Kate Mosse Autumn: An Atmospheric Memoir of the Season of Change

About

Why does autumn hold such a special place in our imagination? From the first copper leaves and misty mornings to migrating birds, ancient woodland and the last warmth of the year, autumn is a season of extraordinary beauty, change and reflection.International bestselling author Kate Mosse comes to the Lewes Speakers Festival to explore the landscapes, memories and traditions that have shaped her love of autumn. Drawing on her atmospheric new memoir, Autumn: The Story of a Season, she takes us on a personal journey through the Sussex countryside of her childhood - from the marshes at Fishbourne and the rivers Ouse and Lavant to ancient yew forests, harvest fields and the fire and torchlight of Lewes Bonfire Night.Blending nature writing, folklore, history and personal memory, Kate explores the changing colours and rhythms of the natural world, the traditions that mark the turning of the seasons, and the powerful connections between landscape, memory and belonging. Why do particular places remain so deeply embedded in our memories, and why does autumn, perhaps more than any other season, remind us of the passing of time?Described by Matt Haig as "a golden read" and by Elif Shafak as "profoundly captivating", Autumn is both an evocative celebration of one of Britain's most distinctive seasons and a deeply personal love letter to Sussex. Caroline Quentin praises it as "full of warmth and joy, and a love of people, places and nature".In this intimate and atmospheric talk, Kate reflects on the Sussex landscapes that have inspired her throughout her life, the relationship between nature and creativity, and why the changing seasons continue to exert such a powerful hold on the human imagination. With Lewes Bonfire Night itself featuring in her book, this promises to be a particularly special occasion for a Sussex audience.Kate Mosse CBE FRSL is an international No. 1 bestselling novelist, playwright and writer of history and memoir. Her books have been translated into thirty-eight languages and include the multi-million-selling Labyrinth, Sepulchre and Citadel, as well as the No. 1 bestselling Joubert Family Chronicles.She is the Founder Director of the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a Trustee of the British Library and Visiting Professor of Creative Writing and Contemporary Literature at the University of Chichester. She is also President of the Festival of Chichester.Kate was awarded a CBE in 2024 for services to literature, women and charity. A long-standing Sussex resident, the landscapes, history and folklore of the county have played an important part in both her life and her writing.A Q&A Session will follow.