Margaret Drabble | The Books That Made Me
Thu 23 Apr 2026 | 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Go All In to the books that have inspired the life and work of Festival Honorary Patron Dame Margaret Drabble, and explore a lifetime of reading that has shaped one of Britain’s most distinguished literary voices. From her early years in Sheffield, through her studies at Newnham College, Cambridge, to a long and celebrated writing life in London, Drabble reflects on the writers, ideas and places that have engaged her imagination.
This event draws on her new collection The Great Good Places, a luminous blend of essay, memoir and reflection in which she considers memory, ageing and the formative power of beloved books and environments. Join Dame Margaret for an intimate, wide-ranging conversation about influence, reading and a life steeped in literature, rich with insight, wit and hard-won wisdom.
Chaired by broadcaster Alex Clark.
Venue: TTP Stage (Cambridge Union)
Duration: 1 hour
Proudly supporting the National Year of Reading
Tickets available soon.
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Author Biography
Dame Margaret Drabble was born in Sheffield in 1939 and was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge. She is the author of eighteen novels including A Summer Bird-Cage, The Millstone, The Peppered Moth, The Red Queen, The Sea Lady and the highly acclaimed The Pure Gold Baby. She has also written biographies, screenplays and was the editor of the Oxford Companion to English Literature. She was appointed CBE in 1980, and made DBE in the 2008 Honours list. She was also awarded the 2011 Golden PEN Award for a Lifetime’s Distinguished Service to Literature. She is married to the biographer Michael Holroyd.
Chair Biography
Alex Clark is a broadcaster and journalist, who writes for many publications including the Guardian, the Observer, and the Times Literary Supplement. She is a co-host on the Graham Norton Book Club for Audible and hosts the TLS podcast. She is a professional chairperson and appears all over the UK at Cheltenham, Hay and the Southbank Centre. Alex is a festival Honorary Patron.
