Literature lovers are being delighted by big ideas from Michael Rosen, wonderful words from Carol Ann Duffy, and sparky sparring with Joanna Bourke at a Kent literary week.

Now, as the final weekend of the Folkestone Book Festival rapidly approaches, the festival reaches its climax with a packed weekend of author talks.

Start the weekend with a glimpse of Paris via speaker Sue Roe, author of The Private Lives of the Impressionists, as she brings to life the bohemian world of the Montmartre area of Paris between 1900 and 1910 at the Quarterhouse at 1pm on Friday, November 21.

Sue will argue that the revolution in the arts took place in the cafes and cabarets of Montmartre, where the cross-fertilization of painting, writing, music and dance produced a panorama of activity characterised by the early works of Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Derain, de Vlaminck and Modigliani.

Breakfast with Kate Figes, author of Because of Her Sex: the Myth of Equal Opportunity for Women, at 10.30am on Saturday, November 22, enjoying coffee, croissants and conversation in Rocksalt bar.

Why do marital affairs start? Can a couple ever recover and, if yes, how? Anyone is invited to go along and share thoughts and stories, with no personal experience required.

Then biologist Jules Howard takes over at the Quarterhouse at 2.30pm and tells us the amazing hows and whys of sex on Earth, in all its diversity.

From sperm wars to cuckoldry, hermaphrodites and virgin births, spent males, racy harems, hips, breasts and birdsong, and those riskiest and most elusive of all traits, monogamy and true love; it’s all going on in the animal kingdom.

If that wasn’t enough, Saturday at the festival also boasts big names within literature such as Michael Frayn, Claire Tomalin and Andrew Martin speaking out about their specialist subjects.

Views on immigration

Sunday will not be a day of rest at the festival: in fact it could offer one of the most heated debates when David Goodhart questions post-war immigration in Britain at the Quarterhouse at 3.30pm.

Broadcaster, author, commentator and journalist Goodhart has some bold ideas about immigration and integration, and this is your chance to join the discussion and have your views heard.

As the festival heads towards its close on Sunday night, November 23, Lewis Dartnell, a UK Space Agency research fellow at the University of Leicester, shares at 5pm how to rebuild civilisation after a major catastrophe.

Finally, at 6.30pm on Sunday, psychologist and former model Jenny Boyd questions how the world’s most popular musicians create hit songs; is it natural talent, or do external influences affect their writing process?

For more information about all the weekend’s events at Folkestone Book Festival, visit www.folkestonebook fest.com or call 01303 760750.