Top authors are coming to Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022
Have you booked your spot to see your favourite author yet?
Bibliophiles, if you haven’t got these dates in your calendar already, take note as Emirates Literature Festival is back in 2022 running from February 3 to 13.
Top authors are heading to the What’s On award-winning festival this year which is taking place at the picturesque canal side of Habtoor City hotels and we can expect a few events taking place at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Here are some of the top names making their way to the popular literature festival in Dubai
International authors/speakers
Fan of the hit Netflix sensation Bridgerton can look forward to seeing the author of the popular series Julia Quinn and Ben Miller (who has also appeared on the show) at the event. Ben is a comedian and author of children’s fiction books, and non-fiction titles.
Also at the festival will be Sara Gay Forden (above) – the author of Lady Gaga’s new movie – House of Gucci.
At Expo 2020 Dubai, a magical evening is taking place courtesy of Carlos Andrés Gómez, a star of the spoken word. Carlos acted alongside Denzil Washington in the 2006 American heist thriller film, Inside Man directed by Spike Lee.
Charles Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era and he lives on through his popular novels. At the festival, you will be able to see his great-great-great-granddaughter, Lucinda Dickens Hawksley (above). Her books include biographies of her famous forebear and about women in history.
Returning to the literature festival is Bake Off star, mental health campaigner and author Nadiya Hussain (above) who will share how her life has been transformed since winning the hit show. Ben Bailey Smith aka Doc Brown – British actor, rapper, comedian and screenwriter will also be returning.
For fans of fiction, expect to see Alka Joshi (author of The Henna Artist), former Emirates Writing Prize winner Polly Phillips (with her debut novel, My Best Friend’s Murder) and many more.
Local authors and talent
Of course, the Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature is the perfect platform for local authors and readers to meet.
Some of the popular names you can expect include Annabel Kantaria, an Inaugural Montegrappa prize winner with five published novels, her latest, The House of Whispers.
Indian-American novelist, Avni Doshi will also be at the festival. Her debut novel, Burnt Sugar, was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize and is being translated into more than twenty languages.
Children’s author, Julia Johnson is also returning to the festival. She has a number of popular children’s books under her name including The Pearl Diver, The Goat Who Wanted to Fly, The Leopard Boy and many more.
The former director of Art Dubai, Myrna Ayad will be speaking a the festival to thrill art lovers. For kid’s entertainment, Magic Phil will wow the little ones (and even the adults) with his performances.
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The festival will see plenty more big names from history, art and design, science, the business world and of course, there will be plenty for children and young adults.
Ahlam Bolooki, director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature said, ‘We are thrilled to be able to welcome international authors back in person, and brimming with excitement about our new venue, our phenomenal programme, and as always, the unforgettable stories the Festival will give rise to. We have some very special sessions planned for the coming edition, and I am telling everyone to book early because if you blink, you will miss your chance.”
The full list of authors and more information about the Emirates Literature Foundation can be found here.
Images: Getty Images and Supplied
