Minimally festive

Last year our attendance at Durham Book Festival was limited to three events, on two days; this year it was down to two, both on Sunday. Same reasons: the intersection of what we fancy from the programme and what we are available for (the second weekend of the Book Festival is scheduled against the South Lakes Comics Festival, and comics wins). But there wasn't much this year that I regretted missing - with the exception of Sue Black, already sold out when we booked our tickets. On the positive side, I enjoyed both events we did go to.

( Bob Beagrie: 'Civil Insolencies' )

Since both our events were in Palace Green, we lunched in the café there with S., who had come for Sue Black. One of the things I complain about, year after year, is that the Festival has no festive atmosphere, because it has no central headquarters, nowhere yo meet people and compare notes on what you have just seen, or intend to see - except the queue, because it is obligatory to queue up for each separate event, while the room is prepared. So soup and a sandwich (and it was good soup, too) was a pleasant chance to be sociable, but afterwards we didn't hang around until our evening event. durham_rambler came straight home, I detoured via the charity book sale.

( Julia Darling: 'Pearl' )