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Background to the Knysna Literary Festival

This year local residents and tourists along the Garden Route flocked to the Knysna Literary Festival which was held from 27th to 29th April 2012. Created as an initiative by the founder Ling Dobson of Pam Golding Properties in Knysna in 2009 give back to the community after three successful years the Festival is a well-known, exclusive event on theGarden Route arts calendar. It’s a celebration of South Africa literacy excellence attracting well-known local authors, poets and performers from both the fiction and non-fiction genres.

Aims and objectives of the Festival

The Knysna Literary Festival objectives are to:

* inspire the youth of Knysna and foster a passion for reading

* expose Garden Route residents and tourists to South African literature and the amazing talent South Africa has contributed to the world forum of writers/authors

* promote and build awareness of South African literature - its diversity, richness and talent

* allow established authors a platform to connect directly with their readers and target audience

The Festival programme (click here for the full programme)

From face to face interviews and talks, intimate dinners with authors, to lively discussion groups with South Africa’s leading authors as well as the screening of local films, the Festival has delighted audiences over the last three years attracting well known literary celebrities like Mandy Wiener, Mike Nicol, Margie Orford, Ingrid de Kok, Rob Caskie and Ryk Neethling.

Feedback from this year’s festival

“What an amazing experience, I will be back next year” - Mandy Wiener

“Ling, it really is wonderful that under your leadership Pam Golding is” raising the bar" for educational and cultural activity in Knysna! We need many more similar events to attract a more cosmopolitan and global resident in Knysna.”
- New York visitor

“Pam and I will not miss next year’s event, we have it already booked”
- Andrew Golding and Pam Golding

“I have already diarized next year’s dates! Would not miss this for anything” - Deidre Penfold

For more information visit the Knysna Literary Festival website: www.knysnaliteraryfestival.co.za

TUESDAY 19th MARCH

A			Ubom Children's Theatre Production - Beti & The Yeti
			Knysna Primary School Hall: 08h30 - 09h30   R10.00 pp (suitable for children 4 - 12 years old) This fantastical tale tells the story of young Betiswa, and how she overcomes her fears and befriends the loveable Yeti. Deep in the valleys of far- far- away, nestled between snow-capped mountains, lies the quiet town of Hills View, known for its beautiful silver trees. Its happy spirit turns nasty when the town’s beautiful birches begin to die. Having no one to blame, the town folk decide that the culprit responsible for the fading foliage is non-other than the quiet Yeti living in the mountains. Only Beti believes otherwise and, together with her nervous friend Peter, sets off to save the day. Beti & the Yeti is filled with non-stop action, music to make feet tap, and sheer rollicking fun!

Young Writers Award Ceremony
			Knysna High School Hall: 13h00 - 14h00 With our special guest, Shaka Sisulu, author of Becoming. Primary School - Poem; High School - Short Story Prizes: First Prize - Short Story and Poem: English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa - Prestigio 7 inch' computer  Second Prize - Short Story and Poem: English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa - MP3/4 Player
FRIDAY 22nd MARCH

B			Deon Meyer
			Premier Hotel: 09h00 - 11h00 R100.00 pp (includes light snacks) Best-selling South African crime thriller author, talks about his books.

C			*Ivo Vegter, author of "Extreme Environmennt," talks to Mandy Rossouw"Kings and* Kingmakers", Adrian Basson "Zuma Exposed," and Shaka Sisulu"Becoming"
			Simola Hotel & Spa: 12h00 - 14h00 R100.00 pp (includes light snacks) A panel discussion about Zuma's second term. If Zuma makes it, will he survive it or will he go the Mbeki way and get recalled? How will the ANC do at the 2014 elections? How has the Mangaung race affected the state of the ANC? How does the outcome of Mangaung affect our lives?
D			Rob Caskie - The Zulu Battlefield - Rorke's Drift
			Conrad Pezula Hotel & Spa: 17h00 - 19h00 R100.00 pp (includes light snacks) The battle of Rorke's Drift, 22^nd January 1879. An account of this epic defense against impossible odds. Who would ever have conceived that a force of roughly 4 000 Zulu warriors would immediately run from Isandlwana to attack Rorke's Drift some 10 miles away? At Rorke's Drift, comprising of little more than a makeshift hospital and a store, the desperate British soldiers prepared a barricade 4 feet high, built of mielie bags, and awaited the Zulu onslaught. A fierce battle then waged for almost 10 hours; 139 British soldiers held out against the 4 000 Zulus. This remarkable battle saw the award of 11 Victoria Crosses and 5 Distinguished Conduct Medals, and was immortalised by the classic movie "Zulu". It is the largest number of Victoria Crosse's awarded for a single action in history.
SATURDAY 23nd MARCH

E			*Chat to authors McIntosh Polela "My Father My Monster" and Rahla Xenopoulos "Bubbles"*
			Turbine Boutique Hotel: 10h00 - 12h00 R100.00 pp (includes light refreshment)

F			Delicious Word Journey
			Conrad Pezula Hotel, Noah's Bar, and Pezula Private Estate 16h00 - 21h00 R300.00 pp (includes wine tasting and 3- course dinner) The extremely popular Delicious Word Journey event returns and not only gives the attendees an opportunity not only to experience Pezula Estate's exclusive properties, but an opportunity also to chat to well-known authors such as Riaan Manser "Around Iceland on Inspirationn", Sarah Graham "Bitten", Mandy Rossouw "Kings and Kingmakers", Adriaan Basson "Zuma Exposed" and McIntosh Polela "My Father My Monster," whilst enjoying a light dinner and some of South Africa's top wines.
SUNDAY 24th MARCH

G			Rob Caskie - GOING SOUTH WITH SCOTT & SHACKLETON
			Paddle Cruise, Cruise Café: 09h00 - 11h30 R180.00 pp (includes light breakfast) This presentation initially takes the audience to the South Pole with Scott's party of 5 in January 1912, and talks about the tragic deaths of all the men en route 'home'. Did they die psychologically when they found Amundsen had beaten them to the Pole by 34 days? Scott's Antarctica rival, Ernest Shackleton is then discussed in detail - his ship crushed by ice, and 28 men living on the ice for 16 months before their extraordinary leader sails 1200km across the Southern Ocean to get help from South Georgia. These are epic tales of human struggle and triumphs of the human spirit.
H			Chat to Ivo Vegter author of "Extreme Environment"
			Conrad Pezula Hotel and Spa: 15h00 - 17h00  R50.00 Extreme Environment promises to provoke fresh – and spirited – debate about the modern environmental movement and the many ways in which environmentalism, media, economics, public policy and the politics of liberty intersect. Globally relevant, but offering a unique perspective from a developing country – South Africa – this book is a must-read for every thinking person who cares about the world we live in.
EFT PAYMENTS FOR ALL BOOKINGS:
			When doing EFT payments to purchase tickets for a specific event, please will you provide us with the Reference indicated below as well as your name and how many people will attend each event. Example: A - Smith x 3 A = CHILDREN'S THEATRE B = DEON MEYER C = POLITICAL PANEL AT SIMOLA D = ROB CASKIE RORKE'S DRIFT E = WRITERS TALKSHOP AT TURBINE F = DELICIOUS WORD JOURNEY G = ROB CASKIE SHACKELTON EXPEDITION H = IVO VEGTER EXTREME ENVIRONMENT