This Little World: Tudor Narratives of India and England
Part of JLF London 2026

Nandini Das in conversation with William Dalrymple

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Across oceans and centuries, England and India emerge not as distant worlds but as entangled histories of movement, trade and imagination. Drawing on rich archival fragments, Nandini Das traces merchants, migrants, sailors and spies who moved between Tudor and Stuart England and India, unsettling ideas of nation, identity and belonging. Together with Festival Co-Director and Author William Dalrymple, they evaluate the encounter and exchanges that reshapes our understanding of an interconnected world.

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Food Season Big Weekend

Saturday 13 June, 11:15

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Food Season Big Weekend

Saturday 13 June, 11:15

The much-loved British Library Food Season returns with the Big Weekend – two days of culinary conversations with leading chefs and cooks, food writers, historians and more. We delve into Ireland’s rich culinary traditions, celebrate Southern American food through the enduring legacy of Edna Lewis, explore curries through a journey around the world, and so much more. Featuring Ruthie Rogers, Andi Oliver, Simon Russell Beale, Felicity Cloake, Aji Akokomi and more.
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Saturday 20 June, 18:30

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A Midsummer Night’s Fairy Tale, with Mermaid Chunky

Saturday 20 June, 18:30

Journey to the magical realm as the Library becomes the setting for a solstice evening of lush sounds, sights and stories. With artists, storytellers, DJs, costumes and carnivalesque processions, the night culminates in a live show by the extraordinary Mermaid Chunky and their fabulous friends. In association with Bad Vibrations.
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Paths Through Britain

Thursday 25 June, 19:00

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Paths Through Britain

Thursday 25 June, 19:00

Britain’s footpaths are more than routes across the landscape – they are centuries-old stories of movement, belief, survival and discovery. In this panel conversation, we explore how ancient tracks, pilgrim ways and long-distance trails reveal a hidden history of how people have travelled slowly through these islands, and why walking still holds such power today. With Nicholas Crane, Phoebe Smith and Chris Butterfield.
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