Literature festival: mesmerism of words

Added: 12/27/2005

It is hard for literature to survive in our world of high technologies, increasingly developing television and the Internet networks. But think a bit -- and you will realize that one of the best gifts is still a book, and there is hardly a handful movies surpassing the originals. The core is, perhaps, a true power of words, which makes us worry along with our favourite heroes, love and hate with them, and sacrifice our business to being totally absorbed in a book.

Perhaps, there is nothing more relaxing after a hard workday than reading a book, whether adventurous or romantic, historical or philosophic. And though a lot of people believe the time of books has passed, it is not true. People keep on reading and being carried away with fascinating events described in books. And literature festivals stimulate interest to reading in the best way possible.

In fact, literature festivals fulfil a highly important function: they make the readership acquainted with new editions, consult on a choice of decent books to read, let people communicate with their favourite authors, allow opinion-sharing. In a word, create a true literature-addict circle. The most well-known event of the kind is Ilkley Literature Festival which was founded in 1973 and is nowadays recognized in a whole intelligent world. This literature festival lasts for two weeks providing the possibility to meet the best-known authors.

Bath City is the home for one more literature festival. Bath Festivals Trust was created in 1993 to develop Bath as a Festivals City. Since then, it annually presents Bath Literature Festival and Bath International Music Festival. The latest Bath Literary Festival 2005 took place end February covering the period from February 26 to March 6. This year Festival was devoted to Hidden Histories.

The Essex Book Festival is introduced by authors working in such genres as romance, thriller, history of sport and others. This Festival gives a chance to meet excellent authors famous all over the world. Actually, Essex Book Festival is the biggest writing and reading festival in the eastern region of England. Here you may find any book dreamt of.

The Redbridge Literature Festival is one of the youngest events of the sort on the globe. The year 2005 was its only third year. Regular partakers of this literature holiday are those writing short stories and modern poetry. At the Festival one may have a favourite book autographed. Just as other festivals, Redbridge Literature Festival arranges special programs aimed at children and teenagers. Perhaps, the brightest event of the last Festival was the performance of 'Elmer the Elephant' based on a popular story by David McKee.

Some poetry authors partaking in Essex Book Festival introduced their works with music accompaniment. During the Festival many schools became homes for different information-bearing literature events built on the basis of a FAQ system ('frequently asked questions' system).

Such events as festivals of literature give a great chance to so far unknown authors to prove themselves. For young people making their first steps in literature, this is a beautiful opportunity to find their place under the sun and get some necessary experience. For book-addicts such festivals are a perfect impetus to abandon their settees and head for vivacity with no renouncing their reading principles. Literature festivals set a new maxim: there is much more about reading than plain home-sitting.

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