7 SEPTEMBER 1991, Page 26

Unrepeated

Sir: In her account of the Edinburgh Book Festival Anne Smith (24 August) said I went unprepared and gave the same talk as four years ago. Untrue. In fact I talked in detail about the differences between pub- lishing now and in the Fifties, and about short story markets now and then, Was Anne Smith actually present? Was she asleep? Academics, Scottish or otherwise, and even a good many writers, may not approve of Literary Festivals, but the read- ers certainly do. Attendance at this one increases every year.

Doris Lessing

24 Gondar Gardens, London NW6.