An Afternoon with Kate Atkinson

Join one of the greatest chroniclers of our times Kate Atkinson as she discusses Our Noble Selves, a brilliantly witty, sharp and richly atmospheric new novel set against the optimism and upheaval of post-war Britain.

It?s 1951, the Festival of Britain promises a bold new future, and war reporter Harry Flynn is searching for redemption after the devastation of the Far East. Drawn into a chaotic world of readying the Festival, alongside other chancers and misfits, Flynn soon finds himself entangled in a mystery when a woman he recently dated disappears. As his life begins to unravel, help arrives from an unlikely duo: a precocious thirteen-year-old named Veronica and a scruffy terrier called Mrs Betty.

Brilliantly plotted, witty and compelling, Our Noble Selves is vintage Kate Atkinson. Don?t miss this opportunity to hear one of the world?s foremost novelists in conversation with Alex Clark.

Sponsored by The Edwardian Manchester.

Kate Atkinson is one the most celebrated novelists. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, she is the author of acclaimed novels including Life After Life, Transcription and Behind the Scenes at the Museum, which won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. Her bestselling Jackson Brodie crime novels were adapted for television by the BBC.

Tickets ?22 / ?39 for ticket and a copy of Our Noble Selves (RRP ?22)

Start Time: 2pm

Run Time: 70 minutes

Wheelchair Users and those with other access needs requiring a free Essential Carer ticket should contact the Quaytickets Box Office on 0161 876 2015 to purchase tickets.

Advance tickets for this event are now available for MLF Get Closer Members to buy. To buy tickets, please sign in at the top right-hand side of the screen or call QuayTickets Box Office on 0161 876 2015. Memberships start at ?25 per year - for full details of membership benefits and buying options click HERE.

Tickets go on general sale from 10am on Thursday 13th August 2026.