Small Wonder highlights

THE annual festival dedicated to the short story form returns to Charleston Farmhouse, in Firle, near Lewes, from Wednesday, September 23, to Sunday, September 27.

Below are a few of the programme highlights:

Lee Miller’s War

Wednesday, September 23, 6pm, £8/£7

LEE Miller’s son Antony Penrose, and granddaughter Ami Bouhassane present a preview of new Imperial War Museum exhibition Lee Miller: A Woman’s War.

On Song

Wednesday, September 23, 8pm, £8/£7

CELEBRATING her 80th birthday this year, Lewes-based folk legend Shirley Collins talks to Justin Hopper about her new book examining both the Sussex landscape and the songs written about it.

The Great American Short Story

Thursday, September 24, 6pm, £8/£7

SARAH Churchill and Vendela Vida discuss whether the short story works by the likes of Edgar Allen Poe, F Scott Fitzgerald, Richard Ford and Lorrie Moore can ever rival the much-feted quest for the Great American Novel.

BBC Radio 4 Bookclub

Friday, September 25, 1.30pm, free

JAMES McNaughtie brings the staple of the airwaves to Charleston for the first time, with special guest Tessa Hadley talking about new short story collection Married Love. Look out for the announcement of the BBC’s 10th National Short Story Award by judges Sarah Hall and Tash Aw on Saturday, September 26, from 4pm, tickets £10/£9.

StorySLAM

Friday, September 25, 7.30pm, £10/£9

NEW York’s open mic storytelling night The Moth comes to Charleston with participants encouraged to tell a tale about something fleeting. Ten stories are picked out of a hat and scored by audience judges.

The Caine Prize For African Writing

Saturday, September 26, noon, £12/£10

RECIPIENT of the inaugural 2000 Caine Prize Leila Aboulela is joined by 2008’s winner Henrietta Rose-Innes and prize board member Ellah Wakatama Allfrey in a discussion of the richness and diversity of African writing.

Raconteurs And Yarn Spinners

Saturday, September 26, 6pm, £10/£9

NOVELIST Deirdre Madden leads a celebration of Ireland’s literary heritage, with Dylan Thomas Prize winner Lucy Caldwell, literary magazine Stinging Fly editor Thomas Morris and Guardian First Book Award winner Donal Ryan.

The Music Of Time

Sunday, September 27, noon, £12/£10

JANE Gardam, winner of this year’s Charleston-Chichester Award For A Lifetime’s Excellence In Short Fiction, reads from her new collection and talks to Di Speirs, books editor for BBC Radio.

Magic Moments

Sunday, September 27, 2pm, £12/£10

MARINA Warner and Heather O’Neill discuss the role of fairy tales in literature with chairman Nicolette Jones.

The World Of Yesterday

Sunday, September 27, 6pm, £12/£10

WORDTHEATRE pays tribute to writer Stefan Zweig, who inspired Wes Anderson’s Oscar-nominated movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.

His depictions of early 20th century Europe are performed live by a cast including Natascha McElhone, MyAnna Buring and Matthew Beard, directed by Cedering Fox.

For more information visit charleston.org.uk or call 01323 811626.

Duncan Hall and Carole Buchan