With her “unparalleled ability to blend the personal with the political”, leading author Ali Smith takes as her topic for this year’s Hesse Lecture the Festival theme: dissolved in sound.

One of the great philosopher-novelists of our time, Smith grapples courageously with the big themes of life and draws connections between the great and the small, the universal and the local. Like great music, her work goes deep into the questions of who we are and why we’re here - and perhaps points us towards the answers.

Ali Smith is widely celebrated for her innovative storytelling, insightful social commentary, and ability to play with language and form. Her fans include literary critics, fellow authors, and readers who appreciate the depth and originality in her work.