Perfect Ten

Elif Shafak. The only speaker this week to get ten out of ten from me. She spoke eloquently, intelligently and compassionately on the need to combat populism with an engaged and inclusive attitude. You can’t sit on the fence or shy away from the issues; if we all retreat into our own little worlds the demagogues will take control. What was clear was that party politics is only one arena; you need to work to a broader narrative and find ways of identifying the middle ground. Tribalism is not enough. I was so impressed that I bought a copy of her latest novel "ten minutes and thirty eight seconds in this strange world" which she read from briefly later in the afternoon and where I got my blip. Rather pleased with this shot, the room was very well lit - they were using it to market reading lamps.

She also carried these themes into another session where she was the interviewer rather than the interviewed, and was talking to Peter Frankopan (author of The Silk Roads). He was also very good, and spoke to the need for Europe and the west to look ahead and not back as the world changed. 8/10.

We started the day with something very different - the story of D Day but told from the ordinary soldier’s perspective rather than that of the generals and the famous historical figures by Giles Milton. 8/10. And we finished the day with the BOSH boys, our favourite vegan chefs, who were hugely entertaining. Another 8/10.

So a really good day all ‘round, and yet again some really nice conversations with strangers. But we’re getting near the end now ...