Things almost turn nasty at this discussion about Michael Morpurgo’s life when there is no time for him to read. Morpurgo appeases the mob with a song, getting the mainly grown-up audience to join in. But there is generally great warmth of feeling, partly due Morpurgo’s relationship with his biographer Maggie Fergusson; she is the intellectual foil to his raconteur, asking the more probing questions that perhaps he would not. In addition to the sing-along, we fit in talk of Ted Hughes’ role as a mentor and the state of children’s education nowadays. Yet the best line of the day is from one of his last school reports: “Morpurgo may never be bookish but he has a great rugger future”.
RBS Main Theatre, 18 Aug, 11.30am.
[Lia Sanders]
Sections: by Lia Sanders - ED2012 Book Reviews | Tags: Edinburgh International Book Festival, Maggie Fergusson, Michael Morpurgo
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