Step aboard Boater, a mesmerising voyage along the tranquil waterways of England with former UK Canal Laureate, Jo Bell.

For over twenty years, Jo Bell, archaeologist and poet, has travelled the waterways of England (and sometimes Wales) meeting extraordinary people in an extraordinary environment. It’s a journey that’s taught her about human nature, including her own; about rope and Brasso and bravery; about ducks and locks; and above all, about the necessity for a constant supply of biscuits.

In this smart, funny memoir she describes an alternative nation within a nation, a place of different maps and deep history, and home to people who live and work in a world quite separate from the land a few feet away on the banks.

Tickets: £8

Purchase a Derby Book Festival Pass to attend this event and eleven others at QUAD at a significant discount.

Author photo © Lee Allen