Description
Sir Michael Palin’s travels have seen him venture to all corners of the world, and his latest journey took him to Iraq. In 2022, he travelled the length of the River Tigris to get a sense of what life is like in a region of the world that once formed the cradle of civilisation, but in recent times has witnessed bloodshed and destruction.
His 1,000-mile odyssey, captured with characteristic warmth, humour and grace in his new book, Into Iraq, was one of sharp, sometimes brutal, contrasts – one minute he was exploring the old streets of Baghdad and the next he was in the war-torn city of Mosul.
Michael first rose to fame as a member of the legendary Monty Python team and has gone on to establish himself as a hugely popular actor, writer and television presenter.
We are delighted to welcome this much-loved polymath to the festival. Michael will talk to Saeed Khan about his fascination with travel and his portrait of a complex country few outsiders now get to see.
Related Book
About the Author
Sir Michael Palin
Michael Palin has written and starred in numerous TV programmes and films, from Monty Python and Ripping Yarns to The Missionary and The Death of Stalin. He has also made several much-acclaimed travel documentaries, his journeys taking him to the North and South Poles, the Sahara Desert, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe and Brazil. His books include accounts of his journeys, novels (Hemingway’s Chair and The Truth) and several volumes of diaries. From 2009 to 2012 he was president of the Royal Geographical Society. He received a BAFTA fellowship in 2013, and a knighthood in the 2019 New Year Honours list. He lives in London.
About the Chair
Saeed Khan
Saeed Khan is Senior Lecturer in Near East & Asian Studies and Global Studies at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. He is also the co-founder of the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding, and a panelist on Turning Point for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
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