Emirates Lit Fest 2017: key sessions from the opening weekend

With 140 authors from around the world, covering a wide variety of genres, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is a treat for lovers of the written word. Here are some key sessions happening over the opening weekend.

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Inventing the Future: Ashlee Vance on Elon Musk

Friday, 11.30am

With the Tesla electric car set to become increasingly common on UAE roads, this discussion – ­featuring Ashlee Vance (pictured), official biographer of the Tesla-creator in Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future – is especially relevant. Musk was ­recently in the UAE, discussing his plans to launch a manned mission to Mars within our lifetimes.

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Horrid Henry Says Goodbye

Saturday, 11.30am

The Horrid Henry children’s books, starring the mischievous titular trickster, have sold more than 20 million copies in 25 languages. Now that the series is ending, author Francesca Simon will attempt to figure out what makes Henry and his antics so compelling to young readers, and how his badness can be put to good use.

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An Audience with Jeffrey Archer

Friday, 4.30pm

With more than 275 million copies of his books sold worldwide, this best-selling British author requires no introduction. He writes fiction, short stories and non-fiction, and his most recent book, This Was a Man, concluded a seven-book epic spanning the 20th century that ­began with Only Time Will Tell in 2011. The former Conservative ­Party deputy chairman will talk about his careers in writing and politics, and perhaps reveal what readers can expect next.

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From Austen to Tolstoy: Screen Classics with Andrew Davies

Saturday, 11.30am

Andrew Davies has been so ­successful in bringing classics to the screen that “an Andrew Davies Adaptation” has become a genre in itself. Previous examples include Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, War and Peace and upcoming television ­series Les Misérables, as well as ­contemporary works such as the original British version of House of Cards, based on the books by­ ­Michael Dobbs, and the screenplays for the first two Bridget Jones films.

“I bring it to life and present things I found brilliant in the book, as ­thrillingly as I can,” he has famously said of his skill at adaptation.

This is one session not to be missed by book, television or movie lovers.

• All sessions will be held at the ­InterContinental Dubai Festival City. For details go to www.emirateslitfest.com