Philosophy of a hearty diet plan

A hearty diet of philosophy – and a sturdy bucket – could be the key to beating the current obesity crisis.

Dr Peter Hayes will be offer-ing an alternative approach to weight loss, as well as recalling a revolutionary series of lectures in 1920s Ilkley, in a workshop as part of the festival fringe.

Dr Hayes, of Durham, will explain how it is possible to lose weight by stepping up the philosophy ladder, with the help of dieting advice from thinkers such as Plato, Hobbes and Nietszche.

He recalls noted Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, who gave lectures in Ilkley in 1923, theorising that eating and digesting things was the most basic form of philosophising.

Dr Hayes said: “If we take Stei-ner’s Ilkley lectures to their log-ical conclusion, it might seem eating is good: the more we eat, the more philosophical we are.”

He recommends a diet propo-sed by philosopher John Locke, which requires little except a large plastic bucket.

Dr Hayes, whose book – The Philosophy of Dieting – is on sale now, will present his workshop at Church House in Church Street from 4.30pm on September 29. Admission is free.

Mean streets of Humber novel

Two crime authors are bringing the mean streets of the Humber to West Yorkshire next month.
Crime authors Nick Quantrill and Nick Triplow bring the Humber Beat to the festival fringe for an evening of crime writing on October 2.
Quantrill and Triplow take readers on a journey through the dangerous places of Hull and the Humber delta, drawing on their own novels and Brit Grit pioneer Ted Lewis, whose 1970 work Jack’s Return Home was filmed as the iconic Get Carter, Mike Hodges’ 1971 movie.
“Some people see Hull as the end of the line – the kind of place you only go if you have to,” Quantrill said.
“There’s a truth to that. It’s a city that’s small enough to guarantee there’s no hiding place. And that makes it the perfect place for crime fiction.”
Quantrill’s book – The Late Greats – is the second outing for Hull private detective, Joe Geraghty, following on from the highly successful debut, Broken Dreams. Triplow is the writer of the acclaimed South London and Humber-set crime novel Frank’s Wild Years.
They will appear at Ilkley Playhouse in Weston Road, Ilkley, from 9pm to 10pm.

Evil Ear Goblin gives horror talk

An actor and writer with a taste for horror will be appearing at one of the country’s biggest literature festival’s next month.
Stephen Mosley will be reading from his book of quirky horror stories, The Boy Who Loved Simone Simon, and a brand new story, Attack Of The 50-Foot Natalie Portman, at the festival.
Mosley, who comes from Ilkley, will be appearing at Ilkley Playhouse at 9pm on October 2. The event is free.
As an actor, Mosley can be seen as the evil Ear Goblin (above) in the forthcoming movie Kenneth, filmed entirely in Yorkshire.

Gervase Phinn cancels his show

One of the festival stars has been forced to cancel his show after his wife fell ill.
Gervase Phinn was due to appear at King’s Hall on September 29.
Best-selling author Mr Phinn would have been reading from his new book – Trouble At The Little Village School – but organisers this week confirmed he “deeply regrets having to cancel his event”.
Ticket refunds will be issued.

Chance to meet Chancellor's wife

The wife of the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be in Ilkley next month to talk about her new book.
Frances Osborne will speak about her debut novel, Park Lane, at a lunch at the Wheatley Arms in Ben Rhydding from noon to 2.30pm on October 9.
Tickets cost £18, which includes a two-course lunch with coffee.

Crime and curry

Crime and curry will be the backdrop to the curtain-raiser for this year’s festival.
Author Anne Cleeves will be the guest speaker at a Crime and Curry night at the Wheatley Arms in Ben Rhydding at 7.30pm on Wednesday.