Jewish writers will be answering questions and sparking debate this week at the annual Hampstead and Highgate Literary festival.

The event, organised by the London Jewish Cultural Centre, takes place at Ivy House from this Sunday.

This year's billing includes talks by Bafta award-winning documentary-maker Olivia Lichtenstein, and Anne Sebba, whose latest book is a biography of Wallis Simpson .

Other notable names at the festival include Jake Wallis Simons , whose first book was The Exiled Times of a Tibetan Jew, and economics writer Michael Green, in conversation with Lord Levy.

Esther Freud will be discussing her recent novel Lucky Break, while Stephanie and Claire Calman, daughters of the late cartoonist Mel Calman, will also appear.

Also set to speak is journalist and JC columnist David Aaronovitch, in a special discussion marking the tenth anniversary of September 11.

Mr Aaronovitch is currently recovering from pneumonia, and on Tuesday wrote on Twitter that he was "back in the world again after horrid health time" and "weak but living".