Top 5: Events at Manchester Literature Festival 2020

These two rising stars of the literary scene were both nominated for the 2018 Booker Prize for their debut novels. Here, they will be discussing their latest books with fellow writer Jeanette Winterson. Daisy’s gothic thriller Sisters follows two girls after an incident at school, as they escape with their mother to a remote cottage. Sophie’s dystopian Blue Ticket is set in a world where every girl must enter a lottery to determine if they can become a mother.

The Grammy-nominated artist will be in conversation with journalist Kate Feld. In her only UK event this autumn, Tori will talk about her new memoir, Resistance: A Songwriter’s Story of Hope, Change and Courage. The book tells of her life experiences, from playing hotel bars as a teenager to her multi-platinum selling career and activism. She will provide insight into how her creative process and beliefs enable her to write songs that speak truth to power.

This special event is a celebration of the life of Nina Simone, who was not only a famed singer-songwriter but also a civil rights activist. A showcase of poetry and music, it will feature work inspired by Ms. Simone’s legacy. Performing will be Young Identity, a collective of Manchester-based spoken word artists. Other contributors include: Ellouise Bridge, a professional backing singer; Ugochi Nwaogwugwu, a Nigerian-American playwright; and Zena Edwards, a poet and sound artist.

Nick is well known for his best-selling books (About a Boy, High Fidelity), and his Oscar-nominated screenplays (An Education, Brooklyn). He will be in conversation with arts producer Katie Popperwell about his latest novel, Just Like You. This new story centres on a forty-something white teacher who is dating a younger black man with multiple jobs. She’s a Remainer, but he thinks we should leave. It questions whether love can overcome age, race, class, and political differences.

Editor Margaret Busby celebrates the second of her anthologies highlighting the work of female writers of African descent. Available now in paperback, the collection features work from over 200 contributors. It includes personal accounts of issues such as sexuality and motherhood, familial and historical legacies, community and the self. Margaret will be in conversation with writer Sarah Ladipo Manyika, and the event will also feature readings by poets of Nigerian, Ghanaian, and Jamaican heritage.