BOOKS / Events

The Hay Festival, sponsored by the Independent and the Independent on Sunday, begins on Friday 20 May. For further details ring 0497-821299.

The Brighton Festival runs all week. Cast includes Lyndall Gordon, on the Brontes (today, 2.30pm); poet Tom Paulin with political songwriter Leon Rosselson (Wed 18); Alan Hollinghurst and Edmund White, on their novels (Fri 20); stand-up poet John Hegley (Fri 20); poets Ken Smith, George Szirtes and Nicki Jackowska, and reporter Maggie O'Kane, on Bosnia (Sat 21); E L Doctorow on the duty of writers to society (Sat 21); and Terry Pratchett (Wed 18), Vikram Seth (Thurs 19), Stephen Spender (Fri 20) and James Fenton (Sat 21). Children's Poems & Pictures Day (Sat 21). Tickets mostly pounds 3-5 ( pounds 1 off cons). 0273-709709.

In London, at the Royal Festival Hall: poets Adrienne Rich and Michele Roberts (today) and Jon Glover and Jon Silkin (Thur 19); John Banville, Elspeth Barker and Patrick McGrath on gothic fiction (Mon 16); Amanda Hopkinson reads translations of Brazilian novelist Jorge Amado's work (Tues 17). All at 7.30pm. pounds 6/3 ( pounds 3.50/1.80 cons). 071-928 8800.

Novelists Susan Curran, Jeremy Leland and Michael Pollard read at Waterstone's, London St, Norwich. Wed 18, 6pm. 0603-632426.