Alan Johnson has had enough of a life for two men – or more. A Labour Party MP since 1997 (for the constituency of Hull West and Hessle), he served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010, having previously served as both Health and Education Secretary, before becoming the Shadow Chancellor of the…
The fourth event in 2015’s Spring Literary Festival began with an introduction from UEA’s Philp Langeskov which summarised Ali Smith and her writing perfectly. An author who refuses to conform to genre and expectation, winner of the Goldsmiths Prize and the Costa novel of the year award and shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, she…
There’s something unexpected about Helen MacDonald’s H is for Hawk. From the synopsis I was first given I was somewhat indifferent to the prospect of reading through a memoir chronicling a profound sentimentality for nature – or at least, as my initial impression implied. However, curiosity happened to get the better of me and I…
Once again a collection of writers join the walkways of UEA for a celebration of the nation’s great literary prowess. Last semester saw the likes of Stephen Fry and UEA’s very own creative writing graduate Ian McEwan sit before eager ears and tell of the various inspirations and creative developments of their often very turbulent…