The Cambridge History Festival 2006
Derek Wilson is an historian and biographer, who specialises in the 16th century. His latest books are Charlemagne: Barbarian and Emperor (due out in paperback in August), Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man (2nd ed. September 06). His next title Out of the Storm: The Life and Life of Martin Luther is due for publication in 2007. He explains how he came to found the Cambridge History Festival.
It’s now five years since the idea for an annual history festival first took shape and three years since the first such festival was held. Since then the project has gone from strength to strength. We have enjoyed scores of excellent presentations by top academics, popular authors (fiction and non-fiction) and media producers, including David Starkey, Richard Holmes, Lisa Jardine, John Guy, Diarmaid MacCulloch, Felipe Fernández-Armesto, Beryl Bainbridge and Prunella Scales.
The need for a regular gathering of history lovers (and the term certainly includes many readers of biography) was obvious. In the 90s there was an ‘explosion’ of popular interest in history. Television documentaries (and a whole channel devoted solely to history), film and TV docudramas, re-enactment spectaculars, new lavish magazines and, of course, a host of popular books all testified to a widespread fascination with the past.
Welcome as this was to all of use who believe that history matters it did present problems. How could the demand be met without lowering standards of scholarship? How could academics engage with a vastly increased audience? How could we ensure that TV history, often then referred to as ‘the new cookery’ or ‘the new gardening’ would be more than a nine days wonder? How could audiences (readers and viewers) effectively interact with the specialists making their wishes heard and their criticisms known?
One answer to all these questions was to have an annual celebration of all that is best in current historiographia in all media. At CHF we gather many of the top current writers and presenters to address and mingle informally with ordinary history enthusiasts. Each festival has a general overarching theme. This year it is ‘Nations Divided’ and we shall be thinking about Britain’s relationships over the centuries with mainland Europe and with the USA. But, in order to maintain our dedication to the best we shall also be making room for speaker’s whose subjects fit only tangentially with our theme. Topics likely to be of interest to biography aficionados are: Robespierre, Catherine the Great, Alfred the Great, Constantine, Savonarola, Paracelsus, Charlemagne, Nelson, Queen Emma.
Why not have a look at our exciting programme? Simply download from http://www.histfest.com/ (home page) or email: BC@histfest.com or write to us at CHF, Indicombe, West Buckland, Barnstaple EX32 0SE (tel: 01598 760367) and we will send you a hard copy.
CAMBRIDGE HISTORY FESTIVAL New Hall : 3 – 6 August 2006
