Firewords Night

Join us to celebrate the enduring power of the written word, on the opening night of our tenth Stroud Book Festival.  

Ten Stroud authors will read from books that have inspired their writing. And our special guest for the evening is Richard Ovenden, the 25th Bodley’s Librarian at the University of Oxford, and author of “Burning the Books: A History of Knowledge Under Attack”. 

For even as we celebrate the joys of reading, Richard’s writing reminds us that we must never take access to books and ideas for granted. In conversation with Stroud Book Festival Programme Director, Caroline Sanderson, Richard will discuss the history of access to books and knowledge, and why it remains a vital marker of a healthy society. 

Profits from this evening’s event will be donated to Read for Good, the Nailsworth-based national charity which works to ensure that children and young people from all walks of life have access to the best new books, and are inspired to discover a life-changing love of reading.