5x15

We're back at The Tabernacle in March with another fantastic line-up of speakers! Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling. Katherine Rundell is a fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford, and a contributing editor at the LRB. Her novels for children have won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Costa Children's Book Award, among many others. Her books for adults include Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize, and Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

We're back at The Tabernacle in March with another fantastic line-up of speakers! Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling. Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan has been a consultant in neurology since 2004. She specialises in the investigation of complex epilepsy and also has an active interest in psychogenic disorders. Suzanne's first book It's All in Your Head, won both the Wellcome Book Prize and the Royal Society of Biology Book Prize and The Sleeping Beauties was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize. Her new book, The Age of Diagnosis, looks at how modern medicine is redrawing the boundaries between sickness and health and the impact this is having on our lives. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

We're back at The Tabernacle in March with another fantastic line-up of speakers! Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling. Jonathan Sumption is a British judge and historian, who served as a Supreme Court Justice from 2012 - 2018. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Trials of the State, Law in a Time of Crisis, and Divided Houses, which won the 2009 Wolfson History Prize. His new book, The Challenges of Democracy, explores the state of democracy, the most urgent and far-reaching political issue of our day. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

We're back at The Tabernacle in March with another fantastic line-up of speakers! Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling. Nick Makoha is a Ugandan poet and playwright based in London. His debut collection, Kingdom of Gravity, was shortlisted for the Felix Dennis Prize and was one of the Guardian's Best Books of the Year. His poems have appeared in The New York Times, the Poetry Review, Poetry Wales, Wasafiri, Boston Review, and Callaloo. He is the founder of Obsidian Foundation, winner of the 2021 Ivan Juritz Prize and the Poetry London Prize. His new collection, The New Carthaginians, is inspired by the artistic techniques of Basquiat. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

We're back at The Tabernacle in March with another fantastic line-up of speakers! Join us for an inspiring evening of storytelling. Carole Cadwalladr is a renowned Pulitzer-nominated journalist for the Guardian, feature writer for the Observer, and Cambridge Analytica investigator. She formerly worked at The Daily Telegraph, and was nominated for numerous Press Awards. In 2018, she broke the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook story for the Guardian and The New York Times as part of a long-running investigation into technology, fake news, and political manipulation. In early 2022, she stood trial for defamation as a result of her work on Russian interference in the Brexit vote, and was vindicated. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join us to celebrate 5x15's fifteenth birthday! To mark the occasion, we'll be back at The Tabernacle in February for a very special evening, featuring a truly stellar line-up of speakers: Harriet Walter, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland, Theresa Lola and Chloe Dalton. Expect captivating stories about Shakespeare's women, as reinterpreted by a beloved classical actress; the inspiring work of a German Jewish author writing during the Second World War; poetry and diasporic experience; a transformative encounter with an injured hare in the countryside and a satirical look at British politics - from the point of view of Herbie the dog. Chloe Dalton is a writer, political adviser and foreign policy specialist. She spent over a decade working in the UK Parliament and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and has advised, and written for and with, numerous prominent figures. She divides her time between London and her home in the English countryside. Raising Hare, her first book, chronicles her extraordinary encounter with an injured hare. It was selected as Hay Festival Book of the Year 2024, shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year and a Critics Best Books pick for The Times, Financial Times, Guardian, Spectator and iNews. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join us to celebrate 5x15's fifteenth birthday! To mark the occasion, we'll be back at The Tabernacle in February for a very special evening, featuring a truly stellar line-up of speakers: Harriet Walter, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland, Theresa Lola and Chloe Dalton. Expect captivating stories about Shakespeare's women, as reinterpreted by a beloved classical actress; the inspiring work of a German Jewish author writing during the Second World War; poetry and diasporic experience; a transformative encounter with an injured hare in the countryside and a satirical look at British politics - from the point of view of Herbie the dog. Harriet Walter is best-known as an actor, although she is also a published author. She has played 18 Shakespearean roles, mainly with the RSC, of which she is an honorary artist and governor. Harriet has also performed the works of Webster, Chekhov, Pinter, to name just a few, and created new roles in many other new works. Her most recent television work includes Succession, Killing Eve and The Crown. She was awarded a CBE in 2000 an Honorary Doctor of Letters at the University of Birmingham in 2001 and became a Dame in 2011. Her new book, She Speaks!, offers new parts for thirty of Shakespeare's women, letting them speak their minds, and reads between the lines to imagine what these women were really thinking. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join us to celebrate 5x15's fifteenth birthday! To mark the occasion, we'll be back at The Tabernacle in February for a very special evening, featuring a truly stellar line-up of speakers: Harriet Walter, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland, Theresa Lola and Chloe Dalton. Expect captivating stories about Shakespeare's women, as reinterpreted by a beloved classical actress; the inspiring work of a German Jewish author writing during the Second World War; poetry and diasporic experience; a transformative encounter with an injured hare in the countryside and a satirical look at British politics - from the point of view of Herbie the dog. John Crace has been the Guardian's political sketch writer for the last ten years and is one of the paper's most loved columnists. He has also written about twenty books on everything from cricket, football, TV, literature, politics and - not forgetting - himself. In January 2024 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Bath Spa University in recognition of his literary satire. His most recent book is: Taking the Lead a satirical memoir from the eyes of his beloved dog, Herbie. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join us to celebrate 5x15's fifteenth birthday! To mark the occasion, we'll be back at The Tabernacle in February for a very special evening, featuring a truly stellar line-up of speakers: Harriet Walter, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland, Theresa Lola and Chloe Dalton. Expect captivating stories about Shakespeare's women, as reinterpreted by a beloved classical actress; the inspiring work of a German Jewish author writing during the Second World War; poetry and diasporic experience; a transformative encounter with an injured hare in the countryside and a satirical look at British politics - from the point of view of Herbie the dog. Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnist and the presenter of BBC Radio 4's contemporary history series, The Long View, and host of the podcast Unholy. He is the author of twelve books, the latest being The Escape Artist. He has written nine thrillers, mostly as Sam Bourne, including The Righteous Men, a Sunday Times number one bestseller. His new picture book, King Winter's Birthday, with illustrations by Emily Sutton, is inspired by a story from author Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz, author of The Passenger. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join us to celebrate 5x15's fifteenth birthday! To mark the occasion, we'll be back at The Tabernacle in February for a very special evening, featuring a truly stellar line-up of speakers: Harriet Walter, John Crace, Jonathan Freedland, Theresa Lola and Chloe Dalton. Expect captivating stories about Shakespeare's women, as reinterpreted by a beloved classical actress; the inspiring work of a German Jewish author writing during the Second World War; poetry and diasporic experience; a transformative encounter with an injured hare in the countryside and a satirical look at British politics - from the point of view of Herbie the dog. Theresa Lola is a poet, writer, and creative practitioner. She was the appointed Young People's Laureate for London in the year 2019-20. In 2018 she was the co-winner of the Brunel International African Poetry Prize. Her work is included in the OCR's GCSE English Literature syllabus. As a practitioner she infuses poetry to deliver creative outcomes. She has worked on projects by the National Gallery, Dulwich Picture Gallery, and presented an audio documentary on BBC Radio 4. She has been commissioned by Selfridges, Rimowa, and Hush. Her second poetry collection, Ceremony for the Nameless (2024), is published by Penguin. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to welcome leading science broadcaster and doctor Chris van Tulleken for a special online event in January, fresh from delivering the Royal Institution's prestigious Christmas Lectures. Chris's latest book Ultra-Processed People was a Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller upon publication last year, and it was widely hailed as a 'Book of the Year' and a ground-breaking intervention in the food world. It has, quite simply, changed the conversation around what we eat. We have entered a new 'age of eating' where most of our calories come from an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food, food which is industrially processed and designed and marketed to be addictive. But do we really know what it's doing to our bodies? Ultra-Processed People follows Chris through the world of food science to discover what's really going on. It's a book about our rights. The right to know what we eat and what it does to our bodies and the right to good, affordable food. Don't miss the chance to hear Chris van Tulleken share his expert insights into food, health and the issues that affect us all, live in conversation with food campaigner, cross-bench peer and 5x15 co-founder Rosie Boycott. Praise for Ultra-Processed People '[Chris van Tulleken] is starting a really important revolution and conversation around what we eat. Books come along once in a while, once every couple of years, once in a generation that meet culture at the exact moment…it's these books that end up changing the world.' - STEVEN BARTLETT 'If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one.' - BEE WILSON ‘Incendiary and infuriating, this book is a diet grenade; the bold and brutal truth about how we are fed deadly delights by very greedy evil giants' - CHRIS PACKHAM 'A devastating, witty and scholarly destruction of the shit food we eat and why.' - ADAM RUTHERFORD Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He trained in medicine at Oxford University, has a PhD in molecular virology from University College London where he is an Associate Professor and where his research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of nutrition. He works closely with UNICEF and the World Health Organization in this area. His book Ultra-Processed People was a Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller. He is one of the BBC's leading science broadcasters on television and radio for children and adults. Photo Credit: Jonny Storey With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce a special online event with two award-winning authors, the acclaimed Yale professor Sunil Amrith, and John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in 2023. They will be in conversation about Amrith's new book The Burning Earth, a paradigm-shifting survey of how human history has reshaped the planet over the last 500 years. Humans have always searched for freedom. Ever since innovations in agriculture vastly expanded production of the staples of food energy, our remarkable achievements in reshaping nature have brought about an overwhelming expansion in the life chances of billions of people. Yet every technological innovation has also empowered humans to exploit each other and the planet with fierce brutality, making the history of the environment inextricably linked to the histories of Empire, genocide, eco-cide and war. As the threat of climate change becomes ever clearer, join us for an important conversation with two of the leading authors in this field. They will discuss how we have got to where we are now, and what we must do to be better citizens of the planet in the future. Praise for The Burning Earth 'The Burning Earth is a marvelously erudite and wide-ranging account of the steadily accelerating ecological transformation of the planet since the twelfth century. An indispensable contribution to both environmental and global history.'- AMITAV GHOSH 'The Burning Earth, which is nothing short of a history of the world, is as beautiful as it is indispensable, as breathtaking as it is devastating. It answers questions most of us have been too daft even to ask. It will set you on fire.'- JILL LEPORE Sunil Amrith is the Renu and Anand Dhawan Professor of History and professor in the School of the Environment at Yale University. He is the author of four books, and a recipient of multiple awards including a MacArthur “Genius” fellowship and the 2024 Fukuoka Prize for outstanding achievements in the field of Asian studies. He grew up in Singapore and lives in Connecticut. John Vaillant is the international bestselling author of The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival and The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed. He has written for, among others, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, is a page-turning account of a brutal urban wildfire, and a sweeping exploration of our rapidly changing relationship with fire on Earth. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2023 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce a special online event with Oliver Burkeman, author of the international breakout bestseller Four Thousand Weeks, a book that touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of readers. Inspired by its investigation into time and how we use it, some of those readers changed their lives, and made big decisions to rethink careers, relationships, priorities, and misguided assumptions about productivity. Now, Oliver Burkeman is back with Meditations for Mortals, a book that will take us on a liberating journey towards a more meaningful life. Addressing the fundamental questions about how to live, it offers a powerful new way to take action on what counts: a guiding philosophy of life that he calls ‘imperfectionism'. How can we embrace our non-negotiable limitations? Or make good decisions when there's always too much to do? What if purposeful productivity were often about letting things happen, not making them happen? To be read either as a four-week ‘retreat of the mind' or devoured in one or two sittings, Meditations for Mortals will be a source of solace and inspiration, and an aid to a saner, freer, and more enchantment-filled life. In anxiety-inducing times, it is rich in truths we have never needed more. Don't miss the chance to hear this leading thinker share his inspiring ideas about life's big questions, live in conversation with cross-bench peer and 5x15 co-founder Rosie Boycott. Praise for Meditations for Mortals ‘Full of wisdom and comfort...a really important book about embracing truth and reality which will help a lot of people leave their fantasies and dive into real life.'- CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN, author of Ultra-Processed People 'Oliver Burkeman has a way of giving you the most unexpected productivity advice exactly when you need it.'- MARK MANSON, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck ‘Delightful, engaging, rigorous and reassuring… The world would be a better and less frightening place if more people would stop what they are doing and read this book.' - CATHY RENTZENBRINK, author of Write it All Down ‘A deeply helpful reflection on how to permit our lives a sigh of relief… Oliver is a steersman through sanity and must be read alongside any attempts at self-improvement.' - DERREN BROWN 'Meditations for Mortals offers a practical path toward personal transformation ... A must-read.'- CAL NEWPORT, author of Slow Productivity Oliver Burkeman is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Four Thousand Weeks and The Antidote, and for many years wrote a popular weekly column on psychology for the Guardian, 'This Column Will Change Your Life'. His work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Psychologies and New Philosopher. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce a special online event with acclaimed psychologist Jonathan Haidt and television presenter Kirstie Allsopp, in partnership with Smartphone Free Childhood. Author of the groundbreaking, No.1 Sunday Times bestseller The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt has transformed the conversation around teenage mental health and galvanised a global movement. Haidt argues that there are two major factors behind the epidemic of mental illness among adolescents: the rise in smartphone usage, and the decline of free-play in childhood. With so many of us glued to our screens, it is now harder than ever to rediscover time spent in the real world. But there is another way. By presenting startling new data, Haidt's book has inspired many to put his practical recommendations to the test, and the results are remarkable. By limiting smartphone usage and returning to in-person interactions, children, teenagers and the rest of us can discover independence, responsibility and meaning, allowing us all to flourish. Published to huge acclaim this year, The Anxious Generation is both a life-raft and a powerful call-to-arms, offering practical advice for parents, schools, governments, and teens themselves. There are lessons here for everyone, not only about parenting and development in an anxious age, but about reconnecting with what's important. Join us in October for this inspiring conversation. Praise for The Anxious Generation ‘Jonathan Haidt is a modern-day prophet, disguised as a psychologist . . . He points the way forward to a brighter, stronger future for us all.' – Susan Cain ‘Compelling, readable – a clarion-call to parents everywhere' – Telegraph ‘Every single parent needs to stop what they are doing and read this book immediately.' – Johann Hari, author of Stolen Focus ‘Urgent and essential' – Guardian Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist at New York University's Stern School of Business. His research examines the foundations of morality, and how morality varies across cultural and political divisions. Haidt is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis (2006) and of the New York Times bestsellers The Righteous Mind (2012) and The Coddling of the American Mind (2018, with Greg Lukianoff). In 2019 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Since 2018 he has been studying the contributions of social media to the decline of teen mental health and the rise of political dysfunction, and The Anxious Generation (2024) has come out of this research. Kirstie Allsopp is best known as a property expert and co presenter of Location, Location, Location and Love it or List it. For 25 years she has been guiding us up and down the property ladder with her extensive knowledge of how to buy, sell and renovate our homes. Over the past 10 years she's invigorated the world of crafting, inspiring us to try our hand at new skills with a special focus on Christmas crafts in the unmissable Kirstie's Handmade Christmas. Kirstie gives a great deal of time to various charities, promoting the work of Home-Start UK and Keep Britain Tidy. She's also a longtime supporter of Comic Relief and Cancer Research. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is thrilled to announce a special event with author and journalist Bella Mackie, whose bestselling books include Jog On and How to Kill Your Family. In conversation with writer and broadcaster Alexandra Heminsley, Bella will be speaking about her hotly anticipated new novel What A Way To Go, a brilliantly funny and twisty mystery for fans of Succession and true crime. Anthony Wistern is wealthy beyond imagination. Fragrant wife, gaggle of photogenic children, French chateau, Cotswold manor, plethora of mistresses, penchant for cutting moral corners, tick tick tick tick tick tick. Unfortunately for him, he's also dead. Suddenly poised to inherit his fortune, each member of the family falls under suspicion. And that's when the lying starts... If you're still not over Succession, then the family at the heart of Bella Mackie's new novel 'gives the Roy clan a run for its money, with a murderous twist (Sunday Times Style.) Join us in September for a thrilling conversation about dysfunctional families, rich people, and true-crime obsessives. Praise for What A Way To Go 'Very funny… I inhaled it' - JOE LYCETT 'The right side of spiky and the right kind of fun, with huge personality' - ADELE PARKS ‘I loved her first, How to Kill Your Family, and here she seems to have found a rich and poisonous vein. Think a very English Succession, with just as much intrigue, backstabbing, and narcissism' JOJO MOYES ‘Taut, pacy, seamless… a huge pleasure to read' - MARIAN KEYES Bella Mackie's debut novel How to Kill Your Family was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller and spent 47 weeks in the top 10 in paperback. She is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction Jog On, and has written for the Guardian, Vogue and Vice. In 2023 she judged the Women's Prize for Fiction and her work has been shortlisted for the British Book Awards. Alexandra Heminsley is a bestselling author, journalist, and broadcaster. She is the author of both fiction and non-fiction, including her memoir Running Like a Girl and her debut novel Under the Same Stars, and her work has been published in fifteen countries. She spent eight years as the Books Editor at Elle and ten years at BBC Radio 2's Claudia Winkleman Arts Show. She regularly appears as both a co-host and guest at literary festivals and was a judge for 2011's Costa Novel of the Year Award. Her most recent novel is The Queue. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Due to phenomenal demand, 5x15 has programmed an additional London event with leading author and ecologist Robin Wall Kimmerer. Don't miss the chance to hear this extraordinary writer share her unique perspectives on plants, ecology and the natural world. She will be in conversation with Alice Vincent- author of Rootbound- at Conway Hall on May 30th. Robin Wall Kimmerer's internationally bestselling books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss, not only teach us about the biology of different organisms, but show us other ways of living in the world. It is through celebrating our reciprocal relationship with nature that we can awaken our ecological consciousness, and better protect our planet's gifts. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a Professor of Environmental Biology and the founder and director of the Centre for Native Peoples and the Environment. Her current work spans traditional ecological knowledge, moss ecology, outreach to tribal communities and creative writing. Alice Vincent is a writer. Her books include Why Women Grow, Stories of Soil, Sisterhood and Survival and Rootbound, Rewilding a Life. A columnist for The Guardian and The New Statesman, Alice writes for Vogue, The Financial Times and The Times. She is the host of the Why Women Grow and In Haste podcasts and creator of her bi-weekly newsletter, savour.

5x15 is delighted to announce a special event in June with beloved chef, writer and broadcaster Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Hugh will be speaking with cross-bench peer and 5x15 co-founder Rosie Boycott about food, health, and his new book How to Eat 30 Plants a Week. Leading nutritionists have confirmed that when it comes to eating plants, diversity is the key, and 30 is the magic number. As we add more plants to our diet, measurable health benefits accrue, thanks to their amazing micronutrients and differing fibres, and once we get to 30 per week the effects start to plateau. So hitting the magic 30 week after week will do wonders for your gut microbiome and in turn help reduce the risk of common diseases, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, dementia, depression, auto-immune diseases and allergies. 30 plants may sound a lot, but in Hugh's expert hands it feels like an easy win. How to Eat 30 Plants a Week is bursting with recipes that are dependably delicious, packed with plants and great for your overall health. Praise for How to Eat 30 Plants a Week "I love the way Hugh inspires us to eat more of the good stuff, and he's done it again brilliantly here. His Big Plant List and his strategies for embracing the good stuff are super-helpful, and his lovely recipes make eating more plants a joy." - JAMIE OLIVER "Hugh's delicious recipes are very good medicine for a longer, healthier life, and plants are the most important part of the prescription."- CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN "Hugh translates the exciting science of the gut microbiome into something practical and easy. His beautifully diverse, plant-rich recipes are good for us and for the planet." - POPPY OKOTCHA Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a chef, writer, broadcaster and campaigner. His River Cottage series for Channel 4 and campaigning documentaries for BBC1 have earned him a huge popular following, while his much-loved cookery books have collected multiple awards, including the Glenfiddich Trophy and the André Simon Food Book of the Year. Hugh's hugely influential Fish Fight programmes earned him a BAFTA as well as awards the Observer and the Guild of Food Writers. He has twice been voted Radio 4's Food Personality of the Year. Hugh lives in Devon with his family. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Join 5x15 for an explosive online event with leading writer and thinker George Monbiot on his #1 Sunday Times bestseller The Invisible Doctrine in conversation with Rosie Boycott. How can you fight something if you don't know it exists? We live under an ideology that preys on every aspect of our lives: our education and our jobs; our healthcare and our leisure; our relationships and our mental wellbeing; the planet we inhabit – the very air we breathe. So pervasive has it become that, for most people, it has no name. It seems unavoidable, like a natural law. But trace it back to its roots, and we discover that it is neither inevitable nor immutable. It was conceived, propagated, and then concealed by the powerful few. Our task is to bring it into the light—and to build a new system that is worth fighting for. Neoliberalism. Do you know what it is? Praise for The Invisible Doctrine 'Explosive and beautifully told … these truths can set us free' -Danny Dorling 'This book is dynamite – shining a spotlight on the evils of neoliberalism, shattering the myth that ‘there is no alternative', and laying the foundations for a new politics' -Caroline Lucas George Monbiot is an author, Guardian columnist and environmental campaigner. His best-selling books include The Invisible Doctrine, Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet, Feral: Rewilding the land, sea and human life and Heat: how to stop the planet burning and Out of the Wreckage: a new politics for an age of crisis. George cowrote the concept album Breaking the Spell of Loneliness with musician Ewan McLennan; and has made a number of viral videos. One of them, adapted from his 2013 TED talk, How Wolves Change Rivers, has been viewed on YouTube over 40m times. Another, on Natural Climate Solutions, that he co-presented with Greta Thunberg, has been watched over 50m times. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce an exclusive event with leading author Robin Wall Kimmerer, in the beautiful setting of Kew Gardens. Robin Wall Kimmerer's internationally bestselling books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss, not only teach us about the biology of different organisms, but show us other ways of living in the world. It is through celebrating our reciprocal relationship with nature that we can awaken our ecological consciousness, and better protect our planet's gifts. Don't miss the chance to hear this extraordinary writer share her unique perspectives on plants, ecology and the natural world. Robin Wall Kimmerer is a mother, scientist, decorated professor and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She lives in Syracuse, New York, where she is a Professor of Environmental Biology and the founder and director of the Centre for Native Peoples and the Environment. Her current work spans traditional ecological knowledge, moss ecology, outreach to tribal communities and creative writing. Tickets for this event also include early access to Kew Gardens from 2pm on the day.

Lauren Child is an English children's author and illustrator best known for her book series the Charlie and Lola picture books, which were adapted into a BAFTA-winning children's television show, and the Clarice Bean series, which has sold over 7 million copies and won legions of fans over the world who have grown up with Clarice. Child won the annual Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association for the first Charlie and Lola book; for the 50th anniversary of the Medal, a panel named it one of the top ten winning works, which comprised the shortlist for a public vote for the nation's favourite. Child was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to children's literature. She was the 10th Children's Laureate from 2017-2019, and is a former trustee of the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration and a UNESCO Artist for Peace. Her latest book in the Clarice Bean series is Smile, which is published by HarperCollins in March 2024. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Dorian Lynskey writes about music, film, books and politics for publications including The Guardian, The Observer, the New Statesman, GQ, Billboard, Empire, and Mojo. His first book was 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs. A study of thirty-three pivotal songs with a political message, it was NME's Book of the Year and a 'Music Book of the Year' in The Daily Telegraph. His second book, The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984, was longlisted for both the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Orwell Prize. He hosts the podcasts 'Origin Story' and 'Oh God, What Now?'. His latest book, Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About The End of the World , is an original and revealing exploration of one of the central concerns of our times: fantasies and nightmares of the end of the world. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Clover Stroud is a writer and journalist, writing regularly for The Sunday Times, The Guardian and The Saturday and Sunday Telegraph, among others. She also hosts a popular podcast called Tiny Acts of Bravery. Her first book, The Wild Other, was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize. Her critically acclaimed second book, My Wild and Sleepless Nights: A Mother's Story, and third book, The Red of My Blood: A Death and Life Story, were instant Sunday Times bestsellers and rated 'best books of the year'. She is currently living in Washington DC with her husband and the youngest three of her five children. Her latest book, The Giant on the Skyline, is an inspiring memoir about home, family and belonging. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Johann Hari is the author of three previous internationally bestselling books, translated into 40 languages. His TED talks have been viewed over 80 million times, and his work has been praised by a broad range of people, from Oprah to Noam Chomsky to Joe Rogan, Elton John, Hillary Clinton and Steven Bartlett. He was also the executive producer of an Oscar-nominated film, and an eight-part TV series with Samuel L. Jackson. His new book, Magic Pill, is a revelatory look at the new drugs transforming weight loss as we know it. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Suzi Ronson is an author, songwriter, and former hairdresser and stylist. At fifteen, she left school and enrolled in the Evelyn Paget College of Hair and Beauty, going on to become David Bowie's stylist after helping create his iconic Ziggy Stardust hairstyle. She travelled the world with Bowie as his hairdresser, stylist and confidante. Ronson has also worked with Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and John Mellencamp. She divides her time between London and New York. In her dazzling and intimate new book, Me and Mr Jones, she not only a unique perspective on one of the most beguiling stars of our time but also a world on the cusp of cultural transformation, charting the highs and lows of life as one of the only women in the room as it happened. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Andrew O'Hagan is one of the most exciting and serious chroniclers of our times. Born in Glasgow, he has been nominated for the Booker Prize three times, was voted one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists in 2003 and won the E. M. Forster Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is Editor-at-Large of the London Review of Books and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His previous novel, Mayflies, won huge acclaim, was a Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month and was adapted for television in an award-winning two-part BBC drama starring Martin Compston and Tony Curran. His highly anticipated new book Caledonian Road is, in the words of Joshua Cohen, 'a brilliant state-of-the-nation novel that pulls down the facades of high society and knocks over the “good liberal” house of cards'. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Dr Agnes Arnold-Forster has worked at McGill University, at the Centre for the History of Emotions at Queen Mary University of London and as a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Centre for Human Development in Berlin. She is the author of an academic history of cancer and has written widely for academic, medical and mainstream outlets. She has also appeared on BBC Radio, consulted for television dramas and documentaries, and worked closely with the Science Museum, the Wellcome Collection, and the Royal College of Nursing. She lives in London. In hew new book, Nostalgia: A Biography, Arnold-Forster blends neuroscience and psychology with the history of medicine and emotions to explore the evolution of nostalgia. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Philip Lymbery is Chief Executive of leading international farm animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming, as well as being a Visiting Professor at the University of Winchester, award-winning author and animal advocate. He was appointed an ambassadorial ‘Champion' for the UN Food Systems Summit in 2021. He has played a leading role in many major animal welfare reforms, including Europe-wide bans on veal crates for calves and barren battery cages for laying hens. He has also spearheaded Compassion's engagement with more than 1,000 food companies worldwide, leading to significant improvements in the lives of more than two billion farm animals every year. His first book Farmageddon was listed as a Book of the Year by The Times, while the second book in the trilogy, Dead Zone, was selected as a ‘Must Read' by the Daily Mail. His third book was the highly acclaimed Sixty Harvests Left. His new book is Cultivated Meat: To Secure Our Future. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Henry Dimbleby is the co-founder of LEON, and the Director of The Sustainable Restaurant Association, which runs some of London's most successful street food markets. His work with DEFRA culminated in the National Food Strategy – a policy proposal widely praised by industry wide figures such as Yotam Ottolenghi and Sir Partha Dasgupta. In 2013 he co-authored The School Food Plan, which set out actions to transform what children eat in schools and how they learn about food. In his new book Ravenous, Dimbleby takes us behind the scenes to reveal the mechanisms that act together to shape the modern diet - and therefore the world. He explains not just why the food system is leading us into disaster, but what can be done about it. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Catherine Coldstream grew up in London and converted to Catholicism in her early twenties. She was a Carmelite nun for twelve years. Since leaving the monastery, she took an undergraduate degree as a mature student, at the University of Oxford, and taught theology, philosophy and ethics for ten years. She has never stopped thinking about her life as a nun and wrote about it as a way of understanding the experiences that shaped her. In her striking memoir Cloistered, she describes life as a contemplative nun in the 1990s, and the dramatic events which led to her flight from the monastery on the brink of the Millennium. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Colum McCann's seven novels and three collections of short stories have been published in over forty languages and received some of the world's most prestigious literary awards and honours, including the National Book Award for his novel Let the Great World Spin in 2013. TransAtlantic was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2013, and his most recent novel, Apeirogon, also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, is an international bestseller on four continents. In his new book, McCann tells the story of Diane Foley, mother of American journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped in northern Syria, and murdered by ISIS in a public beheading that would ricochet in video around the world. A testament to the power of radical empathy and moral courage, American Mother takes us inside one woman's extraordinary journey to find connection in a world torn asunder, and to fight for others as a way to keep her son's memory alive. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Vincent Deary is professor of applied health psychology at Northumbria University, where his research focuses on the development of new psychosocial interventions for people with a variety of health complaints, including cancer survivors and fear of falling in older adults. As a clinician he works in the UK's first trans-diagnostic Fatigue Clinic, to help people for whom fatigue is a disabling symptom. He is the author of How We Are. His highly acclaimed new book, How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living, explores what happens when our minds and bodies are pushed beyond their limits, and makes a bold case for the power of rest and recuperation. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. After a career in journalism and publishing, Chris Anderson became the curator of the TED Conference in 2001 and has developed it as a global platform for identifying and disseminating ideas worth spreading. His TED mantra – ‘ideas worth spreading' – continues to blossom on an international scale, with more than one billion TED Talks viewed annually. He lives in New York City and London.Blending cutting-edge psychological research with a wealth of inspiring stories, Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading is a playbook for how to embark on our own generous acts. Whether giving gifts of money, time, talent, connection or kindness, Anderson teaches readers how to harness the power of the internet to have a transformative impact on the world. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Emma Tarlo is an anthropologist, writer and curator and an Emeritus Professor at Goldsmiths, University of London. Having authored numerous highly regarded academic titles, she published her first trade title, the prize-winning Entanglement: The Secret Lives of Hair (Oneworld), to great acclaim in 2016. In her new book, Under the Hornbeams, Tarlo follows the seasons of a single year in Regent's Park, where she meets two men living under the trees without shelter and discovers the precarious networks of giving and receiving that exist undetected in London's streets. The result is a life-affirming story that pays homage to the power of human connection and upturns many of our preconceptions about home, family, work and community. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. John Vaillant is the international bestselling author of The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival and The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed. He has written for, among others, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, National Geographic and the Guardian. His latest book, Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, is a page-turning account of a brutal urban wildfire, and a sweeping exploration of our rapidly changing relationship with fire. It won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction 2023. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Cathy Newman is one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She joined Channel 4 News as political correspondent in January 2006 after seven years writing for the Financial Times. Cathy is an award-winning investigative journalist whose scoops have included allegations of sexual harassment in Westminster, an investigation into a British paedophile who abused vulnerable boys in Kenya; and allegations of violent abuse by the British barrister John Smyth. She was the only broadcast journalist to travel with Angelina Jolie and the then foreign secretary William Hague to the Congo as part of their campaign against sexual violence. Cathy also hosts her own show on Times Radio, which has inspired her new book The Ladder, bringing together discussions between women – about work, love, growth, challenge, the big decisions and the stories of their lives. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Jackie Morris is an award-winning British writer and illustrator. Morris studied at the Bath Academy of Art and started her career as an illustrator by working for magazines including Radio Times, New Statesman, New Society and Country Living. She has illustrated over 60 books, and is best known for the stunning The Lost Words (2017), co-written with Robert Macfarlane – a love song to many increasingly rare words pertaining to nature and the natural world. These illustrations earned Morris the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2019. Morris and Macfarlane's second collaboration, The Lost Spells, was published in October 2020, and they are currently working on a third, The Book of Birds. Morris is nominated for the 2024 Andersen Award by the International Board of Books for Young People. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 brings together five outstanding individuals to tell of their lives, passions and inspirations. There are only two rules - no scripts and only 15 minutes each. Paula Byrne is the author of the bestselling biographies The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym, Perdita, Mad World, The Real Jane Austen, Belle, Kick and The Genius of Jane Austen. She is founder and chief executive of ReLit, the Bibliotherapy Foundation, a charity devoted to the mental health benefits of reading. Her new book, Hardy Women, re-examines Thomas Hardy's life through the eyes of the women who made him—mother, sisters, girlfriends, wives, muses. In this highly innovative work, Byrne reveals that it is through hardy women that we can enter into the heart of the great novelist and poet. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Building upon Kew's commitment to re-examine the history of its collections, this discussion explores the colonial legacies of botany and botanic gardens, featuring a panel of leading writers and thinkers in this area. All too often history shows us that the origins of botanic gardens are intertwined with the histories of colonialism, imperialism and enslavement. How can understanding these connections pave the way to a more inclusive future? Given this legacy, what is the role that botanic gardens play today in supporting and addressing climate justice? Speakers Sathnam Sanghera is a journalist and best-selling author. His acclaimed books include The Boy with the Topknot and Empireland, which inspired the Channel 4 series Empire State of Mind. His highly anticipated new book, Empireworld, traces the legacies of the British empire around the world. Andrea Wulf is an award-winning author of several books, including The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession and the international bestseller The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World which is published in 27 languages. A New York Times bestseller, it also won fifteen international literary awards, including the Royal Society Science Book Prize, Costa Biography Award and the LA Times Book Prize. Her latest book Magnificent Rebels was published under great acclaim in autumn 2022. Andrea is a member of PEN American Center and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Emma Nicolson is Head of Art at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh where she spearheads a transformative arts strategy, integrating nature, science, and environmental concerns. Initiating projects like Climate House and collaborating with institutions like Serpentine Galleries, Emma engages audiences with climate and ecological issues. With a background as the founding director of ATLAS Arts and senior roles at institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Emma has a proven passion for collaborative, audience-building initiatives. Chaired by Rosie Boycott, Crossbench Peer, Food Campaigner, and co-founder of 5x15. This talk is part of a series of activities planned by RBG Kew, aligning with its objectives under its Manifesto for Change and History, Equity, and Inclusion Plan. As part of its own journey of introspection and exploration, Kew Gardens looks to promote open dialogue, platform diverse perspectives and foster learning from the rich tapestry of voices that surround these matters. Kew is not only a botanic garden; it is a leading centre of plant and fungal science and a repository of history, a living testament to the relationships between humans and plants over centuries. In examining the history of its collections, the RBG Kew aims to enrich the stories it tells its visitors, providing different layers of information on plant history and the pivotal role of botanic gardens. Responsible investing at Rathbones Investment Management We see it as our responsibility to invest for everyone's tomorrow. That means doing the right thing for our clients and for others too. Keeping the future in mind when we make decisions today. Looking beyond the short term for the most sustainable outcome. This is how we build enduring value for our clients, make a wider contribution to society and create a lasting legacy. Recordings of Rathbones and 5x15's online series The Earth Convention can be viewed on 5x15's Youtube channel. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 and The Writers' Prize present a powerhouse line-up of international writing talent to speak with host, literary critic, and journalist Alex Clark about their recent works, all in contention for this year's Prize. Paul Murray, The Bee Sting Paul Murray, born in Dublin in 1975, authored An Evening of Long Goodbyes, Skippy Dies, The Mark and the Void, and The Bee Sting. An Evening of Long Goodbyes was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award. Skippy Dies was shortlisted for the Costa Novel award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and longlisted for the Booker Prize. The Mark and the Void won the Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2016. The Bee Sting was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2023. Paul Murray lives in Dublin. Zadie Smith, The Fraud Zadie Smith, born in northwest London, authored White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, Swing Time, The Embassy of Cambodia, and collections of essays and short stories. The Fraud is her first historical novel. Laura Cumming, Thunderclap Laura Cumming has been the art critic of the Observer since 1999. The Vanishing Man was longlisted for the Baillie-Gifford Prize, shortlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize, and won the 2017 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography. On Chapel Sands was shortlisted for several prizes. Naomi Klein, Doppelganger Naomi Klein authored international bestsellers including This Changes Everything, The Shock Doctrine, No Logo, No Is Not Enough, and On Fire. She is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and has launched a regular column for The Guardian. Liz Berry, The Home Child Liz Berry, an award-winning poet, authored collections including Black Country, The Republic of Motherhood, The Dereliction, and The Home Child, a novel in verse. Liz has received the Somerset Maugham Award and Forward Prizes. Mark O'Connell, A Thread of Violence Mark O'Connell authored A Thread of Violence, Notes from an Apocalypse, and To Be a Machine, awarded the Wellcome Book Prize and the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. His work appears in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Slate, and The Guardian. Jason Allen-Paisant, Self-Portrait as Othello Jason Allen-Paisant is a Jamaican writer and academic at the University of Manchester. He's the author of Thinking with Trees, winner of the OCM Bocas Prize, and Self-Portrait as Othello. His non-fiction book, Scanning the Bush, will be published in 2024. Our Host Alex Clark, a seasoned critic and broadcaster, chairs the discussion. Winners will be announced on March 13th, 2024.

5x15 is thrilled to announce a special event with multi-award-winning writer and biologist Merlin Sheldrake, author of the smash-hit bestseller Entangled Life, in conversation Gaia Vince. The more we learn about fungi, the less makes sense without them. They can change our minds, heal our bodies and even help us avoid environmental disaster; they are metabolic masters, earth-makers and key players in most of nature's processes. In Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake takes us on a mind-altering journey into their spectacular world. Winner of the Royal Society Science Book Prize and the Wainwright Prize, and named a Book of the Year in The Times, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times, New Statesman and Time, among others, Entangled Life has been translated into twenty languages since its publication. It has now been reissued in a brand new illustrated edition, with over 100 spectacular full-colour images showcasing this wondrous lifeform as never before. Join us in December to hear Merlin Sheldrake live in conversation, revealing how these extraordinary organisms can transform our understanding of our planet and life itself. Speakers Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist and a writer. He received a Ph.D. in Tropical Ecology from Cambridge University for his work on underground fungal networks in tropical forests in Panama, where he was a predoctoral research fellow of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. He is a research associate of the Vrije University, Amsterdam, and sits on the advisory board of the Fungi Foundation and the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. Gaia Vince is an honorary senior research fellow at UCL and a science writer and broadcaster interested in the interplay between humans and the planetary environment. She has held senior editorial posts at Nature and New Scientist, and her writing has featured in newspapers and magazines including the Guardian, The Times and Scientific American. She also writes and presents science programmes for radio and television. Her research takes her across the world: she has visited more than 60 countries, lived in three and is currently based in London. In 2015, she became the first woman to win the Royal Society Science Book of the Year Prize solo for her debut, Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet We Made, and she is also the author of Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty and Time. Her latest book is Nomad Century.is an urgent investigation of the most underreported, seismic consequence of climate change: how it will force us to change where – and how – we live. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce a special event with Nina Stibbe, the 'funniest person who owns a computer' (in the words of Ann Patchett), in conversation with acclaimed memoirist Cathy Rentzenbrink. This is not to be missed! Ten years after her beloved and multi-award winning book Love, Nina, Nina is back with Went to London, Took the Dog, a diary of her return to London in her sixty-first year. After two decades away, Nina is back in the city she used to call home, with her dog, Peggy. Together they take up lodging in Camden for a 'year-long sabbatical'. It's a break from married life back in Cornwall, or even perhaps a fresh start altogether. Nina is not quite sure yet... By turns hilarious and irreverent, joyful as well as poignant, Went to London, Took the Dog is 'like spending an endless afternoon in the most sparkling company' (Frank Cottrell-Boyce). Join us for a sparkling evening in Nina's company, and an enlightening conversation on motherhood, independence, the menopause, branching out and growing up. Praise for Nina Stibbe and Went to London, Took the Dog ‘So sharp and funny, blissfully gossipy, enviably well-observed - it's like she has X-ray vision when it comes to human beings. I couldn't stop reading it. I wish it were twice as long. I loved it' - INDIA KNIGHT ‘I don't think I've enjoyed a diary so much since I read Adrian Mole for the first time - it's a pleasure and a privilege to live in her London.... A future classic. ...THIS is the book everyone is going to be quoting to each other over the table on Christmas Day.' - DAISY BUCHANAN 'Funny, warm, enlightening. The reading equivalent of getting the giggles in the back row of a school assembly' - SATHNAM SANGHERA Speakers Nina Stibbe is the author of seven books. Love, Nina won the Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award at the 2014 National Book Awards, and was shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year. The book was adapted by Nick Hornby for BBC Television. She is the author of four novels, all of which have been shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. Her third novel, Reasons to Be Cheerful, is the only novel to date to have won both the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and the Comedy Women in Print Award for comic fiction. Cathy Rentzenbrink is an acclaimed memoirist whose books include The Last Act of Love, How to Feel Better and Dear Reader. Her first novel is Everyone is Still Alive and Write It All Down is a friendly and down to earth guide to writing a memoir. Cathy regularly chairs literary events, interviews authors, runs creative writing courses and speaks and writes on life, death, love, and literature. Despite being shortlisted for various prizes, the only thing Cathy has ever won is the Snaith and District Ladies' Darts Championship when she was 17. She is now sadly out of practice. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15 is delighted to announce the second event is our new events partnership with Rathbones, in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on the theme of Regeneration. No discussion about climate change and biodiversity loss is complete without acknowledging the importance of children, adolescents and young adults. While activists look to involve and encourage new generations, many young people are themselves leading the way as instigators of change, faced with the urgency of the global crises. For this intergenerational conversation, we invite a range of speakers to share their perspectives, from those closely working with young people to the campaigners, naturalists and writers who inspire hope for a better future. Tori Tsui (she/they) is a climate justice organiser and writer from Hong Kong now based in Bristol. Her work focuses on the intersections between (environ)mental health and climate change, culminating in her debut book, It's Not Just You. She is an organiser with Unite for Climate Action, EarthPercent, Climate Live and Stop Rosebank. Dwayne Fields is a presenter, explorer, naturalist, and all-round adventurer. Dwayne is an inspiring advocate for encouraging people to get outdoors and explore the world around them. Following a life-threatening incident in his younger years, Dwayne developed a passion to break the norm and expectations, reconnecting himself with his early experiences of the outdoors in wild Jamaica. He went on to become the first black Briton to walk over 400 nautical miles to the magnetic North Pole and has lived a life of incredible adventure and exploration thereafter, whilst simultaneously encouraging others to do the same. In 2018 he formed Team #WeTwo with his teammate Phoebe Smith and launched the #WeTwo Foundation, with the aim to use responsible adventuring as a force for good. Claire Howard (they/them) is a qualified teacher with over 15 years' experience in education and youth work. They are particularly interested in the power of story- telling to enact change, and how to bridge the ‘adolescent dip' in nature connection amongst young people growing up in urban environments. They now co-ordinate the youth programme at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which reaches over 200 young people each year. Kew's youth programme prioritises long- term, meaningful engagement with the young people it serves, and is designed to amplify youth voice through projects that explore the fundamental question of why plants and fungi matter. In their spare time they also work as a mountain leader, developing young people's confidence, skills and sense of belonging in the outdoors. Phoebe Smith is an adventurer, presenter, broadcaster, author, photographer, speaker and podcast host. In 2018 she formed Team #WeTwo with her teammate Dwayne Fields and launched the #WeTwo Foundation, with the aim to use responsible adventuring as a force for good. The Foundation's aim is to inspire the next generation. They run an expedition each year, taking with them a group of underprivileged young people to key destinations all over the planet. On each expedition, they will take part in citizen science: helping with vital research and adding experience to their own CV. Pre-trip they will be 'paying it forward' by participating in environmental, conservation, and youth initiatives in their local communities. Phoebe is also the author of 10 books including the bestselling Extreme Sleeps: Adventures of a Wild Camper. We see it as our responsibility to invest for everyone's tomorrow. That means doing the right thing for our clients and for others too. Keeping the future in mind when we make decisions today. Looking beyond the short term for the most sustainable outcome. This is how we build enduring value for our clients, make a wider contribution to society and create a lasting legacy. Recordings of Rathbones and 5x15's online series The Earth Convention can be viewed here.

David Grann is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He has written about everything from New York City's antiquated water tunnels to the hunt for the giant squid. His stories have appeared in several anthologies. He has written for the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the New Republic. He lives in New York with his wife and two children. His books include the international best-seller Killers of the Flower Moon, and his new book, The Wager, tells a mesmerising story of shipwreck, mutiny and murder. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

As plant-based diets gain popularity and outdoor activities like hiking and wild swimming become more advocated for wellness, the crucial link between nature and human health is gaining recognition. But what does it entail to derive nutrients, physical, and mental health benefits from the natural world? While the significance of dietary choices is well-established, can we also enhance agricultural practices to foster fertile soils, better health, and a deeper connection to the land? David R. Montgomery, a geomorphologist, delves into how Earth's surface processes shape ecological systems and human societies. His research spans from landslide impacts on mountain heights to soil's role in civilizations. Anne Biklé, a science writer, merges biology and environmental planning to explore humanity's complex bond with nature, focusing on agriculture, soil, and food. Their collaboration produced acclaimed works like "The Hidden Half of Nature" and "What Your Food Ate," examining soil health's influence on crops, animals, and humans. Marchelle Farrell, a therapist and writer, blends her Trinidadian roots with her UK experience, finding solace in gardening and nature writing. Her debut, "Uprooting," won the Nan Shepherd Prize for nature writing. Lorraine Lecourtois, the Interim Director of Wakehurst, bridges her background in theatre production with her passion for nature engagement. Committed to connecting people with the natural world, she spearheads research on biodiversity's impact on behavior. Kathy Willis CBE, a Professor of Biodiversity at Oxford, is renowned for her research on plant responses to environmental changes and ecosystem services. Her advocacy extends to public communication, evident in her BBC Radio series and books like "Botanicum." Recognized with the Michael Faraday Medal, she embodies the commitment to bridging science with public understanding. These voices collectively underscore the importance of nature's role in human health and well-being, inviting us to rethink our relationship with the natural world. For more on 5x15 events, visit: 5x15stories.com Twitter: twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: instagram.com/5x15stories

5x15's new season kicks off in January with a special conversation about consciousness and the world of psychedelics with two highly acclaimed authors, neuropsychologist Andy Mitchell and neuroscientist Anil Seth. The 'psychedelic renaissance' is upon us. While psychedelic drugs were once demonised, and are still largely illegal, they are now officially a 'breakthrough therapy' used to treat mental health disorders and enhance well-being. But there is a risk that making them safe or normal might ultimately destroy what makes them potent. What is at stake in normalising substances that alter our consciousness? In his book Ten Trips, Andy Mitchell argues that we should embrace what is strange and valuable about these drugs, less as a prescribed antidote for certain conditions than as a way to rethink mental health itself, and re-enchant us with the world. The psychedelic experience is, after all, part of the rich tapestry of consciousness, which is also not as simple as it once seemed. In his 'exhilarating' book Being You, the neuroscientist Anil Seth shows that our conscious experience is made of billions of neurons working together, and offers a radical new theory of self and what it means to 'be you.' Don't miss this eye-opening conversation with two pioneering thinkers, who will share unique insights about how we think, feel and experience the world. Praise for Andy Mitchell, Ten Trips "Original and thrilling" - MIKE JAY "A dazzling, timely book, as deep and poignant as it is madcap and hilarious - exactly what you'd want from a book on psychedelics." - PROFESSOR MARK LYTHGOE "Utterly compelling" MARK MIODOWNIK Praise for Anil Seth, Being You "Anil Seth thinks clearly and sharply on one of the hardest problems of science and philosophy, cutting through weedswith a scientist's mind and a storyteller's skill." - ADAM RUTHERFORD "Being You is an exhilarating book: a vast-ranging, phenomenal achievement that will undoubtedly become a seminal text." - GAIA VINCE, Guardian Speakers Andy Mitchell is a neuropsychologist and therapist. He has specialized in treating patients with rare brain conditions, head injuries and epilepsy, and in the application of mindfulness for neurological patients. As a therapist he has worked with people with a range of mental health disorders. Before entering medicine, his first degree was in English Literature at Oxford University. He is originally from Leeds Anil Seth is a leading British researcher in the field of consciousness science. He is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Sussex, Co- Director of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Program on Brain, Mind and Consciousness, and a European Research Council Advanced Investigator. His writing has appeared in the Guardian, New Scientist, Scientific American and Granta, and his 2017 TED talk has been viewed more than 13 million times. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Kassia St Clair studied the history of women's dress and the masquerade during the eighteenth century at Bristol and Oxford. She has since written about design and culture for the Economist, House & Garden, TLS, Quartz and New Statesman, and has had a column about colour in Elle Decoration since 2013. Her first book The Secret Lives of Colour was a top-ten bestseller, a Radio 4 Book of the Week and has been translated into over a dozen languages; her second, The Golden Thread, was a Sunday Times Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Somerset Maugham Award. She lives in London. Her new book,The Race to the Future, tells the incredible true story of a quest against the odds that shaped the world we live in today. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Paul Caruana Galizia became a reporter after his mother Daphne was assassinated and since then has won a British Journalism Award, a Media Excellence Award from the Association of International Broadcasters, a silver medal at the British Podcast Awards, and a bronze medal at the Radio Academy ARIAs. With his two brothers, he won a Magnitsky Human Rights Award and an Anderson-Norman-Lucas Award for. His book A Death in Malta is a spellbinding account of the shocking murder of his muckraking mother and the search for justice that has reverberated far beyond their tiny homeland. With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Rosamund Young is the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Cows - named a Times book of the year - and the recently published The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals. Alongside her brother Richard and her partner Gareth she runs Kite's Nest Farm on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, where nature is left to itself as much as possible and the animals receive exceptional kindness and consideration. The farm produces beef and lamb from 100% grass-fed animals which are sold in the farm shop. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

Adam Sisman is a writer specialising in biography, living in Bristol, England. He is the author of Boswell's Presumptuous Task, winner of a National Book Critics Circle Award, and the biographer of John le Carré, A. J. P. Taylor and Hugh Trevor-Roper. Among his other works are two volumes of letters by Patrick Leigh Fermor. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews. "Mr. Sisman has an ideal biographical style: inquisitive and open, serious yet not severe," Dwight Garner wrote of Sisman's life of Hugh Trevor-Roper in the New York Times: "I'd read him on anyone.” With thanks for your support for 5x15 online! Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

The Six Ideas to Change the World series, in partnership with Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust, concludes in November with writer and journalist Jeff Goodell, author of the best-selling book The Heat Will Kill You First. The planet is changing in extreme ways. Spring is arriving a few weeks earlier and autumn a few weeks later. Heatwaves are becoming more intense and more common. Heat is the first order threat that drives other climate change impacts, and it will affect everything from our food supply to disease outbreaks. The basic science behind rising temperatures is not complicated, but the failure to act now is revealing significant fault lines in our governments, our economy and our values. For the final event in this series on the future of the planet, join us for an eye-opening conversation about heat, and how it it will dramatically change the world as we know it. Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Jeff Goodell will be live at 5x15 in conversation with the BBC's Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt. They will be tackling the big questions, while reflecting on an important truth: that extreme heat is a force beyond anything we have reckoned with before. Speakers Jeff Goodell's latest book is The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, which was an instant New York Times bestseller. He is the author of six previous books, including The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World, which was a New York Times Critics Top Book of 2017. He has covered climate change for more than two decades at Rolling Stone and discussed climate and energy issues on NPR, MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, ABC, NBC, Fox News and The Oprah Winfrey Show. He is a Senior Fellow at the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellow. Justin Rowlatt is the BBC's first ever climate editor. He describes his role as reporting from the front line of climate change - how it's affecting our lives and what we can do about it. He's been nominated for RTS and BAFTA awards over the years and well as news programmes, Justin has reported for Panorama, the One Show, the Today programme as well as many one-off and short documentary series. His first taste of environmental reporting came during his first week on Newsnight when the editor recreated him as "Ethical Man". He was tasked with filming as he and his young family did everything they could to cut their carbon emissions including giving up flying, going vegan, and ditching the car. Six Ideas to Change the World We are at a critical point in the global response to climate change, and the conversation around the central issues remains complex. Amidst numerous debates and conflicting narratives, public discourse runs the risk of information overload, at a time when urgent action is necessary, at both an individual and collective level. This curated series of live online events, in partnership with Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust, offers a clearer path, spotlighting the most compelling, important and hard-hitting work being published today — the six ideas that will shape the future of our planet. Tune in each month to hear stories and ideas we can all learn from. Whether it's advice on changing diets, or solutions to the world's water crisis, these conversations will suggest a blueprint for what we must do in the years ahead. Each event will feature the author of a recent work, in conversation with an expert host about the most important issues and takeaways. Audiences will also have the chance to submit questions. The recordings of previous events in the series are available to view on 5x15's Youtube channel. With thanks for your generous support for 5x15's online series. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories

The Six Ideas to Change the World series, in partnership with Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust, continues in October with award-winning writer and journalist Elizabeth Kolbert, author of the international best-seller The Sixth Extinction. Plastics are poisoning us. In the midst of a global pollution crisis, research clearly illustrates the toxic effects of microplastics, which both release and attract dangerous chemicals. But while plastics are a relatively recent human invention, they have become so ubiquitous as to seem indispensable. Will our planet ever be rid of them? Join us to hear Pulitzer Prize winner Elizabeth Kolbert discuss life beyond plastics and the wider conundrums posed by human inventions and technologies; how they contribute to and create environmental problems, but also retain important uses and may even be used as solutions. Speakers Elizabeth Kolbert is the author of Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change and the international best-seller The Sixth Extinction, for which she won the Pulitzer Prize. For her work at The New Yorker, where she's been a staff writer since 1999, she has received two National Magazine Awards and the Blake-Dodd Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her latest book, Under a White Sky, was shortlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation. Kolbert lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts, with her husband and children. Six Ideas to Change the World We are at a critical point in the global response to climate change, and the conversation around the central issues remains complex. Amidst numerous debates and conflicting narratives, public discourse runs the risk of information overload, at a time when urgent action is necessary, at both an individual and collective level. This curated series of live online events, in partnership with Keystone Positive Change Investment Trust, offers a clearer path, spotlighting the most compelling, important and hard-hitting work being published today — the six ideas that will shape the future of our planet. Tune in each month to hear stories and ideas we can all learn from. Whether it's advice on changing diets, or solutions to the world's water crisis, these conversations will suggest a blueprint for what we must do in the years ahead. Each event will feature the author of a recent work, in conversation with an expert host about the most important issues and takeaways. Audiences will also have the chance to submit questions. The recordings of previous events in the series are available to view on 5x15's Youtube channel. With thanks for your generous support for 5x15's online series. Learn more about 5x15 events: 5x15stories.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/5x15stories Facebook: www.facebook.com/5x15stories Instagram: www.instagram.com/5x15stories