The Booker-shortlisted author of Umbrella talks to former Guardian Culture associate editor Claire Armitstead about his most American novel yet — a brilliant portrait of a 1950s housewife, based on the life of the author’s mother, and an exploration of sexual freedom and sublimated desire.

Please note that due to Will Self recently undergoing stem cell transplant surgery this event will be a live link-up, with on-stage host Claire Armitstead talking to Will Self from St Mary of Charity via a link-up at his home in south London. Signed copies of Elaine will be available at the festival bookstore at the event.

Will Self is the author of many novels and books of non-fiction, including Great Apes; The Book of Dave; How the Dead Live, which was shortlisted for the Whitbread Novel of the Year 2002; The Butt, winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction 2008; and Umbrella, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2012.