Reclusive playwright to speak at the forum

One of the nation's favourite playwrights will make a rare publicappearance in Bath later this year.

Alan Bennett - who wrote The Madness Of King George and TheHistory Boys - will be at The Forum in Bath in October.

Robert Topping, of new independent bookseller Topping & Company,is organising the event.

He said: "This will be the largest public appearance in thiscountry of a famously private man."

Bennett will be talking about his novel, The Uncommon Reader,which tells the story of a queen accidentally discovering the joy ofreading.

"People of all ages love Bennett, his sense of humour and hiscaptivating voice," Mr Topping said.

"He very rarely appears in public and therefore his visit is agreat honour for us and a major occasion for the city of Bath."

Mr Topping said Bennett had agreed to the event because hesupports independent bookselling.

Topping & Company, which already has an outlet in Ely,Cambridgeshire, opened in the Paragon at the end of April.

It ran an event featuring Sebastian Faulks, who wrote Birdsong andCharlotte Gray.

Kathleen Smith, from the company, said it had held a similarevening in Ely when Bennett launched his last bestseller, UntoldStories.

She added it had been popular and was good for independentbookshops to run such popular events.

"I think independent bookshops are very nice places to come," shesaid.

"They have things that the big chain stores don't have. The bigchains tend to have the same books. This one is a large independentas well.

"Although we're very much a local, independent bookshop, we're thelargest to open for more than 40 years with a huge range of titles,good publisher contacts and a sparkling author events programme."

The event, on Thursday, October 25, will be held at the Forum.Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7.30pm start.

Tickets cost pounds20 if delivered by post, but pounds15 if theyare picked up directly from the bookshop or reserved and picked up ata later date. The cost of the ticket includes the pounds10.99 bookand a glass of wine.

The Uncommon Reader is published by Profile and Faber & Faber.

For more information call the shop on 428111, call into theParagon store or visit www.toppingbooks.co.uk.

n.stone@bathchron.co.uk