THE sixth chapter of the annual Midlands Literary Festival takes place in Howick over the weekend of August 22 to 23.

Organiser Darryl David said: “It’s a wonderful concoction of some of the country’s top writers. But this year we’re planning to stretch the geographical boundaries of the festival to include a grand opening night at Ike’s Bookshop in Durban, before switching to the primary and traditional Midlands venue in Howick for the rest of the weekend.

“Durban does not really have a literary festival — with the emphasis on ‘festival’ — that captures the imagination, which is why we’re hosting an evening at probably the greatest bookshop in all of South Africa: Ike’s in trendy Florida Road.

“The theme for the evening is Alice in Wonderland. Bibliophiles are encouraged to arrive dressed as the Mad Hatter or one of the characters from this perennial classic, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

“One of the most colourful characters on the literary scene, Ashwin Desai, should bring the house down with a talk titled Alice in Nkandlaland.

“Other speakers for the night include Carol Campbell, with Esther’s House, her follow-up novel to My Children Have Faces (originally published in Afrikaans as Karretjiemense). Campbell scored a major coup this year with the filming rights to both her books being bought.

“Acclaimed Indian photographer Ranjith Kally will talk on his recent photographic book with a most beautiful title, Memory Against Forgetting.

“And I just could not resist inviting Priya Dala to talk about her debut novel What about Meera?, much of which was penned on the balcony of Ike’s Bookshop.

“Rounding off what should be a thoroughly enjoyable evening is a book you must read before you die: Vernon Head’s The Search for the Rarest Bird in the World.”

The action then moves to the Yellowwood Café just outside Howick for the main festival, which this year will be the first to not have a talk by Ian Player.

“To celebrate the life of this great man, Roger de la Harpe will present the inaugural Ian Player Memorial Lecture at the festival. He will speak on his magnificent new book African Icons.

“Other highlights are Chris Nicholson and Mike Hickson on their book about the first multiracial cricket club in South Africa, the Aurora Cricket Club in Pietermaritzburg; Mary Kleinenberg on her book about the Black Sash of KZN; and Zuleikha Mayat, the lady behind that classic Indian Delights, who will talk on her lyrical letter correspondence with Ahmed Kathrada as well as her latest travel memoir.

“Also headed to the festival is Vernon Head with his masterpiece on birds, Robert Caldwell and Tod Collins’s fascinating talks, and Desai, who is speaking about Gandhi.

“The young up-and-coming writers’ programme includes Emily Burger, a Maritzburg schoolgirl, who has just published her debut novel, Thieves of Greatness (Ravensburg).

“And there will be music to add to the festive Midlands atmosphere. Apart from informal piano in-betweens, the Saturday afternoon programme will close with a performance by the very talented local musician and singer Grace Botha.”

PROGRAMME FOR THE WEEKEND

• Saturday, August 22
• 9 am to 10 am: Mary Kleinenberg — Standing on Street Corners: KZN Black Sash
• 10 am to 10.30 am: Tod Collins — Shackleton’s Forgotten Men
• 10.30 am to 11 am: Tea
• 11 am to 11.30 am: Ranjit Kally — Memory Against Forgetting
• 11.30 am to noon: Emily Burger — Thieves of Greatness
• Noon to 12.30 pm: Robert Caldwell — The Bright Lady of DNA
• 12.30 pm to 1 pm: Ian Tennet — Zululand Snow
• 1 pm to 2.30 pm: Lunch
• 2.30 pm to 3 pm: Carol Campbell — Esther’s House
• 3 pm to 3.30 pm: Cecile Levin — A Piece of Cake
• 3.30 pm to 4 pm: Jackie Kalley — Utterly Otterly: A Local Publishing House
• 4 pm to 4.30 pm: Ashwin Desai — Gandhi.
• Sunday, August 23
• 9 am to 9.30 am: Nicky Grieshaber — How to Keep your Editors Therapist Bill Down
• 9.30 am to 10 am: Hans Schroeder
• 10 am to 10.30 am: Priya Dala — What About Meera?
• 10.30 am to 11 am: Tea
• 11 am to 11.30 am: Tod Collins — The Great Himalaya’s
• 11.30 am to noon: Di Thompson — Eric Rowan: the Toughest and Naughtiest Springbok
• Noon to 12.30 pm: Zuleikha Mayat — Journeys of Binte Batuti
• 12.30 pm to 1 pm: Janet Kohler — Perfect Party
• 1 pm to 2.30 pm: Lunch
• 2.30 pm to 3 pm: Chris Nicholson and Mike Hickson — How Aurora Cricket Club Stumped Apartheid
• 3 pm to 3.30 pm: Vernon Head — In Search of the Rarest Bird in the World
• 3.30 pm to 4 pm: Roger de la Harpe — African Icons: a Year’s Travels to Africa’s Iconic Places.