The UK hosts more than 350 gatherings for book fans every year, according to Literary Festivals, allowing lovers of literature to exchange marginalia with their favorite authors, many of whom are lured into attending by the prospect of boosting sales of their latest work. At the Hay Festival in Wales last year, authors shifted some 35,000 copies of their tomes, whilst the Edinburgh International Book Festival did even better, with sales of 60,000. Both big business and an integral part of the literary scene, they’re a magnet for passionate readers. Below are some of the best fests the UK has to offer.

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