John Lanchester, author of 'Whoops'
Adrian Wooldridge, co-author of 'The Company' and Management Editor of the Economist
Andrew Franklin, Managing Director of Profile Books
Miranda McKearney, Chief Executive of The Reading Agency (Chair)

The UK has been buffeted by financial crises and an economic collapse which have seen public debt soar and corporate budgets constrict. The publishing industry has arguably seen its worst financial year in decades, with flagging book sales and dwindling literature coverage in the national press. How will literature will fare in the current climate, and in the years to come? Will major publishers' dwindling revenues mean fewer - and less varied and ambitious - books on the market? Or is this a golden age for hard-edged, gritty recession literature, and incisive coverage of current social and political issues?

Join us as John Lanchester, author of Whoops! on the financial crisis, Adrian Woolridge, co-author of The Company and Management Editor for The Economist, and Andrew Franklin, Managing Director of Profile Books, debate the impact of the recession on literature. This event will be chaired by Miranda McKearney, Chief Executive of the Reading Agency.

All events in the Literary Festival programme are free and open to all, but a ticket is required. Members of the public will be able to request a ticket using the online ticket request form, available here.