‘To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.’ - AC Grayling

Making the most of your LitFest

With so much variety and countless sessions on offer, you will undoubtedly be spoilt for choice, but how do you choose between sessions? Here are some tips we hope will help you get the best out of the 2012 LitFest.

Treat coming to the LitFest in the same way as planning for a holiday to a wonderful cultural city. Give yourself time to study the whole programme; make a note of you and your family and friends’ hot favourites and build the rest of your choices around these anchors.

Just as you would when visiting a new city, step away from the familiar and try an Arabic session or two: there is simultaneous translation so you will be able to get the most out these events. Learn a bit about the religion and history of the region, or the folk tales and culture, or the architecture.

We have some delicious food sessions and demos, as well as a Literary Lunch and a Tea. The InterContinental also has excellent restaurants and special Festival food stalls for snacks between sessions.

Get to meet a writer whose books you have not read previously, someone as famous as Nicholas Sparks or David Nicholls, or perhaps a relative newcomer such as PG Baskar or Selma Dabbagh.

For great entertainment and plenty of laughter come to Terry Wogan’s session on Opening Night, while for emotional highs, the international poets on the same evening will transport you to imagined places and times.

For mental stimulation, join in one of the great debates or panel sessions peppered throughout the Festival, from the round table discussion on the Fate of Arabic in the 21st century, to the George Orwell Lecture and, of course, the famous Quiz chaired by bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham.

Above all, let your mind and body be nourished with the amazing smorgasbord of writers coming from all corners of the globe to entertain, inform and inspire you.

Enjoy!

The Festival Team

2012 is here at last, which means that Emirates LitFest tickets will be on sale soon. The official date is 24 January, but Festival Friends can buy online from 17 January, when the draft programme will be unveiled online with details of more than 150 events across the Main Programme, Workshop Programme and the Fringe Festival.

Here’s a sneak preview of some of the events. Our Opening Night on Tuesday 6 March features Ireland’s best-loved radio and TV presenter, Terry Wogan plus a galaxy of international  poets in performance -  John Agard, Imtiaz Dharker, Yang Lian, Daljit Nagra and a Special Guest (whose name we can’t reveal just yet).

Among the notable authors on Wednesday night are David Nicholls and Mourid Barghouti in our new Heritage Venue.

On Thursday, Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul and a panel of guests preview the highlights of the weekend’s lineup; Tony Buzan launches his new book; rugby legend Brian Moore appears in conversation and the Festival Book Club session brings together the authors whose books they have been discussing.

Friday is always the busiest day of the Festival and 2012 will be no exception, with Ibrahim Al Koni, Tariq Ramadan, AC Grayling, Dervla Murphy, Chetan Bhagat, Jacqueline Wilson, Darren Shan and Nicholas Sparks among the line-up, alongside the return of such LitFest favourites as the Film Panel and the LitQuiz (hosted by quizmaster extraordinaire, Mark Billingham). Plus there’s the first ever Literary Tea – with a Persian flavour.

And Saturday...? Well, we can’t reveal everything at once, but expect to see David Almond, Patrick French, Alastair Reynolds, Nawal El Saadawi, and, delivering this year’s George Orwell Lecture, Michael Portillo.

We have held ticket prices at last year’s rates, and are again offering a 20% discount on all purchases of Main Programme tickets of 300AED or more; this benefit can be used in conjunction with the Festival Friends discount, making tickets even more affordable.

If you aren’t already a Festival Friend, now is the time to check out the revised, refreshed offering. Not only do you get priority booking but you can also take advantage of discounts, make use of the Festival Friends lounge and get closer to the author with reserved seats. Meanwhile, our all-new higher membership tiers offer access to the Opening Ceremony and Closing Party.

And, last but not least, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter in the run-up to the Festival: we will be running a series of competitions to win books and tickets!

So, make a note in your diary and check out our website on Tuesday 17 January to see the 2012 Emirates LitFest programme and start booking your tickets!

Wednesday 25 January at  6.30pm at Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature), Bastakiya, Dubai

Please be our guest at an Open Door event on Wednesday 25th January at Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature), Bastakiya, Dubai.

Meet and listen to this fascinating writer from India, whose novel The Fourth Passenger has been published to critical acclaim.

Mini will be in conversation with His Excellency Sanjay Verma, The Consul General of India about her latest book.

Set in Mumbai during the Hindu-Muslim conflict of the early 1990s, The Fourth Passenger is the story of four women raised with traditional Indian values, whose partnership gives them the temerity to stand up against the religious extremism. Having reached their thirties and become disillusioned with their lives and husbands, their decision to open an urban food stand is mingled with their memories of a distant past when two of them loved the same man. But, in order to establish their fledgling business, they must contend with individual temperament, extortionists, ruthless competitors, and most importantly, the prevailing religious intolerance.

In this interactive session, the author will discuss the book, read part of a chapter and answer questions about the book and the city. Mini will sign copies of her novel after the session.

Taking place on the day after tickets to the 2012 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature go on sale to the general public, this free event is a great chance to whet your literary appetite.

Mini Nair’s talk will take place on Wednesday 25 January. Doors open at 6pm for a 6:30pm start.

Please RSVP to rsvp@emirateslitfest.com

Your RSVP is essential as numbers are limited. Please remember to bring your confirmation with you.

For a location map and directions, please click here.

Would you like to find out more about volunteering at the 2012 Festival? Or have you already volunteered and now want to learn more about what it's like to work at the Festival?

This early evening meeting is an opportunity for new & prospective volunteers to meet the LitFest team and find out more about the positions that need filling.

The meeting will start at 6pm on Sunday 15 January at Dar Al Adaab, the LitFest's year-round home in Al Bastakiya. Free refreshments will be served.

RSVP yvette.judge@emirateslitfest.com

If you would like to volunteer for Emirates LitFest 2012, you can register online.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is pleased to be hosting four creative writing workshops during January 2012 for children aged 8-12 at Dar Al Adaab, Bastakiya, as part of our new, year round Open Door series of events and workshops.

The creative writing workshops are designed to improve literacy abilities, encourage creative thinking and build self-esteem. Nina Timm, who will be leading the workshops, is Professor of English Language and Literature, Recipient of the Ricci Mateotti Medal for writing from Creighton University Nebraska, USA and nominee for the Princess Haya Award for Special Education.

Please see below for further details and dates.

With the school week behind you, it's time to officially let loose! No more uniforms, cursive lessons or spelling tests. The Writer's Retreat Today is all about unleashing those crazy creatures from the depths of your mind. Let the monsters out of the closet! Beam down the aliens from another world! Or, tell us exactly what happens in "happily ever after." Send your parents off to run those boring old errands while you write your next great masterpiece. And of course, we'll play some of our wacky improvisation games to mix up the fun.

Four creative workshops as follows:

FUNATICS - Get those Creative Streams flowing

MAGIC BOX - A journey through the senses

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN! - Shaking it up with performance games

RIP THAT PAGE! - Moulding it together!

Nina Timm will help you unleash your imagination onto the blank page as you discover the fun of writing! The skills developed through TWR improve literacy abilities, encourage creative-thinking and build self-esteem.

4 Creative Workshops

Age: Group 8-12 yrs

Time: Every Saturday in January, 11am - 12.30pm

Price: 600DHS for four workshops (payment will be collected upon arrival and registration)

Location: Dar Al Adaab, Bastakiya, Dubai. For a location map please click here.

Please RSVP to rsvp@emirateslitfest.com. There are ten spaces available which will be allocated to the first ten RSVPs received. Please remember to bring your confirmation with you.

Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul, in a message posted to our YouTube channel. The whole festival team would like to wish you the best for the holiday season and the New Year!

Coming in 2012

In January we will announce our full programme, you can see a taste of what we have in store on our children's events page, where we have begun to reveal what we have to offer younger readers in 2012.

The full programme will be announced in January, and tickets come on sale on 24 January, except for Festival Friends who get to buy early on 17 January! In the meantime, check out our author lineup, as we have added a few new names since the initial announcement.

Volunteers Needed

Would you like to be involved in the 2012 LitFest? You can register as a volunteer here.

There will be a meeting for prospective volunteers at Dar Al Adaab on Sunday 15 January 2012 at 6pm. If you would like to attend please RSVP to yvette.judge@emirateslitfest.com.

It's a little while yet until the full Emirates LitFest 2012 programme is announced, but to whet your appetites before the big announcement in January, we have put together a quick preview of some of the events we have lined up for younger readers in March 2012.

We're lucky enough to be welcoming back Jacqueline Wilson in 2012, and she has two talks lined up: one on Hetty Feather sequel Sapphire Battersea, another on her anthology of poetry for girls Green Glass Beads.

Andy Stanton will be talking about his despicable creation Mr Gum and the offbeat world of his books.

Kes Gray will be talking about the art of 'fizz' - funny, cheeky, daring and weird - in 'Fizzing Fun'.

Master of Horror Darren Shan, back by popular demand, will be talking about The Saga of Larten Crepsley and other horrors still lying in wait.

Mal Peet will be telling the story of his strange journey towards becoming a writer, and speaking about his 2011 Sunday Times Book of the Year Life: An Exploded Diagram.

Tim Bowler, described by the Sunday Telegraph as 'the master of the psychological thriller', will reveal the source of his inspiration in 'Blood and Blade', a talk for teenagers and adults.

David Almond, best known as author of the much-loved Skellig, will talk about his new book The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean and what makes him write.

And Sheikh Zayed Award-winning creator of Gold Ring and founder of Pageflip Qais Sedki will be telling audiences about his obsession with manga and what the future holds for his acclaimed series.

As a bonus, we're also unveiling two sessions that should appeal to children and adults alike -  a panel on writing for the young adult market, packed with stars from the world of children's and young adult literature, including Darren Shan, and Annabel Karmel will share with child and parent alike her advice on cooking healthy food the whole family can enjoy.

Click here to download a PDF containing full details for the sessions above.

This isn't all, of course. Watch this space for news of children's workshops (some of the fastest-selling events in previous years) and the rest of the children's programme - and then the big announcement of the full programme in January! And don't forget our upcoming talk at Dar Al Adaab by Julia Johnson on Saturday 17 December. You can see a review of Julia's new book Leopard Boy here.

We are delighted to announce a partnership with the International Herald Tribune for the 2012 LitFest, and are celebrating with this special offer.

Subscribe today to the International Herald Tribune (IHT) and get two tickets worth up to 600 AED to see Kevin Spacey in Shakespeare’s Richard III, directed by Sam Mendes as the third installment of The Bridge Project, produced by BAM, The Old Vic & Neal Street.

The theatrical classic will be staged in Doha, December 16-17 2011 at Qatar National Convention Centre.

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the Middle East for 2 days only!

Subscribe now and get:

-  Two free tickets worth up to 600 AED to see Kevin Spacey in Shakespeare’s Richard III in Doha *

-  Savings of up to 65% on the IHT *-  Free IHT All Digital Access including nytimes.com, mobile and ipad apps

- Middle East with Reuters, an additional four pages of regional news, business and culture every Thursday in the IHT

- Early morning delivery to your home or office

As the Global Edition of the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune is the essential start to the day for an international audience who need to know exactly what is happening in the world and what it means.

* This offer is valid in the UAE and Qatar only.  Offer expires December 12 2011.  Conditions apply.

To subscribe, call the International Herald Tribune on +971 4 428 9457 or email ihtdubai@iht.com.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is delighted to be hosting the launch of well-loved children's author Julia Johnson's latest book, The Leopard Boy, on Saturday 17 December at 11am at Dar Al Adaab, Bastakiya, Dubai as part of our new, year-round Open Door series.

Children (and their parents!) can meet and listen to Julia Johnson read from this timeless and inspiring story about the dilemmas facing traditional peoples in seeking to improve their lives and the plight of the endangered Arabian leopard, one of the most beautiful and elusive creatures in the world. Suitable for children aged 7+.

The reading by the author will be accompanied by a presentation by the Sharjah Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife, which is the headquarters of the Captive Breeding Programme for the Critically Endangered Arabian Leopard.

After the reading, the author will be signing copies of the book, which will be available for purchase at the venue. Courtesy refreshments will be provided at the venue.

We look forward to welcoming you to Dar Al Adaab!

Synopsis of The Leopard Boy

Khalid spends his days looking after his uncle's goats. One day he follows the goats higher up the mountain than he has ever been before, only to discover that one of the kids is missing. But he does stumble upon the home of an old man who tells him about the danger faced by the last of the leopards. When Khalid gets home, his uncle angrily sets a trap for the creature he is sure has killed the lost goat. In the following days, Khalid and the old man discover signs of a leopard and determine to save it from Khalid's uncle. Then Khalid learns that his uncle plans to allow a mining company to destroy the mountain and the last thing he needs is to be foiled by the presence of an endangered and protected animal.

Please RSVP to rsvp@emirateslitfest.com.

Your RSVP is essential as numbers are limited. Please remember to bring your confirmation with you.

For a location map and directions, please click here.

More than 100 international authors and speakers will attend next year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which will be held 6-10 March 2012.

Names announced so far include literary giants as Mohammed Achaari, Chetan Bhagat, Jeremy Bowen, Bobby Chinn, Steve Coll, Imtiaz Dharker, Bi Feiyu, Paolo Giordano, A C Grayling, Sadakat Kadri, Zaghuna Kargar, Martin Kemp, Ibrahim Al Koni, Chan Koonchung, Yang Lian, Brian Moore, Dervla Murphy, Daljit Nagra, David Nicholls, Michael Portillo, Tariq Ramadan, Nawal El Saadawi, Darren Shan, Tom Rob Smith, Nicholas Sparks, Andy Stanton, Jacqueline Wilson and Terry Wogan as well as some 75+ other world-class writers and poets.

The full author list for the 2012 LitFest can be seen here.

The 2012 LitFest is focusing on the theme of Identity, which will shape the events on offer – a programme Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul has described as 'a gourmet menu for the mind', full details of which will be announced in January 2012.

The names were announced in October at an event celebrating the opening of the LitFest’s year-round home at Dar Al Adaab (The House of Literature) in Bastakiya, Bur Dubai.

Having a permanent home is also allowing us to run a number of year-round events: we have already been visited by founding Emirates LitFest author Peter James, while on 17 December 2011 children’s author Julia Johnson will launch her new book The Leopard Boy at Dar Al Adaab, and on 25 January 2012 Mini Nair will give a talk about her novel The Fourth Passenger. We are calling these events collectively the ‘Open Door series’, and there will be more instalments announced as time goes on.