Seven hotly anticipated events at Oxford Lit Fest 2025
Oxford Literary Festival is back for 2025, kicking off on 29th March and running through to 6th April.
As always, there’s a genuinely varied lineup from established literary figures to debut novelists, and academic writers to childrens’ authors. Following on from last year’s festival, I’ll be there for Tales from Absurdia to cover the opening weekend.
The event is once again packed with big names, including former Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell, Miriam Margoyles, and Deborah Meaden — who heads a fascinating-looking panel on compassion in food and farming.
And whilst there is plenty to get excited about, these are my seven most-anticipated events for Oxford Literary Festival in 2025. You can explore the full festival programme here.
7) Creating Fiction in Troubled Times
Brian McGilloway talks to Jane Casey
Saturday, 29 March 2025 | 2:00 pm (1 hour)
Weston Lecture Theatre
£8 – £15
Part of the Crime Fiction portion of the festival, Creating Fiction in Troubled Times features NYT bestselling crime writer Brian McGilloway and Jane Casey. Casey, who is also a crime writer, is the winner of Irish Crime Novel of the Year for A Stranger in the Family.
I’m particularly excited to get their perspectives on the morality and ethics of creating fiction loosely based on contemporary events. This stems from my concerns around the number of pandemic-related books that popped up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
6) The Possibility of Literature
With Peter Boxall
Saturday, 29 March 2025 | 2:00pm (1 hour)
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room
£8 – £15
Peter Boxall, the Goldsmiths’ Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford, will be discussing his latest book The Possibility of Literature. A collection of essays new and old on the politics of the novel, Boxall will examine the various social and cultural conditions of the novel, from Proust’s ideas of beauty to the fallout from 9/11.
According to his University of Oxford profile, Peter is “interested in the political role of the literary imagination in helping to create new realities.” — and I’m super excited about this one.
5) All the Rage: Why Anger Drives the World
With Josh Cohen
Saturday, 29 March 2025 | 6:00pm (1 hour)
Oxford Martin School: Seminar Room
£8 – £15
Why are we so angry? Fortunately, Professor Josh Cohen is on hand to explain.
A psychoanalyst and professor of modern literary theory at Goldsmiths, University of London, Cohen explores the idea that anger is a primary feeling and ultimately maps itself onto every facet of our life, from road rage to the ever-widening political divide.
I’m particularly interested to get his perspective on how we deal with the intellectually dishonest political and plutocratic figures of our time (see Elon Musk), who seek to enrich themselves off the back of division.
4) Crafting Immersive Worlds
With Samantha Shannon, in conversation with Kate Dylan
Saturday, 5 April 2025 | 06:00 pm (1 hour)
Pusey House: Chapel
£8 – £15
Samantha Shannon needs no introduction to fantasy readers, as author of the bestselling Bone Season series and the book I plan to read but fear its length, Priory of the Orange Tree. Joining her will be Kate Dylan; a video editor by day and author of Sunday Times Bestseller, Until We Shatter, by night.
Crafting Immersive Worlds is a delightful opportunity for fans of Shannon and Dylan, and the genre more broadly, to uncover the art of immersive world building and explore the creative impulses behind their works.
3) Oxford Debate: You Ask the Questions
With Simon Heffer, Marina Purkiss, Zoe Strimpel and Adele Walton, chaired by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Thursday, 3 April 2025
12:00 pm (1 hour, 15 mins)
Sheldonian Theatre
£8 – £20
The politics panels at Oxford Literary Festival are always pretty special. They typically have great guests and timely discussions — and audience participation is always encouraged, which is brilliant.
Last year, I attended one chaired by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, and featuring guests including author Grace Blakeley and journalist Peter Oborne — and it was genuinely both insightful and entertaining.
Likewise, this years’ panels also look excellent. I’ve picked out one in particular, with guests including Marina Purkiss and Simon Heffer. Prior to the talk, ticket holders are encouraged to email questions for the panel on key topics in the news right now, whilst questions on the day will also be put to the panel.
2) Breaking Boundaries: Queering Sci-Fi and Fantasy
With L R Lam, Tasha Suri, C L Clark and Sarah Rees Brennan
Tuesday, 1 April 2025 | 06:00 pm (1 hour)
Trinity College: Garden Room Levine Building
£8 – £15
Oxford is a place of tradition, and its two most famous fantasy authors are CS. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien — both excellent writers and world-builders, and two of my own personal favourite authors.
But more recently, we’ve seen an explosion in romantasy (a portmanteau of romance and fantasy), as readers seek more full-blooded depictions of romance in their fictional worlds.
This event features a discussion between award-winning authors L R Lam, Tasha Suri, C L Clark, and Sarah Rees Brennan, who will explore how queerness and new representation are reshaping sci-fi and fantasy narratives.
And taking place in the home of traditional fantasy, I think this will be a wonderful, interesting discussion.
1) Orbital
Samantha Harvey talks to Ben Lawrence
Sunday, 6 April 2025 | 10:00am (1 hour)
Sheldonian Theatre
£8 – £20
Whilst I was later to the party than most, only reviewing Orbital earlier this year, I’ve made it no secret that Samantha Harvey’s sci-fi novel is one of the best books I’ve read in years. It’s a beautiful blend of literary brilliance and poignant observations on our fragile mortality set against an endless universe.
So, naturally, her talk at Oxford Literature Festival is easily one of my most anticipated events at the festival. This year, she’ll speak to Ben Lawrence, commissioning editor at The Telegraph; the festival’s main sponsor.
Last year’s Booker Prize-winner Paul Lynch also spoke in the iconic Sheldonian Theatre about his award-winning novel Prophet Song, and it was terrific. It’s a stunning location, appropriately grand for the literary giants of our time, and yet still a beautifully intimate setting.
Orbital is a strong recommendation from me, and so is this event.
Oxford Literary Festival runs from 29th March to 6th April. Check out the full programme of events here, or simply download their handy Pocket Guide to take with you.