The Guildford Book Festival Is Back

Published on: 18 Sep, 2025
Updated on: 21 Sep, 2025

Guildford Book Festival returns this month – and in 2025 the Festival is celebrating its 36th year.

Guildford Book Festival 2025 continues until October 23.

For further information and to book tickets: guildfordbookfestival.co.uk.

Taking place in venues across the borough and beyond, highlights of this year’s programme include a plethora of authors who have written books covering the wide spectrum of English literature.

Raymond Blanc

Legendary chef Raymond Blanc shares insight into the garden-to-table ethos he has pioneered at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons. Raymond’s holistic approach to the restaurant means seasonality, foraging and zero waste are at the heart of his approach.

In a special event at Watts Gallery, Judith Mackrell unveils the vibrant lives of Gwen and Augustus John, two visionary artists who helped shape early 20th-century art – but it would only be posthumously that Gwen’s work achieved significant recognition.

Kate Mosse

Clare Mulley tells the incredible story of Agent Zo – her book shortlisted for the prestigious Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and Women’s Prize Founder and bestselling author Kate Mosse shares her new Feminist History for Every Day of the Year.

Acclaimed Royal biographer Robert Hardman shining a light on Charles III, the monarch and the man. Andrew Morton examines the complex and enduring relationship between Winston Churchill and the House of Windsor.

Former Foreign Secretary and Chancellor – and Surrey MP – Sir Jeremy Hunt, discusses why he thinks it’s now or never for Britain to be great again.

This year’s History Day features Valentine Low examining the political power of the monarchy, Daniel Swift on London’s first playhouse and the making of William Shakespeare, Victoria Bateman sharing the untold story of how women made the world wealthy and Festival favourite Alison Weir discussing her latest novel about the secret life of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey.

Award-winning writer Peter Ross uncovers the mysteries of Britain and Ireland’s ancient sites, Luke Sherlock shines a light on the treasures that are England’s Forgotten Churches, and Patrick Galbraith encourages us to rethink our relationship with the countryside.

Readers’ Day includes Sunday Times bestselling Elizabeth Buchan, Milly Johnson and Ruth Ware, Costa Prize-winning Francesca Segal, acclaimed debut-novelist Joanne Rush and Lily Samson with her second book, Watch Me Watch You.

Richard Coles

Then there is the much-loved Reverend Richard Coles with the latest novel in his Sunday Times bestselling series.

Mike Berners-Lee asks why, when we have the technology available to us for a cleaner and healthier future, we are still accelerating into a polycrisis of environmental and social strife?

And campaigner and activist Kwajo Tweneboa exposes a topical issue locally, our housing emergency and he calls for action to rebuild.

Andrew Lownie explores the controversial lives of the Duke and Duchess of York – the subject of his new Sunday Times bestselling book.

Renowned theatre and opera director Stephen Unwin explores how people with learning disabilities have been understood and misunderstood – inspired by his own experience of being a father to a son with severe learning disabilities.

This year’s children’s programme is bigger than ever before and features interactive events with Maz Evans, Alex Milway, Amanda Wood, Peter Brown and more.

And accompanying its programme of events for readers, once again there is a series of events to support budding writers.

Guildford Book Festival Director, Alex Andrews, said: “We’re delighted to be back for our 36th year with a programme that has something for everyone.”

“We’re also really excited to be presenting events at new venues this year – Guildford High School and Charterhouse – giving our audiences even more choice.”

Guildford Book Festival is a registered charity and throughout the year the Festival takes authors and illustrators into local schools, to inspire a lifelong love of reading, writing and illustrating.

In 2025, Guildford Book Festival Schools Programme will have worked with 19 schools and reached over 5,000 students.