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We are very glad that Shahidha Bari is bringing her wit (and her hip flask) to the English: Shared Futures conference in Newcastle (¡°A supposedly fun thing¡±, Opinion, 9 July).

This large conference, the first of its kind for many years and covering the whole discipline of English, will celebrate the intellectual strength, diversity and creativity of the study of English literature, language, culture and creative writing, and explore its futures in the nations of the UK and across the world. It is organised by the English Association, University English and the National Association of Writers in Education.

However, while Bari¡¯s good humour is inexhaustible, we worry that her hip flask may run dry before she speaks: the event is scheduled for July 2017, not, as printed, 2016.

Robert Eaglestone
Royal Holloway, University of London

Gail Marshall
University of Leicester