TRAINSPOTTING author Irvine Welsh and singer Charlotte Church are among a host of well-known names announced for the spoken word events at this summer’s Green Man Festival.
It is the 15th time the annual event will be staged at the Glan Usk estate, near Crickhowell, and to mark the anniversary, the Green Man’s organisers have pulled out the stops with a stellar line-up for its Talking Shop event.
The biggest name is Scottish writer Irvine Welsh whose classic novels include 'Trainspotting’, 'Porno’ and 'Filth’. The festival is also welcoming back Cardiff-born former child singing sensation and latter-day pop queen Charlotte Church who will be putting the world to rights with her views on modern politics.
Cardiff-born writer and filmmaker Iain Sinclair will be talking about his success since moving to London and folk-punk protest singer Billy Bragg will be having a chinwag about his forthcoming book 'Roots, Radicals and Rockers: How Skiffle Changed The World’.
Elsewhere: Nikesh Shukla presents a panel discussion about the Guardian Reader’s Book of 2016 The Good Immigrant, Shirley Collins returns to Talking Shop in conversation with Jude Rogers and Lynsey Hanley, Dawn Foster and Emma Jackson explore the roots and consequences of '10 Years of the UK Housing Crisis’.
Of course, other Talking Shop regulars will be back. Pete Brown will be matching beers with the bands of Green Man 2017. Pete Paphides and Bob Stanley will be key characters in the Green Man pop quiz and Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods will be the subject of the ever-popular Mojo Interview.
The Plural of Vinyl is Vinyl is a conversation about records and their revival with Laura Barton, Richard King and Paul Noble of Spiritland.
Will Ashon, author of the acclaimed journey into Epping Forest 'Strange Labyrinth’, John Grindrod whose forthcoming book 'Outskirts’ looks at the Green Belt and Travis Elborough author of 'The Park’ explore the art of getting lost in places that seem familiar in Let’s Get Lost.