A Festival Pass gives you access to all events in the Hall de Galle and the Maritime Museum throughout the Festival. Check How To Buy Tickets page for more information.

Michelle de Kretser, Ru Freeman, Gillian Slovo, Lal Medawattegedera and David Blacker discuss which stories they have chosen to tell about Sri Lanka and why. FREE EVENT

Sandhya Rao speaks to you about writing your own children's books and introduces you to the dynamic Chennai-based publishing house, Tulika Books.

Rana Dasgupta, Shyam Selvadurai, Diran Adebayo and Antonia Michaelis, tell us why they keep returning to ancient forms of storytelling.

Jackie Kay’s first collection of poetry was about her own adoption, in Scotland. In THE MOON IN THE WATER, Ameena Hussein imagines an adoption on the other side of the world. The writers compare notes.

Ismeth Raheem has spent two years visiting the lighthouses around Sri Lanka and trying to uncover their hidden histories. Today he combines his findings in architecture and literature. FREE EVENT.

For a year Louise Doughty ran a newspaper column intended to dispel myths about writing and get you moving on your novel. Let her do it for you now. Moderated by Sunila Galappatti

Gillian Slovo grew up in the South Africa of Apartheid, with parents who gave their lives to the struggle against it. Here she reads from her memoir and tells us about her life.

Mohammed Hanif’s explosive debut novel is a fictional reconstruction of the planecrash that killed Pakistani President Zia ul Haq. Sarnath Banerjee asks him how he made the bridge from fact to fiction.

When it began, TIMOTHY MCSWEENEY'S QUARTERLY CONCERN was edited in San Francisco and printed in Iceland. Angela Petrella and Mac Barnett tell the story of an unusual publishing house.

Wendy Cope is perhaps the most popular poet in Britain. But it’s not all cups of cocoa; come and hear what she has to say.

The writers of KEERTHIHAN'S KITE spent two years getting it right. Hear about the genesis of one of Sri Lanka’s first trilingual picture books, and learn some Sinhala and Tamil while you’re at it. Followed by kite-flying on the ramparts. FREE EVENT.

Let’s go fly a kite! Kites and kite-makers will be on hand. FREE EVENT.

Ashley de Vos, architect and heritage conservationist, tells us about his work on preserving Galle Fort.

Ashok Ferrey reads from his long awaited new book, and very first novel, SERENDIPITY! FREE EVENT.

Good girls dress more conservatively than bad girls. The hero is better looking than the villain. Is there a formula? Kaveri Lalchand tells the story of her publishing house and its adventures in translating Indian pulp fiction.

We asked our Festival writers to give us opening lines for new stories. Hear how these stories were finished by aspiring writers. Poet Hasini Haputhanthri moderates and reads from her own work. FREE EVENT.

200 years ago a garden was planted in Peradeniya to be the grand tropical counterpart to Kew Gardens in London. Hear the extraordinary story of its growth. Siril Wijesundara, current Director General of the Botanical Gardens talks with Sarala Fernando.

Michelle de Kretser’s novels have always been marked by mystery. Come and hear her explain herself.

At the age of 18 Patrick Leigh Fermor walked from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople. Artemis Cooper relates her experiences as the official biographer of one of Britain’s greatest travel writers.

Channa Daswatte talks you through a series of architects’ houses and discusses the peculiar task that architects face when they design houses for themselves.

Richard Boyle examines books by 19th and early 20th century British colonisers describing and promoting Ceylon to readers back home. FREE EVENT.

Claire Tomalin has told the stories of hidden women in history, Dora Jordan, mistress to the King, or Nelly Ternan, Charles Dickens’ dirty secret. Today she tells us why she chose these tales to tell.

Sarnath Banerjee lets us forget our homework and spend the afternoon reading comics.

Michelle de Kretser, Shehan Karunatilaka, Mohammed Hanif and Jackie Kay tell us how they’ve enjoyed the company of the eccentrics, alcoholics and paranoid dictators in their novels.

Rajpal Abeynayake tells us what he dislikes about the Galle Literary Festival. And you get to ask the questions this time. Moderated by Sunila Galapatti, Director of the Galle Literary Festival this year.

Ian Rankin tells us how his most famous detective, John Rebus, came to be, and finally to retire.

Ru Freeman reads from her debut novel.

Salman Rushdie called Rana Dasgupta ‘the most unexpected and original Indian writer of his generation’. Come and hear from Rana in person.

Come let your hair down at the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel! Bring a Festival ticket for admission and get there before the place fills up.

Iranganie Serasinghe, heroine of Sri Lanka’s stage and screen, speaks about her life and work, and how things have changed. FREE EVENT.

Shehan Karunatilaka won the Gratiaen Prize last year for his novel in manuscript about ‘the greatest Sri Lankan cricketer never to achieve stardom’. The legend of Pradeep Mathew is told by W.G. Karunasena, an ageing, alcoholic sports journalist. Today Shehan, Sri Lanka’s great novelistic hope, talks to Amit Varma, among other things a cricket journalist.

David Robson interviews the architect on his work.

Thavayoganathan Sajitharan reads from his own poetry and the work of other Tamil poets he thinks we should celebrate. FREE EVENT.

Claire Tomalin wrote about one of London's most famous chroniclers, Diran Adebayo has told urban fables, Rana Dasgupta, transported readers around the world in 13 stories. Today they discuss the split lives of cities.

Louise Doughty comes from a long line of Romany gypsies whom she has written about and reinvented through her books. Come and hear her speak about a unique heritage and a hidden history. FREE EVENT

Renowned historian Antony Beevor chronicles the rise of the conspiracy theory.

After writing the stories of umbrella thieves and runaway beards, Sybil Wettasinghe is writing the story of her own life. Born just outside Galle, she reads from her memoir about what life was like in the area when she was a child.

Amit Varma is an award-winning journalist, blogger and now a novelist. Hear him read from MY FRIEND SANCHO and speak about his work.

Killing characters and tying up loose ends: Mohammed Hanif, Louise Doughty and Sarnath Banerjee explain how they do it.

Gillian Slovo co-compiled a play based on testimonial accounts of Guantanamo Bay Detention Centre. It went on to play in theatres all over the world. She speaks now about this experience.

Enjoy an old fashioned tea party laid on by Peter Kuruvita. On the lawn of the Dutch House, listen to Wendy Cope and Jackie Kay read their poetry.

Michael Frayn has written as a journalist, novelist and playwright. Today he tells us how fiction can sometimes alter reality.

Shyam Selvadurai gives us a first preview of two new books, both based on the Buddhist Jataka tales.

Enjoy Diran Adebayo's readings to music and everything our Festival writers haven’t yet had a chance to say. Come early before the place fills up!