The 17th Chiswick Book Festival begins on 10 September 2025 in The George IV Boston Room when Festival Programme Director Jo James showcases the wealth of local literary talent that Chiswick has to offer.
All human life will be there – along with some animal life! Memoirs and biographies from Drury Lane and drag to the SIS and Edward de Bono. Children’s books from a tiger on a train to cats and a rock family band. Fiction from Baroque opera and comic crime to Chiswick, Lagos and Lahore. Non-fiction from populism, personal growth and light to the Great West Road. Scroll down to read more.
The 21 writers listed below each have just two minutes to speak about their book, making this a fun, fast-paced, and fascinating evening.
| 1 | Caroline Westbrook | Troublemaker |
| 2 | David Crane | Stranded in France |
| 3 | Mariesa Dulak | There’s a Tiger on the Train |
| 4 | James Marshall | The Great West Road: A Centenary History |
| 5 | Jane Davies | Stories with Light |
| 6 | Richard Harper | Displacement: Zweig, Roth And Benjamin |
| 7 | Paul Summerville | Reclaiming Populism |
| 8 | Keith T. Richards | Which of Your Sons? |
| 9 | Robert Tregoning | The Rock Family Band! |
| 10 | Christopher Stobart | Fragments of A Life |
| 11 | Emma Cook | You Can’t Hurt Me |
| INTERVAL | ||
| 12 | Aisha Hassan | When the Fireflies Dance |
| 13 | Lindsay Swan | Accidental Lives |
| 14 | Jon Elkon | Ragazzo |
| 15 | Dean Atta | Person Unlimited |
| 16 | Angela Wallace | Ludo & Lulu Go To Town |
| 17 | Sarah Tucker | Love Laterally |
| 18 | Jose Gonzatti | Deliberate Coaching: Unlock Your Best Self, One Goal at a Time |
| 19 | Melania Giofre | Jonny and the Mystery of the Sun Disc |
| 20 | Nick Bromley | Cakes and Ale: Mr Robert Baddeley and His Twelfth Night Cakes |
| 21 | Geraldine Taylor | A Particular Attachment |
Here are some descriptions of the books. All human life is here – and some animal life too!
Memoirs and biographies, from Drury Lane and drag to the SIS and Edward de Bono
Nick Bromley of the Theatre at the Tabard has written Cakes and Ale honouring the life, times and legacy of Robert Baddeley – cook, valet and actor member of David Garrick’s company at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and original director of the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund. Edward de Bono was a household name, travelling the globe, bringing his lateral thinking techniques to schools, corporations, and leaders in crisis: Sarah Tucker’s book Love Laterally has contributions from Tony Blair and de Bono’s family, friends and colleagues. Christopher Stobart traces his family history back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the dark days of pre-war Austria: in Fragments of A Life he recounts his journeys in publishing and financial journalism to Africa, South America and remote parts of Russia, Central Asia and China, at a time of great social and political change and unrest. Dean Atta has played many roles in his life, from choirboy to drag act, grandson to mentor, poet to lover: in Person Unlimited, he explores his wins and losses, shame and pride, pain and joy. Lindsay Swan was a partner with Sylvia Holder in a PR consultancy, before becoming Head of PR and Comms for one of the Prince’s charities and a trustee of the Venkat Trust: their book Accidental Lives tells how they travelled the world and set up a charity in India. The late Joan Langrish was Stranded in France at the start of World War II but found her way back to England to join the Secret Intelligence Service: her publisher son David Crane is launching her autobiography, written with Sally Mercer, this month.
Fiction from Baroque opera and comic crime to Chiswick, Lagos and Lahore
Jon Elkon’s first two novels were published by Andre Deutsch in the last century: his latest, Ragazzo, is an eccentric, comedic tragedy about two millionaires in the 19th century hoping to revive Baroque opera. After three decades working in entertainment and lifestyle journalism, C.R. Westbrook’s first novel Troublemaker is a dark comedy thriller about a showbiz reporter on a news website, who fears her murky past may have come back to haunt her when her life is destroyed by a new colleague. Observer Magazine assistant editor Emma Cook’s debut novel, You Can’t Hurt Me, is a psychological thriller about a journalist who takes on a job of a lifetime: ghostwriting the memoir of a celebrity neuroscientist, whose research is overshadowed by rumours surrounding the shocking death of his wife Eva. Geraldine Taylor’s mystery crime novel A Particular Attachment is about a Chiswick psychotherapist who must become an amateur sleuth to find out the truth about the death of her patient. Aisha Hassan’s debut novel When The Fireflies Dance was inspired by a true story, and is described as a mesmerising novel of love, family, resilience and redemption which will appeal to fans of modern classics The Kite Runner and The Beekeeper of Aleppo. Keith Richards spent over 30 years working in developing markets across Africa, including Guinness Nigeria, and his deep engagement with the community earned him several chieftaincy titles: his debut novel, Which of Your Sons?, reflects this wealth of experience.
Non-fiction from populism, personal growth and light to the Great West Road
A member of the Local History team at Hounslow Council’s Library Service for 32 years, James Marshall has an unrivalled knowledge of this part of West London: The Great West Road: A Centenary History is packed with illustrations and tells the road’s story, from the earliest discussions about whether it should be built at all, to the present day. Finance executive Paul Summerville‘s Reclaiming Populism: How Economic Fairness Can Win Back Disenchanted Voters defies mainstream theories of why populism continues to take hold in so much of the world: he and co-author Eric Protzer say factors such as economic inequality don’t tell the whole story. Deliberate Coaching: Unlock your best self, One goal at a time by Javier Rosales and Jose E. Gonzattioffers a roadmap for personal growth and professional development, with captivating storytelling and insightful analysis. Stories with Light, designed by graphic artist Jane Davies, is a cabinet of curiosities: a colourfully illustrated collection of facts, anecdotes and ideas about light and how we use it, arranged into three sections: Light, Lighting, and Illumination. Richard Harper’s Displacement brings to life the powerful story of three literary giants who faced hatred with the written word: Stefan Zweig, Joseph Roth, and Walter Benjamin created masterpieces while fleeing Nazi persecution. He reveals how they maintained their creative spirit in the darkest times, offering insights that resonate powerfully with today’s refugee experiences.
Children’s books from a tiger on a train to cats and a rock family band
On an extraordinary journey to the sea, a tiger boards the train, along with a jungle of other animals – all without dad even looking up from his phone! There’s A Tiger On The Train is written by debut author, local school librarian Mariesa Dulak, and illustrated by award-winner Rebecca Cobb: Mariesa’s next book is The Silver Shadow. From Robert Tregoning, the Indie Picture Book Award Winner 2024 and former West End star of Matilda The Musical, comes The Rock Family Band: Dad is a rock guitarist, Pops is the singer, Liv is the drummer, Bo is keyboardist and Nan and the dog are in the band too. But the youngest child, Sam is a flautist who likes peace, quiet and classical music… Ludo and Lulu Go To Town is a beautifully illustrated, award-winning children’s book by A.R. Wallace, taking young readers on a whimsical journey through local landmarks like Ravenscourt Park and Shepherd’s Bush, into the heart of London, with Lulu behind the wheel of her little green car. Jonny and the Mystery of the Sun Disc, by Italian fashion lecturer Melania Giofre, follows Jonny, a young boy whose life changes when elements from his dreams start appearing in real life. Guided by the God of Dreams, Master Morpheus, he must retrieve a magical Sun Disc to save both the dream world and the waking world from a looming curse plotted by the sorcerer Circe.