The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival is in town, and I went to my first event today. Justin Cartwright, acclaimed novelist, spoke about his passion for Oxford and the larger-than-life ‘myth’ of this city of dreaming spires, which he just wrote about in his latest book, This Secret Garden: Oxford Revisited. I’m only 50-ish pages in, but his love for this place resonates deeply with me.
I went up afterward, like any wide-eyed fan, to ask him to sign my copy, and gush a little about how much I love Oxford, too. He was kind, and made sure he spelled my name right, and smiled at me and said, “It’s a city of youth, isn’t it? The buildings are old, and the young people change, but they’re always here.”
He won’t remember me tomorrow, probably, but I will remember his resonant voice, penetrating eyes and kindness, as well as his shared love for my city. And this is only the first of FIVE cool events I get to go to. Stay tuned for more gushing…
cakes, tea and dreams 
This sounds wonderful! What a cool experience.