2025 Speakers
The Genetic Book of the Dead
One of the world’s greatest Science Writers and Evolutionary Biologists, Richard Dawkins will headline our Saturday Show with his latest thought provoking and celebrated book on the deepest principles of evolutionary biology.
Orbital, Booker Prize Winner 2024
Author and Bath Spa University Senior Lecturer, Samantha Harvey headlines our Sunday show, in conversation about her Booker winning novel, a lyrical work on hope, perspective and humanity as seen from the International Space Station.
Too Big To Jail: HSBC and the Banking Scandal of the Century
Former Editor of the Independent, Chris Blackhurst is an award winning journalist and charismatic speaker. He’ll be talking about his corruption classic, which created headlines for newspapers and headaches for HSBC and the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.
Andrew Ziminski
Church Going – A Stonemason’s Guide to the Churches of the British Isles
Master stonemason and celebrated author, Andrew Ziminski talks of the Medieval Churches of this land. A Book of the Year in The Times, Telegraph, Church Times and BBC History Magazine, and called ‘Joyous and illuminating’ by Sir Tony Robinson, a wonderful way to start our festival on Saturday morning.
The Hand of History: What Handwriting Reveals
Beyond the Page
Join New York Times bestselling author Frances Liardet (We Must Be Brave) and historian Felice Hardy (The Tennis Champion Who Escaped the Nazis) with graphologist Emma Bach. Emma will analyze handwriting from WWII-era women—from historical figures in Felice’s book to those on the home front—to reveal their untold stories and connect them to the authors’ works.
The Prison Officer – The Inside Story of Life Behind Bars
Lauded by Rory Stewart as ‘A fascinating inside account which brings alive one of the hidden, and often most shameful parts of British society – our prison system,’ Gen’s account of her work in prisons will stay with you well beyond Heywood Literary Festival 2025.
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Empowering – Supporting yOUNG vOICES
Supporting Young Voices for a Bright Future
Heywood Literary Festival is proud to support The Rotary’s work on Youth Speaks. This competition is open to schools from anywhere in the UK both Middle and Secondary and gives young people the opportunity to show their public speaking skills in a high pressure environment in front of a live audience and a panel of expert judges.
