Although many events are sold out, with just a week to go before BridLit 20 opens, there are still a few tickets to be had.

So if you’re a lover of books, real-life writers and fed up with Zoom events (lovely as they are in these desperate times), get on over to this website’s What’s On pages and book yourself into a live talk by one of our stellar cast of writers.

What better way of lightening up these dark days than sitting in socially-distanced safety at Bridport Arts Centre or the Electric Palace to hear a writer talk about their work?

Jonathan Coe should be renamed Jonathan Coup as it’s a real coup to have this brilliant writer here with us in Bridport on Friday 6 November, especially at such short notice.

If, like me, you loved Middle England, winner of last year’s Costa Novel Award, then you’re in for a treat with Mr Wilder and Me. The Guardian declared in a review this week that it ranks among Coe’s best novels.

And then, on Wednesday 4 November, The Observer’s literary editor, Robert McCrum, takes us on a personal exploration of the world’s most famous poet and playwright and asks what makes his work so enduring.

The Times says McCrum’s ‘Shakespearean was written under the influence of Brexit, Trump and Greta Thunberg and has been given new urgency by Covid-19. His argument is this: “The Shakespeare who came of age during decades of crisis, dread and disorder, speaks to every generation that finds itself in extremis.”.’

The gorgeous landscapes of Dan Pearson will be under the spotlight on Saturday 7 November when he shares his insights into how to plant gardens that feel right for their location and to reconnect the land and wildlife that surround us. The Tokachi Millennium Forest brings together the culture, aesthetics and horticultural practices of the East and West combining an awareness of the past and protection of the future.

If the book title doesn’t grab you, it’s worth taking a look at Dan’s website, especially if you have time on your hands. Prepare to be enchanted.

Creative types will be equally enamoured with Lachlan Goudie’s energetic telling of The Story of Scottish Art on Thursday 5 November.

As a practising artist, he brings his own passion and knowledge to an often surprising account of how a nation sees itself. With an understanding of the joys and struggles of artists to fulfil their vision, he looks at how and why masterpieces were created, the changes they reflect and the impact they have had on the world.

Historian Barney White-Spunner gets the BridLit ball rolling on Wednesday 4 November with the story of Berlin, an extraordinary city from its medieval origins to the present day. It’s a city on the edge – geographically, culturally, politically and morally.

So, if you haven’t got your BridLit tickets yet, do so now and be part of something unique – it’s one of the only live literary festivals this year.

Keep safe.

Margery