Michael Morpurgo:
The Nation’s Storyteller

Over an immense career and with more than 150 books that have sold 35m copies, generations have had their imaginations lit by Michael Morpurgo’s extraordinary gifts. With the wonderfully made play and film of Michael’s War Horse, his work found a new and even wider audience. It all began at 3pm in a primary school in Kent. As a teacher, Michael used to read a story to his class. One afternoon, he could see their attention wandering. And so, he made up one of his own. In an event unique to the festival, Michael talks to Alistair Moffat.