Posted by Will on 10th Aug 2024

Lord of the Flies at Seventy Talk With Aimée de Jongh and Judy Golding

We've partnered up with Faber Books to present this very special talk on Wednesday 18th September 2024, from 7pm at Faber's premises!

£12. To mark the seventieth anniversary of the publication of William Golding’s seminal Lord of the Flies, the author’s daughter, Judy Golding, will be in conversation with acclaimed Dutch artist Aimée de Jongh, whose new graphic novel version is published by Faber.

Judy Golding and Aimée de Jongh will discuss the extraordinary legacy of this timeless classic, first published by Faber in 1954, which has sold millions of copies worldwide, been translated into forty-four languages and was made into an acclaimed film by Peter Brook in 1963. The anniversary also sees the publication of the first graphic novel of the text, adapted and illustrated by artist Aimée de Jongh. She will discuss how she approached the task of a visual reimagining of such a beloved classic for a new generation. The event will be moderated by Publishing Director, Angus Cargill.

Ticket holders will also be able to view Faber's current exhibition, Then & Now: Lord of the Flies at Seventy, which celebrates William Golding’s iconic novel, featuring original artwork from the graphic novel by Aimée de Jongh, covers through the eras and facsimiles of legendary archival material, including the novel’s infamous rejection note and letters between William Golding and the book’s editor, Charles Monteith, as they worked on the final draft. Housed at Faber’s offices, the exhibition delves behind the scenes of the publication story and its initial reception, and reveals a new world for the novel via Aimée de Jongh’s immersive adaptation. Then & Now: Lord of the Flies at Seventy runs from 11-25 September 2024 in the Gallery at The Bindery, Hatton Garden. It is curated by Chris Walker in partnership with Faber. Entry is free and open to the public between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Judy Golding was born in Marlborough, Wiltshire, in 1945 and grew up near Salisbury, where her parents worked as teachers. She read English at the University of Sussex and St Anne’s College, Oxford and subsequently, she worked as a copy editor for Oxford University Press and Jonathan Cape. Her memoir of her father, The Children of Lovers, is published by Faber. She has three sons and lives in Bristol with her husband.

Aimée de Jongh is an award-winning animator, comics artist and illustrator from the Netherlands. Her animated film Aurora was screened widely in the Netherlands, and Janus, a video installation she created with the L.A. based artist Miljohn Ruperto, was exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art. The Return of the Honey Buzzard, her debut graphic novel, won the Prix Saint-Michel and her second, Days of Sand, was a Guardian Best Comic & Graphic Novel of 2022.

  • This event is taking place at Faber’s premises at The Bindery, 51 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8HN.
  • The nearest Underground stations are Chancery Lane (Central line) and Farringdon (Circle line, Elizabeth line, Hammersmith & City line, Metropolitan line)
  • Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.
  • Ticket price includes a drinks reception and a viewing of the exhibition: Then & Now: Lord of the Flies at Seventy.
  • There will be a bookshop open with books available by card payment only.
  • People eligible for concessionary rates can get £5 off tickets using code Concession5 in the promo box in the checkout.
  • This is a ticketless event - there will be a guest list with your name and the number of tickets you have bought.

Join the talk on Wednesday 18th September and purchase your ticket from Faber's website by clicking the link here!

You can pre-order a copy of Lord of the Flies signed by Aimée de Jongh from our website for mail-order or collection by clicking the link here.

Keep up to date with any news over on our Facebook event page.