Dorchester Literary Festival 2022

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Dorchester Literary Festival is back in 2022 for its eighth event with a packed programme of fascinating talks by guest speakers. From Saturday 15th – Sunday 25th October leading authors from the literary world will come to Dorset’s county town to showcase their latest published works.

The event covers a wide range of genres. Whether you like fiction, history, nature, travel, health, dogs, crime, memoir, art, or perhaps a budding author yourself – there is something for everyone at Dorchester Literary Festival!

Dorchester is famous for its literary background and the popular annual festival helps to continue this legacy. Providing entertainment and enlightenment to readers, Dorchester Literary Festival takes place over the course of a week with the majority of talks held at the Dorford Centre. Other workshops will take place at Dorset Museum and Dorchester Library.

The organisers always manage to pull together an impressive list of top authors for the event. The 2022 festival keeps up this tradition with a fantastic line-up of talks.

This shortlist shows the rich diversity of subjects and genres covered in the festival.

Highlights of Dorchester Literary Festival 2022

We’ve handpicked some of the speakers to give a flavour of what’s on this year. Here are just a few that caught our eye…

RAY MEARS – We Are Nature
Saturday 15th October – The Dorford Centre

“Ray gathers together his incredible lived experience and extensive practical knowledge of the outdoors. It makes for a compelling and enchanting narrative.”

MONTY HALLS – Commando – The Inside Story of Britain’s Royal Marines
Saturday 15th October – The Dorford Centre

“Monty Halls provides an enthralling behind-the-scenes look at the lives Royal Marines, from fresh-faced recruits through to Marine veterans. (as seen on the 4-part BBC series).”

ELIZABETH LOWRY – The Chosen
Monday 17th October – Dorset Museum

“A finely judged novel about Thomas Hardy‘s life and loves which hauntingly searches the unknowable spaces between man and wife; memory and regret; life and art.”

JUSTINE PICARDIE – Miss Dior
Wednesday 19th October – The Dorford Centre

“Miss Dior explores the relationship between the visionary designer Christian Dior and his beloved younger sister Catherine, who inspired his most famous perfume and shaped his vision of femininity.”

ROBERT HARRIS – Act of Oblivion
Friday 21st October – The Dorford Centre

“An epic journey across continents, and a chase like no other from the author of fourteen bestselling novels including: the Cicero Trilogy – Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator – Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, The Ghost, The Fear Index, and An Officer and a Spy.”

ROBERT HARDMAN – The Queen of Our Times
Saturday 22nd October – The Dorford Centre

“The definitive new biography of Her Majesty The Queen by one of Britain’s leading royal authorities.”

Creative Workshops

If you’re looking for a hands-on experience, there will be a series of workshops as part of the festival. These include:

Creative Clay for All – a free event for children at Dorchester Library on Saturday 15th October.

Creative Writing Seminar with Rebecca Lee – Tuesday 18th October at Dorset Museum

A Writing Master Class with Sophie Hannah – learn techniques from an internationally bestselling crime writer at Dorset Museum also on Tuesday 18th October.

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See the full what’s on listings and purchase tickets online at www.dorchesterliteraryfestival.com or order from Waterstones, South Street, Dorchester.

Dorchester BID is a proud sponsor and supporter of Dorchester Literary Festival. Well done to all the organisers and we hope everyone enjoys this years event!