Would you like to know what’s makes you happy and how science can be used to make you even happier? Perhaps you would like to learn about how and why the Oxford English Dictionary was rewritten and how activities from World War One changed the English language?

The missing correlation between these two topics is that both are discussions to be had at this year’s Chalfont St Giles and Jordans Literary Festival.

In keeping with the theme ‘lives in words’ Professor (Lord) Robert Winston will be delve into the role of brain imaging, hormone study, sexuality, child development, pharmacology and psychological research in a scientific approach to happiness.

Kate Wild, senior assistant editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, will be discussing its revision and describing how words and phrases such as shell shock and home front impacted modern vocabulary.

Joining them will be author of I Dream in Autism, Richard Maguire; a book written to help people explore autism from the inside. He will be discussing life with autism, having grown up in the 1970s, himself autistic, he is known to speak with a passion and deep understanding of this condition.

Capability Brown, the famous English landscape architect, who became known as England’s greatest gardener - will be the subject of a discussion between a green-fingered group including Claire de Carle from the Chalfont St Peter Garden Club, and Dr Sarah Rutherford, who as well as being involved with Bucks Gardens Trust, also happens to be writing a book about Capability Brown in association with the National Trust.

Reader and actor, Gabriel Woolf, will be making returning to the festival with Linda Hart, a freelance writer and lecturer born in New York who has lived in England since 1975. Together they will discuss the great American poet Robert Lee Frost, who lived in Beaconsfield from 1912 to 1914 and is well known for his closely observed depictions of rural life in America.

A collection of poetry and vocal music, ‘When Spring Comes Round Again’ will take as its theme the centuries old inspiration provided by Spring, and entertain with words and songs for a May evening. The first half ranges from 14th century Chaucer to 20th century Manley-Hopkins, while part two features war poems and music. Finally the audience will have the opportunity to join in memorable songs such as ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’, ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’, and ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’.

The festival also covers the modern literary media of film with Nik Powell, producer and director of the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. He has over many years been closely involved the production of a catalogue of critically acclaimed movies including Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa, Scandal, Little Voice, Ladies in Lavender and Calendar Girls. He will discuss his 30 lessons of a film producer, the life and times of an entertainment business entrepreneur.

Contemporary English poet Wendy Cope has attracted a popular following with her light-hearted, often comical and sometimes acerbic poetry. She will be inviting her audience to an Afternoon tea with Wendy poetry session.

Peter Moore is a writer and sometime lecturer whose second book, The Weather Experiment, charts the development of meteorological science in the nineteenth century, concluding with one of the great controversies of Victorian science. Can you forecast what that might be?

Chalfont St Giles and Jordans Literary Festival, various locations, Tuesday, May 10 until Sunday, May 22. Details: 01494 873966