Prof. David Crystal, OBE

The renowned linguist and author of more than a hundred published books including the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (second edition, 2003), Prof. David Crystal, OBE, will talk to the Graham Greene International Festival at 2.00pm on Saturday 3rd October 2009. David is a very witty and entertaining speaker, and in addition to lecturing all over the world he has made many radio and television appearances. As a great fan of The Third Man, he has chosen to speak on the title "Going Careful in The Third Man: a linguistic exploration".

Festival 2009

At the twelfth annual Graham Greene International Festival in Berkhamsted (England, UK) from 1st to 4th October 2009 we shall celebrate once again the life and work of the writer during a four-day festival of talks, lectures, films, exhibitions and social events.

In particular, we will celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the UK release of the classic "film noir" The Third Man (starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard and Alida Valli, photography by Robert Krasker, screenplay by Graham Greene, directed by Carol Reed). The film won the "Palme d'Or" at the Cannes Film Festival, and Robert Krasker received an Academy Award for Best Cinematographer. Many people consider it to be the best British film ever made.

The film will be screened at 7.30pm on Thursday 1st October 2009 at The Rex, which is an extremely popular and very beautiful art deco cinema in the centre of Berkhamsted.

Full details of the Festival 2009 are now available on our website:

http://www.grahamgreenefestival.org/

Ken Sherwood

Ken Sherwood, who was a co-founder of the Graham Greene Birthplace Trust and the annual Graham Greene International Festival in Berkhamsted (England, UK), died in the early hours of Monday 6th April 2009.

His Funeral Service will be held at 1.30pm on Friday 17th April 2009 at Sunnyside Church, Ivy House Lane, Berkhamsted, HP4 2PP.

Ken Sherwood

Friends of the Graham Greene Birthplace Trust will be saddened to hear that Ken Sherwood, a co-founder of the Trust and the International Festival, died this morning. He had been ill for some time. R.I.P.

Festival, Website, Facebook & Blog

The Graham Greene International Festival takes place at the author's home town, Berkhamsted (England, UK). The dates usually include the 2nd October which was the date of the writer's birth. Many of the events take place in Berkhamsted School, where his father was the Headmaster, and where he studied as a schoolboy.

The Festival is an ideal opportunity to meet other enthusiastic readers of Greene, and to speak to distinguished writers and academics in the field of Greene scholarship.

The 2009 programme may be seen online at: http://www.grahamgreenefestival.org/

The printed Handbook will soon be available.

You are welcome to contact other friends of the Festival through our Facebook page, and to speak to other Greene fans by posting a message on this Blog.