We tackle one of mankind’s biggest questions this week – how do I train my dragon? Julie Tottman, the animal trainer extraordinaire behind Harry Potter and Game of Thrones joins us to talk about her experiences on the set of these megahit productions and her affinity for animals of all kinds.

Rosamund Marshall, CEO of Taaleem, and Chris Hudson, primary English teacher at Dubai British School join us for our No Adulting Allowed edition of the Young Reviewer’s segment this week where grown-ups channel their inner child and discuss the Julius Zebra series by Gary Northfield and The Eddie Dickens Trilogy by Philip Ardagh.

“For when all else is done, only words remain. Words endure.”

― Kate Mosse, The Winter Ghosts

What happens when you strand bestselling author of The Languedoc Trilogy, The Taxidermist’s Daughter, and more, on a desert island with three books? In this episode of Castaway, author and star guest Kate Mosse shares the words that would endure and sustain her solitude, ahead of her appearance at the 2018 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Actress, singer, and Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Moderator, Meredith Chipperton, joins us to discuss two powerful books, taking us to India, Infinity and Beyond with One Indian Girl by Chetan Bhagat, India’s bestselling English language author, and Travelling to Infinity, by Jane Hawking, ex-wife of scientist Stephen Hawking. Co-hosts James and Annabelle then chat about what happens when you agree to travel Around Ireland with a Fridge, the hilarious travel tale from author and comedian Tony Hawks and Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul calls in to share her top picks from the 2018 author lineup.

Chris Bradley is with us during our Castaway segment to tell us which 3 books he would bring with him to a deserted island!

We’re joined by Arva Ahmed of Frying Pan Adventures, Dubai’s first food tour company to discuss legendary food and cookbook writers Ken Hom, Claudia Roden, and Mark Kurlansky.

“Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

― Neil Gaiman

If you think back to your childhood and the great books you read, there’s a chance they were recommended to you by a wonderful librarian. Bringing us back the right answer out of 100 000 this week is Mary Rose Grieve, school librarian at Hartland International School, telling us which authors she’s looking forward to sharing with her young bookworms when that school bell rings for a new term.

The MontegrappaWriting Prize has helped to turn many aspiring writers into published authors. CharlesNahhas of the Montegrappa team will be discussing everything to do with the competition. We’re also chatting with 2016 runner up, Jessica Jarlvi, author of the bestselling thriller When I Wake Up.

Charles Nahhas is on the show with us to discuss prolific author Khalil Gibran. Gibran who was born in modern day Lebanon on January 6th is one of the most widely acclaimed writers of his time, known especially for his book The Prophet. Charles will also be revealing details about a special contest that Montegrappa is running in conjunction with the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature to honour Gibran!

Film maker Neel Kumar joins us during our Castaway segment to tell us the three books he would take with him if he were stranded on a deserted island, and the three films he’d take if he found an island with a TV and a DVD player.