Wantage Literary Festival – Day 5

Moudhy Al-Rashid | Between Two Rivers: Ancient Mesopotamia and the Birth of History

Popular History | Archaeological
Non-Fiction
Adult | 10am | The Beacon
Adult £13.50 | Student £8

Moudhy Al-Rashid’s Between Two Rivers has been widely praised for bringing ancient Mesopotamia vividly to life through the human details preserved in cuneiform texts, from personal letters and beer recipes to the charmingly messy writing of preschool children. Described as a beautifully written masterpiece, it makes 3,500 years of history feel relatable and deeply moving.

British Art | Art History
12+ years | 12pm | The Beacon
Adult £13.50 | Student £8

Join Charlotte Mullins on a vivid journey through British and Irish art, from Ice Age caves to modern murals. Visiting tombs, studios, and storerooms, she uncovers stories etched in stone, paint, and memory. Mullins reflects on how these encounters challenge and reshape the art canon. A rich, personal exploration by a leading art critic.

Alexander Ballinger Phyllis Dalton: A Career in Costume

Film Criticism | Biography | Costume design
12+ years | 2pm | The Beacon
Adult £13.50 | Student £8

Film historian Alexander Ballinger tells the extraordinary story of Phyllis Dalton (1925–2025), the double Oscar-winning costume designer behind some of cinema’s most memorable costumes. Her work includes Dr Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India, Laurence Olivier’s and Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V, and the cult classic The Princess Bride. Dalton continued working into her eighties, creating designs that still captivate audiences and win acclaim.

Jasper Fforde | Dark Reading Matter: A Last Thursday novel

Fantasy | Alternate History
12+ years | 4pm | The Beacon
Adult £13.50 | Student £8

Jasper Fforde is a successful British novelist renowned for his absurdist, genre-bending fiction that blends comedy, sci-fi, and fantasy. This final novel in the Thursday Next series is set entirely in Wantage and features the Swindon-based Literary Detective who is embarking on her eighth and final adventure. An Unmissable event for fans of Forde and this thrilling series.

Alan Johnson | Biography of Harold Wilson: 20th Century Man

Political Biography | Social Reform
14+ years | 5.30pm | The Beacon
Adult £15.00 | Student £8

In Harold Wilson, former Labour cabinet minister Alan Johnson offers a vivid portrait of a defining twentieth-century figure. From the promise of his “white heat” speech to his place in the cultural and political landscape of the 1960s, Wilson helped shape modern Britain. Twice Prime Minister, from 1964–70 and again from 1974–76, he oversaw reforms that transformed everyday life for many people. Alan will be in conversation with Ed Mitchell.