Rethinking Masculinity: Sam Parker & Uju Asika

What if your anger isn’t something to fear – but a tool for clarity, courage and change? In a town like Folkestone – creative, complex, and full of people pushing for better – anger can be a vital emotional signal. But too often we’re told to stay quiet, stay nice, stay calm.

In this powerful, eye-opening event, journalist and author Sam Parker (Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives) and writer and speaker Uju Asika (Bringing Up Race, Raising Boys Who Do Better) invite us to rethink everything we’ve been taught about rage and masculinity. Together, they explore how anger shows up in our bodies, our families, our relationships and our communities – and how, if we learn to listen, it can become a force for growth and change.

From burnout to everyday aggravations, family frustrations to political fury, this conversation speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt silenced, stuck or exhausted by the pressure to keep it all in. It’s about owning your voice, finding your edge, and learning how to use anger not to explode – but to evolve.

This event will be chaired by Helen Coffey. Helen is Senior Features Writer at The Independent and author of Zero Altitude: How I Learned to Fly Less and Travel More. A leading voice on social and environmental issues, she has written extensively on the male loneliness epidemic, toxic masculinity, and how we can better support boys and men to create a fairer world for everyone. She combines humour with a clear-eyed look at how we move through the world.

Please note: this event lasts one hour, followed by an opportunity to purchase the authors’ books upstairs in The Clearing and have them signed.

FIND OUT MORE

Folkestone Book Festival is our annual celebration of books, bold ideas and the power of storytelling – by the sea. Curated by award-winning author and journalist Sophie Haydock (The Flames, Madame Matisse), this year’s programme features more than 50 events over 11 days, bringing together world-class writers, radical thinkers and unforgettable conversations – all inspired by Folkestone’s spirit of enabling creativity and transformative change.

We want the festival to be for everyone. That’s why we’ve introduced a £5 ticket – a no-questions-asked option for anyone who might be struggling to afford events.

And if you’re planning to come to more than a handful of events, don’t miss our great-value Festival Pass, which gives you access to all events (excluding classes, which need to be booked separately) for just £140.

There’s so much to discover – from headline talks to intimate workshops, big ideas to local voices. Check out the full programme, including our much-loved Local Talent Showcase and a new series of Creative Writing Workshops designed to spark your imagination.

We delighted that our onsite bookseller this year is Waterstones Folkestone.

We thank our major sponsor Saga and supporting sponsors Eurotunnel, Holiday Extras and Friends of the Folkestone Book Festival along with our Education Partner, Canterbury Christ Church University for making this year's festival possible. Creative Folkestone is also supported by Arts Council England, Folkestone and Hythe District Council and The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust.