University of Liverpool welcomes Dr Amir Khan to Liverpool Literary Festival

Dr Amir Khan

Dr Amir Khan, best-selling author, full time GP and University of Liverpool medical alumnus, will be joining an exciting line-up of authors at the Liverpool Literary Festival this Saturday.

Following his sell-out event in 2021, where he discussed his fly-on-the-wall account of a GP’s role in the bestseller The Doctor Will See You Now, Dr Amir has now turned his hand to fiction.

At the festival (Saturday 7 October at 10am) he will be talking about his career and recently published novel How (Not) to Have an Arranged Marriage. Described as “Heartwarming, hilarious and incredibly insightful” the book follows three British Asians and their (very involved!) parents in the arranged marriage process.

The University of Liverpool medical alumni theme continues at the Literary Festival into Sunday 8 October. One of the leading vascular surgeons in the country and the UK’s first ever female Professor of Surgery, alumna Professor Dame Averil Mansfield will be reading from her autobiography Life in Her Hands.

Professor Mansfield will talk about her trailblazing career, shining a light on a medical and societal world that has changed beyond measure, but which, as she shows through her experiences, still has a long way to go for the women finding their place within it.

Averil Mansfield

Festival Director and Head of English at the University of Liverpool, Professor Greg Lynall said: “I’m really pleased that two of our esteemed medical alumni can take time out of their busy schedules to join us for the Liverpool Literary Festival this weekend.

“I’m really looking forward to the Festival – it’s my first as Director and I can’t wait welcome our incredible line-up of authors to the University of Liverpool.

“Remember, if you haven’t booked your tickets yet then you’ve still got time! Have a look at our line up at www.liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival and make sure you come along. There’s something for everyone!”

Now in its eighth year, this well-established festival, taking place between Friday 6 and Sunday 8 October, will feature a range of inspirational discussions with an exceptional line up of broadcasting legends, novelists, poets, playwrights, performers and much more.

This year the festival will even feature fun for all the family with a drop-in, interactive performance workshop on Sunday 8 October from 10am in the Waterhouse Café in the Victoria Gallery and Museum.

Hosted by Dr Katie Knowles and Dr Esme Miskimmin from the Department of English, the energetic and exciting workshop will involve role-playing, dressing up and the opportunity to write and perform your own mini-plays.

Through fun, hands-on activities, primary school age children can learn about professional child actors throughout history, explore the boundaries between work and play, and discover theatres and performance in children’s books.

Festival Director, Professor Greg Lynall added: “I’m really pleased that our English Department at the University of Liverpool is playing such an important part in an established feature of the city’s cultural calendar and there’s something for people of all ages to enjoy.

“Remember, you can buy a VIP pass for the whole weekend, or just for a day, so you won’t need to miss a thing.”

The Liverpool Literary Festival takes place 6-8 October at the Victoria Gallery & Museum on Brownlow Hill. To find out more, view the full line-up and reserve your tickets, please visit https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/literary-festival/events/

Blackwell’s bookshop will be facilitating book signings after each event in the Waterhouse Café.

You can buy tickets for individual events at the festival, day passes and weekend passes. All festival passes will include reserved seating in the lecture theatre, a free drink at the Waterhouse Café, plus a host of other exclusive VIP benefits. Click here to book a festival pass.