Ely Events and Reading Groups
In this atmospheric medieval city, just over an hour from London by train, author events range from reading groups and intimate events in the bookshop to the drama of performances under the world-renowned Octagon of Ely Cathedral. We hold events all year round, but in the autumn there is a special focus on the Ely Literary Festival.
Sarah Clegg
Wednesday 7th October, 7pm
We often think of them as tiny, glittering creatures fluttering about in pastel tulle, but fairies haven't always been so benign. Here, historian Sarah Clegg explores …
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Reading Group - The Correspondent
Tuesday 13th October, 7.30pm
Sybil Van Antwerp is seventy-three, slowly losing her sight and always writing letters . . .To her children. Her favourite authors. Her ex-sister-in-law. The journalist poking …
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Reading Group - Moon Tiger
Tuesday 13th October, 7.30pm
A dying woman looks back over her complex, quietly turbulent life from childhood to final illness, whilst also attempting to make sense of the world that …
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Sabrina Ghayour
Wednesday 14th October, 7pm
From the Queen of Middle Eastern cookery, every recipe in Persiana One makes irresistible Middle Eastern flavours easier than ever in one pot, one tray or …
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Peter James
Friday 16th October, 7pm
Brighton is celebrating. A killer is waiting. And Roy Grace is the target . . .Brighton Pride is the biggest date on the city's calendar with …
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Victoria Hislop
Tuesday 20th October, 7pm
Beloved, bestselling author Victoria Hislop explores the turbulence of the post-war era in Greece in this unforgettable and riveting new novel that will delight those fans …
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Robert Harris
Wednesday 21st October, 7pm
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2026 IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, BBC CULTURE, THE MIRROR AND RADIO TIMES.From the bestselling author of Conclave comes a new …
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Andrew Roberts
Friday 23rd October, 7pm
From the award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author of Churchill and Napoleon the Great, the dramatic story of the team of rivals who propelled the rise and …
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Queer Reading Group - Mrs S
Tuesday 27th October, 7pm
A sensual debut novel of the forbidden love between a young woman and a headmaster's wife, unfolding across a single heatwave summer.In an elite English boarding …
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Teen Reading Group - The Lie Tree
Thursday 29th October, 5pm
The Lie Tree is a wonderfully evocative and atmospheric gothic novel by award-winning author Frances Hardinge. This edition has a beautiful new cover to celebrate the …
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Jodi Picoult
Monday 2nd November, 7pm
I reach up and unravel my braid. When my hair is loose and whipping around my face, I take the red ribbon I've woven through it …
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Wine Tasting with Dan Keeling
Wednesday 4th November, 7pm
If you've ever stood in a wine shop staring at rows of unfamiliar names...If you've bought a bottle for its label and hoped for the best...If …
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Reading Group - I am Legend & The Shrinking Man
Tuesday 10th November, 7pm
Celebrated for the depth and craft he could bring to seemingly childish material, Richard Matheson was a highly influential genre writer whose best work continues to …
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Rick Wakeman
Tuesday 10th November, 7pm
From piano-playing child prodigy, through to classically trained keyboardist and onto his rise with Yes and as a solo artist, Rick Wakeman's life so far has …
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Greg Wise
Thursday 12th November, 7pm
Loss unites us all.Much-loved actor, author and screenwriter, Greg Wise, offers his personal experiences with loss and encourages us to be more open in our own. …
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Hilary Bracegirdle on Beryl Cook
Monday 16th November, 7pm
Discover the real Beryl Cook through a wealth of newly unearthed material that brings fresh insight to one of Britain's most beloved artists.Beryl Cook (1926-2008) was …
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Tim Hayward
Tuesday 17th November, 7pm
It's 6 o'clock: clear your mind of the cares of the day. Relax and fix yourself a drink. It's The Cocktail Hour.The moment Tim Hayward started …
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Jo Brand
Tuesday 24th November, 7.30pm
Jo Brand is getting on a bit and, to be frank, all this stuff about ageing well and staying active has made her feel rather tired.From …
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Jay Rayner
Thursday 26th November, 7pm
'It's time to share a little more of my love for home cooking and the merry dance of appetite and technique that lies behind the dishes …
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Tim Spector
Tuesday 8th December, 2pm
Recipes to lift your energy, balance your mood, and feed your brain - the feel-good cookbook from the nation's favourite gut-health scientist, as seen on Channel …
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Reading Group - Dodger by Terry Pratchett
Tuesday 8th December, 7pm
In his final stand-alone novel, Terry Pratchett paid homage to another master of character, atmosphere and humour, evoking a richly detailed Dickensian London, seething with colourful …
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British Museum Lectures: The Bayeux Tapestry
Tuesday 19th January, 7pm
We're delighted to be joined by curator Michael Lewis to discuss the upcoming British Museum exhibition, The Bayeux Tapestry, and its accompanying publications.These new titles mark …
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