#DubaiLitFest ‘First 25’ sessions and feature events are here early!

1-10
MARCH
2018
10 TH
EMIRATES AIRLINE
FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE
FIRST 25 SESSIONS
www.emirateslitfest.com

First 25
The ‘First 25’ sessions and feature events are here! To mark
our milestone 10th year at the Emirates Airline Festival of
Literature, we have decided to start the celebrations with
a bang! For the first time ever we have released tickets for
an unmissable list of sessions, and for a limited time, until 24
November, you will receive a 15% Early Bird discount!
Our ‘First 25’ list spans genres, age groups and nationalities,
with a one-of-a-kind event at Dubai Opera* that we could
not hold back even if we wanted to! We anticipate that these
sessions will be in high demand and so encourage you to
book now.
And don’t forget to browse the rest of our author line-up
online, so you can plan who else you would like to see when
the complete programme goes on sale in January 2018.
Buy your tickets now at emirateslitfest.com
*Early Bird concession prices available until 24 November,
set by Dubai Opera for all ticket purchasers

The Big Event
FOR THE LOVE OF WORDS AT DUBAI OPERA
POETS TAKE THE STAGE
Prepare to be awed by the spoken word as the finest contemporary poets
from the UAE and UK unite on stage at Dubai Opera in this celebration of the
power of poetry to bring people together across cultures. The event will include
the following all-star line-up: John Agard, Khalid AlBudoor, Nujoom Nasser
AlGhanem, Simon Armitage, Afra Atiq, Harry Baker, Imtiaz Dharker, Carol Ann
Duffy, Roger McGough, Grace Nichols, Lemn Sissay.
Tuesday 6 March 2018, 20:00 - 22:00 (Ar/En)
The Storytellers
AN AUDIENCE WITH ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH
Join us for an hour of mischief, laughter and master storytelling with one of the
world’s most prolific and best-loved writers.
Friday 2 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
KEVIN KWAN: CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Join Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians, the tell-all novel about the lives
of Asia’s super-rich, for a behind the scenes look at those #richpeopleproblems
from the person who knows them best!
Friday 2 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)
CHETAN BHAGAT: ONE INDIAN GIRL
In Chetan Bhagat’s only Festival session, India’s best-selling author discusses his
latest book One Indian Girl and the demands placed on young women caught
between family, career and love.
Friday 9 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)
The Food Legends
COME DAL WITH ME: DINNER WITH MADHUR JAFFREY
Spice up your Friday night with an evening of mouthwatering food, with the
Queen of Curries, Madhur Jaffrey. Join us for themed entertainment and a
delicious four-course meal based on recipes from Madhur’s books.
Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 21:30 (En)
MY STIR-FRIED LIFE: DINNER WITH KEN HOM
Let your tastebuds be inspired by Asian culinary legend Ken Hom’s favourite
recipes. This sumptuous three-course dinner will follow an insightful talk on
Hom’s journey to international stardom.
Friday 9 March 2018, 19:30 - 21:30 (En)

From Page to Screen
JAMES DASHNER: THE MAZE RUNNER
As the final Maze Runner film hits screens in 2018, meet the man behind the epic
Young Adult phenomenon and hear how he created Thomas, WICKED and the
Gladers.
Friday 2 March 2018, 12:00 - 13:00 (En)
LION: SCREENING AND TALK WITH SAROO BRIERLEY
When Saroo Brierley was just five years old, he got lost and years later, living
in Australia, he began a search that would change his life. Watch the Oscarnominated
film, Lion, in a whole new light, as Saroo talks about the true story
behind the film.
Wednesday 7 March 2018, 19:30 - 22:00 (En)
ANDY WEIR: THE MARTIAN AND BEYOND (LIVE VIDEO LINK)
In this live video link session, The Martian author Andy Weir reveals all about
his latest space adventure, Artemis, which follows smuggler Jazz Bashara and a
conspiracy on the moon.
Friday 9 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
CHERYL STRAYED: WILD
Join Cheryl Strayed as she relives her life-changing journey that was adapted
into the critically-acclaimed film Wild starring Reese Witherspoon, and shares
the inspiring stories behind her other books.
Friday 9 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)
The Story Innovators
RHIANNA PRATCHETT: THE RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER
Rhianna Pratchett’s remarkable career has seen her redefine video game
storytelling. This is your chance to find out how she rebooted the Tomb Raider
series and took on the challenge of reinventing the gaming icon Lara Croft.
Friday 2 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)
NNEDI OKORAFOR: WHO FEARS DEATH
Meet the author responsible for ‘the next Game of Thrones’ set in postapocalyptic
Africa. Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death is being adapted for
television by HBO and George RR Martin and follows the journey of Onye – a
woman on a quest for vengeance against her sorcerous father.
Friday 2 March 2018, 16:00 - 17:00 (En)
LOCKE & KEY: JOE HILL AND GABRIEL RODRIGUEZ
The Eisner Award-winning Locke & Key comic series pits a grieving family against
the forces of evil and their own buried secrets. For the first time in Dubai, the
creators discuss their work, an upcoming TV adaptation, and their reunion in
Tales from the Darkside.
Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 20:30 (En)

مؤلّف الرواية األكرث مبيعاً‏ ‏‘سقف الكفاية’‏
‏‘منذ أوجدين الله يف مرسيّة حتى توفاين يف دمشق وأنا يف سفرٍ‏
ال ينقطع.‏ رأيت بالداً‏ ولقيت أناساً‏ وصحبت أولياء وعشت
تحت حكم املوحدين واأليوبيني والعباسيني والسالجقة يف
طريقٍ‏ قدّره الله يل قبل خلقي.‏ من يولد يف مدينة محارصة
تولد معه رغبة جامحة يف االنطالق خارج األسوار.‏ املؤمن يف
سفرٍ‏ دائم.‏ والوجود كله سفرٌ‏ يف سفر.‏ من ترك السفر سكن،‏
ومن سكن عاد إىل العدم.’‏
محمد حسن علوان كاتب وروايئ سعودي.‏ صدر له عن دار الساقي
‏‘القندس’‏ ‏)القامئة القصرية لجائزة بوكر العربية 2013(، ‏‘سقف
الكفاية’،‏ ‏‘طوق الطهارة’،‏ ‏‘صوفيا’.‏
الجائزة العالمية
للرواية العربية
بوكر 2017
www.daralsaqi.com
The World Travellers and Shapers
DIGITAL DIPLOMACY: OMAR SAIF GHOBASH AND THOMAS FLETCHER
In a world where heads of state can share their every idle thought with the world
at the push of a button, what’s a diplomat to do? Two inspiring young diplomats
suggest how technology could be used responsibly by those with power.
Saturday 3 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)
SHASHI THAROOR: INGLORIOUS EMPIRE
What is Britain’s legacy in India? Politician Shashi Tharoor and author William
Dalrymple get together to discuss the history of British Imperial (mis)rule in India.
Saturday 3 March 2018, 18:00 - 19:00 (En)
KATE ADIE: WOMEN AND WAR
Women kept the war machine running during World War One, and lives were
changed forever. Are the repercussions still being felt 100 years on? Awardwinning
journalist Kate Adie investigates.
Friday 9 March 2018, 12:00 - 13:00 (En)
LEVISON WOOD: HITCHHIKING THE SILK ROAD
Bestselling author, explorer and photographer Levison Wood takes us on an epic
journey across continents from England to India and recounts the eccentric (and
occasionally dangerous) characters he encountered on the way.
Saturday 10 March 2018, 14:00 - 15:00 (En)
From the Arab World
IBRAHIM NASRALLAH: DOG WAR II
IPAF-shortlisted author Ibrahim Nasrallah made a surprising move from telling
the story of 250 years of Palestinian history to futuristic dystopian fiction in Dog
War II. He tells us his story and how he made this literary transition.
Friday 2 March 2018, 16:00 - 17:00 (Ar)
KHALED KHALIFA: ALEPPO IN OUR HEART
Don’t miss the chance to listen to celebrated Syrian author Khaled Khalifa talk
about how his writing portrays the life of Aleppo and its people over the period
of history from the First World War to 2003.
Friday 2 March 2018, 19:30 - 20:30 (Ar)
محمد حسن علوان
الطبعة التاسعة
MOHAMMED HASAN ALWAN: A SMALL DEATH
In this session Mohammed Hasan Alwan, winner of the 2017 IPAF award for A
Small Death, a historical fiction novel about the great Sufi scholar Ibn Arabi,
discusses his powerful book and what he learned while writing it.
Thursday 8 March 2018, 18:30 - 19:30 (Ar)
Simultaneous translation available

The Children’s Blockbusters
JACQUELINE WILSON: THE HISTORY GIRLS
Get ready to travel back in time with Shirley, Hetty and many more of your
favourite characters with master writer and superstar children’s author
Jacqueline Wilson.
Friday 2 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
ANTHONY HOROWITZ: ALEX RIDER RETURNS
Alex Rider is back by popular demand to put an end to Scorpia once and for all.
So what’s in store for the world’s greatest teenage spy? Anthony Horowitz spills
the beans about his new adrenalin-fuelled novel, Never Say Die.
Saturday 3 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
THE WORLD OF DAVID WALLIAMS
Number one bestselling children’s author, talent show judge and actor, David
Walliams returns to Dubai to reveal all about his latest laugh-out-loud books!
He’ll be in conversation with fellow author Andy Riley about hilariously horrible
kids, gangsta grannies and ssspectacularly surprising snakes.
Friday 9 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
For the Book Clubs and Writers
RICHARD & JUDY’S FESTIVAL BOOK CLUB
KEVIN KWAN, SHARI LAPENA, KATE MOSSE
Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan found fame as Britain’s foremost daytime
TV duo and in this session they meet with their pick of Festival authors for a live
Book Club session and you’re invited to join!
Saturday 3 March 2018, 10:00 - 11:00 (En)
CREATIVE WRITING COURSE WITH GREG MOSSE
Greg Mosse is a highly regarded creative writing teacher, writer and editor with
more than 20 years of professional experience, and he’s ready to guide you to
plan a novel and build up characters, location and dialogue.
Sunday 4 March 2018, 09:30 - 17:00 (En)
CREATIVE WRITING COURSE WITH IBRAHIM NASRALLAH
How can writers break out of their comfort zone and diversify their writing?
Don’t miss award-winning author Ibrahim Nasrallah’s one-day creative writing
course for aspiring novelists writing in Arabic.
Sunday 4 March 2018, 09:30 - 17:00 (Ar)

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1-10
MARCH
2018
10 TH EMIRATES AIRLINE
FESTIVAL OF LITERATURE