A huge thank you to all who came to Hay Festival 2008 to listen, laugh, debate, read and join the party. In the immortal words of Ella Fitzgerald, ‘Into each life, some rain must fall’, and we’re grateful to everyone who decided to get their quota at Hay this year.
The Hay Winter Weekend will take place from 28 to 30 November 2008. We’ll ease you into the festive season with the best authors, comedy and music of the moment. The programme will be available online in October, or join the mailing list to be notified by email.
Get next year’s Hay Festival in your diary – dates are 21 to 31 May 2009. Undecided? See some highlights of the 2008 Festival …
2008 HIGHLIGHTS
JOHN BOLTON ON TORTURE AND EXTREME RENDITION
When asked about Water Boarding, torture and Extreme Rendition President Bush's Ambassador to the UN (2005--06), perhaps surprisingly, says he hasn't given much thought to the matters and therefore can't comment on it.
Watch a clip from the event...
Jimmy Carter on Bush and War Crimes
When pressed by Philippe Sands...on Bush's recent admission that he had authorized interrogation procedures widely seen as amounting to torture, Carter replied that he was sure Bush would be able to live a peaceful, 'productive life - in our country'" after he leaves the White House. Sands later said that he had "understood that to be 'clear confirmation' that, while Bush would face no challenge in his own country, 'what happened outside the country was another matter entirely.'"
Watch the clip from Hay 2008...
LISTEN AGAIN
Events from the 2008 festival are now avaliable in our audio archive. Events already online include: Jimmy Carter talking to Philippe Sands, Cherie Booth, Joseph Stiglitz and many more.
View the full list...
DISCOVER NEW VOICES
For our 21st birthday, we highlighted 21 writers appearing at Hay who may not be familiar, but who we think are remarkable. Some were first time writers, some were huge stars in other languages. They’re all cracking reads.
Four of the Hay 21 made it onto the Man Booker 2008 longlist, and one (Steve Toltz, A Fraction of the Whole) has been shortlisted.
Read more about Hay 21...
GOOD ENERGY
We are delighted to have signed up with Good Energy who now provide our mains electricity to the Festival site. Good Energy are the only 100% renewable electricity supplier in the UK. For each customer that signs up (by following this link to www.good-energy.co.uk/hay), Good Energy will donate £5 to Hay Festival's Education Charity for sustainable education initiatives and £5 to projects for low-carbon development in some of the world's poorest countries through Concern Universal.