We like big books and we cannot lie!

It's here! Back for it's 21st year, the International Literature Festival Dublin is Ireland's biggest and best literary event and is packed with some the finest writers in the world. For 11 days, our city will be a hub of debate, discussions, workshops, performances and screenings and we can't wait to catch up with some of the stars of our bookshelves and discover some new faces. The programme is incredible this year and its so hard to choose our favourites but here are a few events we have bookmarked:

If you were lucky enough to get tickets to see Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Sold out) then you are in for a treat and we are well jealz! We have been massive fans ever since we saw her TED talk in 2012, a  rallying cry for why we should ALL be feminists. We have her book of this talk We Should All Be Feminists and her more recent publication, Dear Ijawele, A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, which is filled with insightful suggestions on empowering a young girls to become strong, independent women.

We adore Oliver Jeffers! We have a great selection of his books in store. They're all SO good but if we absolutely HAD TO pick a favourite it would have to be Here we are because it is so beautiful! (We're not crying, you're crying!) He wrote it after the birth of his son to introduce him to Planet Earth but like all of Oliver's books, they are certainly not just for small humans! Grab tickets to his talk fast, you don't want to miss this!

Sara Baum's novel, A Line Made By Walking is on our reading list and we've heard so many good things about it. She is also a visual artist and this is an interesting feature in her writing. She joins Catalan artist and writer Alicia Kopf for a talk The Art of Writing and we think this is definitely worth catching.

Do you know your iarmhaireacht from your aduantas an tsléibhe? We’ve got just the event for you! Darach Ó Séaghdha from Twitter fame hosts a live podcast based on his book Motherfocclóir. We love Darach's book and his ‘all slammer, no grammar’ pun-friendly and irreverent approach to the Irish language. This event is a must for all lovers of language. 

This screening in the Complex looks really interesting - a selection of short films created on a masterclass workshop in Cuba with Werner Herzog last year. Filmmaker Bob Gallagher was the sole Irish representative invited to the workshop. He will introduce the films, and talk about his experience of working with Herzog, which we have no doubt will be fascinating.

On Saturday we will be down at St. Patrick's Park for the Party in the Park. This is going to be a fun day with street theatre, storytelling, readings, face painting, workshops in animation & cartoons, arts & crafts, and writing! The weather is set to be cracking! Now to decide what face paint to get... hmmm!