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Anthony Horowitz to headline opening weekend of York Festival of Ideas and open £20m University Library

The University of York will welcome Anthony Horowitz to Central Hall on Saturday 16 June at 2.15pm as part of the 2012 Festival of Ideas and York’s Annual Alumni Weekend.

A York alumnus, Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific and successful writers working in the UK – and is unique for working across so many media. He is a true polymath; juggling writing books, TV series, films, plays and journalism.

Anthony, who received his Honorary Degree from the University of York in 2010, will be interviewed by Professor Judith Buchanan, Director of York’s Humanities Research Centre, and will also take audience questions and sign books. During the event, he will officially open the University Library’s new £20 million refurbishment.

Anthony has written over 35 books including the bestselling teen spy series Alex Rider, which he adapted into a movie that was released worldwide in 2006. The Alex Rider series is estimated to have sold 13 million copies worldwide. He is also an acclaimed writer for adults and was commissioned by the Conan Doyle Estate and Orion Books to write a new Sherlock Holmes novel. The House of Silk was published in November 2011 and was internationally lauded as the top title of the autumn.

Anthony is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK’s most beloved and successful television series, producing the first seven episodes (and the title) of Midsomer Murders. He is the writer and creator of award winning drama series Foyle’s War, which was the Winner of the Lew Grade Audience award for BAFTA. Anthony has also written other original complex dramas for ITV, particularly thrillers. Collision, a major five part 'State of the Nation' piece was transmitted on ITV1 in November 2009 to seven million viewers a night. Legal thriller Injustice – created and written by Anthony for ITV1 – transmitted in June 2011, to widespread acclaim. He is currently working with Stephen Spielberg and Peter Jackson writing the sequel to the Tintin film and is also working on a screenplay for Warner Brothers.

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