You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Children's author Jacqueline Wilson is to take part in Free Thinking, BBC Radio 3's annual festival of ideas.
Based in Gateshead, the festival, which takes place 5th–7th November, is this year themed around the idea of "The Pursuit of Happiness".
Former children's laureate, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, will launch the festival with the annual Free Thinking Lecture by asking whether literature encourages us to believe that happiness is easier to find than it really is.
Author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce will be the festival's first guest curator. Other authors taking part are Man Booker-winner Pat Barjer, Julian Gough, Sara Maitland and Sarah Dunant.
The 25-plus free events will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 over the weekend and in subsequent editions of "Night Waves" and "The Verb".
Other speakers will include Lord Blair, former commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, presenter of "Grand Designs" Kevin McCloud and actress Fiona Shaw.