest authors and celebrities take little persuasion to attend.

Originally a sturdy keep owned by the Maitlands of Lethington, whose coat of arms can still be found above the fireplace in the drawing room, the story of Lennoxlove House is intimately entwined with many of the central characters from Scotland’s turbulent history. To name but a few, Sir Richard Maitland, a 15th century political mover and shaker, the notorious Duke of Lauderdale who ruled most of Scotland on behalf of Charles II, the Stewarts– Frances Teresa Stewart, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox, gave her name to the house – the Black Douglases, and of course the Hamiltons. Over seven centuries the house has been shaped and crafted by its cast of historical forebears.

Lennoxlove House

Bought by the 14th Duke of Hamilton in 1946, Lennoxlove House today, has been lovingly restored into an impressive house with extensive grounds, which is offered as an indulgent five star venue for a variety of events. Lennoxlove houses a treasure trove of historical artefacts including a four-poster bed reputedly slept in by Mary Queen of Scots, her original death mask, and an extensive collection of family furniture and portraits.

On 4-6 November 2011 the local community and visitors from further afield are invited to enjoy the atmosphere and history of this great house and gardens. Several of our author events including the Knight Frank Family Book Festival will be held within rooms such as The Chapel, and Great Hall whilst the larger events will take place in marquees in the grounds.

The Great Hall

Become a Friend of Lennoxlove Book Festival and along with other benefits you’ll be invited to the exclusive festival opening party in the upper rooms where you may just bump into a famous author or two! Or enjoy a coffee and a bookshop browse in one of the magnificent reception halls. A warm welcome awaits you!

Lennoxlove Book Festival programme and box office opening will be launched on 15th September. To find out more visit http://www.lennoxlovebookfestival.com/ or join our chat on Facebook and Twitter.

Guided tours of Lennoxlove House run between May-September. More information at www.lennoxlove.com/the-house/guided-tours.