5 Questions with Reiner Luyken
12 August 2014
Tell us about your connection to Wigtown and the Book Festival
In 2013, I was invited to write about the festival for the German weekly paper DIE ZEIT. From the moment I stepped into Shaun and Jessica’s famous kitchen, it wasn’t a journalist’s job but fun from beginning to end. I listened to late-night recitations of W. H. Auden, I slept in Shaun’s bookshop and dreamed of Roald Dahl’s BFG, I drank gin and smoked rolies with actors and authors. It was wonderful. I was amazed at what can be achieved with a small budget, bucket loads of enthusiasm and a lot of hard work and commitment, all with an air of improvisation.
Sum up your festival experience in 5 words
Lack of sleep, loads of fun.
What's your favourite festival memory?
Difficult to pick one. Judging the Wigtown's Got Talent competition was certainly a highlight, with the highly literate, urbane and ever-present Stuart Kelly as compère of proceedings.
Who would be your dream author to appear at the Festival?
John – the one who wrote the gospel. There are a lot of questions I would like to ask him.
Give our visitors one recommendation or top tip for Wigtown, the Festival or D&G
Don’t leave out the fringe events!