Literary Calendar
Events for November 3, 2013 through November 17, 2013
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Samuel Johnson Prize reading, Southbank Centre
On the eve of the announcement of the winner of this year’s prize, the shortlisted authors gather to discuss their books. The shortlisted books are Empires of the Dead by David Crane, Return of a King by William Dalrymple, A Sting In The Tale by Dave Goulson, Under Another Sky by Charlotte Higgins, The Pike by Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Margaret Thatcher: The Authorised Biography by Charles Moore. Read the reviews for the shortlisted books here. Book ticket/more tickets
Calvino’s Letters with Michael Wood, Kings Place
The first English translation of Italo Calvino’s letters has appeared this year (Princeton University Press). Selected by Michael Wood and translated by Martin McLaughlin, the generous selection of around 650 letters offers many insights not just for those interested in Calvino the writer, but also for anyone interested in the most significant developments in Italian literature, culture and politics in the second half of the twentieth century. The reader will find fascinating letters to major Italian writers such as Leonardo Sciascia, Umberto Eco&hellip
Helen Fielding at Kings Place
Weight: nine stone (terrifying slide into obesity – why? why?); alcohol units: six (excellent); cigarettes: 23 (vg).’ It’s almost two decades since Helen Fielding introduced us to the chardonnay-swigging, chain-smoking 30-something singleton – Bridget Jones. Now, in Mad About the Boy, Bridget is back – a 51 year old mother of two, with a mobile phone and a twitter account. Oh, and she’s a widow. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to join Helen Fielding for a celebration of one of the best-loved heroines of&hellip
Iain Sinclair with Deborah Moggach, the Courtauld
In 1948, the novelist and poet Jack Kerouac coined the name ‘Beat Generation’ for an underground, anti-conformist youth movement in New York. In the decade that followed, works such as Kerouac’s On the Road, Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and William S. Burroughs’s Naked Lunch (the last two sparkling obscenity trials that ultimately revolutionised American publishing) formed a distinct ‘Beat’ literature. Iain Sinclair has been described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘one of our most dazzling stylists’, and American Smoke, published this month, completes the trilogy he began with Hackney: That&hellip
Sir Ranulph Fiennes at Daunts
Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes will be here to talk about life in the extreme cold following a lifetime of adventures in the polar regions. As well as being scientifically rigorous, the book looks at the history of exploration from the early voyages of Cook to the expeditions of Shackleton and Amundsen as well as being a very personal testament to his own experiences in some of the coldest regions of the earth and his relationship to these extreme conditions. More&hellip
Jonathan Aitken with Robin Baird-Smith at the Royal Institution
Jonathan Aitken, a friend and confidant of Margaret Thatcher for forty years, discusses his new biography of the Iron Lady with his editor and publisher, Robin Baird-Smith, at the Royal Institution. Jonathan Aitken was a member of Thatcher’s Cabinet and for much of the time a family friend. His biography, Margaret Thatcher: Power and Personality, provides an eye witness account of both private and public episodes of her life and is based on extensive interviews and exhaustive research with those who knew her&hellip
Margaret Drabble at Kings Place
Dame Margaret Drabble will be interviewed by writer, academic and broadcaster Harriett Gilbert about her new novel, The Pure Gold Baby, a remarkable novel about our changing society and the way we care for one another. Read all reviews for The Pure Gold Baby. This is the story of one woman’s lifetime and the way her existence touch the lives and loves of those around her, a book of great beauty, wisdom and stealthy power. Book tickets/more information
Simon Sebag Montefiore on One Night in Winter, Daunt Bookshop, Marylebone
Acclaimed Russian historian Simon Sebag Montefiore will be speaking about writing fact and fiction when he comes to discuss his new novel which is based on a true story from Stalinist Russia. Two teenagers, children of high-ranking party members, are found dead on a bridge in Moscow. Stalin himself will conduct the investigation into their deaths… Talks take place at Daunt Books, Marylebone High Street Tickets are £8 (including wine). They may be purchased from our Marylebone High Street shop&hellip
Chuck Palahniuk at Foyles
This event comes with a warning: not suitable for the easily disturbed. From Fight Club andChoke author Chuck Palahniuk comes Doomed - a dark and twisted vision of the apocalyptic, a nightmarish meditation on eternal damnation, with plenty of jokes. Following on from her adventures in Chuck’s last novel Damned, Madison Spencer, the liveliest and snarkiest dead girl in the universe, is trapped in purgatory after a Hallowe’en ritual gone awry — and Satan’s out to get her… This exclusive London event is your chance to&hellip
Charlotte Mendelson on Almost English at the Southbank
Charlotte Mendelson introduces her new novel and the winner of the Polari First Book Prize 2013 is announced. All reviews for Almost English Mendelson heads the bill presenting her novel Almost English. She is joined by poet Dean Atta, authors Rosie Garland and Patrick Flanery, special guest Helen Lederer and singer Dee Chanelle. Also tonight, we announce the winner of the Polari Prize. Described by The New York Times as ‘London’s most theatrical salon’, Polari returns for the autumn, showcasing the best in&hellip
Meet The Historian: Richard III: The Man and The Myth with Alison Weir, LJCC
You may be watching the dramatised history of the White Queen currently on the BBC. Join us as Alison Weir reveals the truth behind the legends of this turbulent period in history and Richard lll. Best-selling historian Alison Weir reveals the truth behind Shakespeare’s Machiavellian and monstrous tyrant. Shakespeare’s powerful and dramatic portrayal of him has had enormous impact on perceptions of the historical Richard, but Shakespeare drew on historical sources, and it is on these that Richard’s reputation largely rests.&hellip
Deborah Moggach and Lottie Moggach at the Write Idea Festival
One family, two generations of novelists. Award winning Deborah Moggach will present her latest novel ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, while her daughter Lottie Moggach will talk about her debut novel ‘Kiss Me First’. Deborah Moggach has written 17 novels; these include the bestsellers ‘Tulip Fever’ and ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, which was made into a movie starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Her TV screenplays include several adaptations of her own novels, including ‘Final Demand’, ‘Close Relations’ and ‘Seesaw’, and also&hellip
A Sensational Storyline: Eastenders meets The Archers at the Write Idea Festival
Former Eastenders Executive Producer Diederick Santer and scriptwriter for The Archers and Ambridge Extra Keri Davies discuss writing and production with the biggest soaps on TV and radio. Relationships between writers and producers can be difficult as well as creative -find out more about what goes on behind the scenes to bring you Albert Square and Ambridge. Diederick produced EastEnders for 3 years, creating new characters such as the Masoods and the Mitchell Sisters, while also bringing back favourites Ricky&hellip
Shakespeare’s Local: Peter Brown at the Write Idea Festival
Shakespeare’s Local: Six Centuries of History Seen Through One Extraordinary Pub Pete Brown used to advertise lager for a living, until he realized that writing books about beer was even more fun, and entailed drinking even more beer. He appears regularly on television as a beer expert and writes on beer for a variety of publications. In this wonderful book Pete takes us through the history of the George Inn in Borough and tells us how it has survived six centuries while all around&hellip
From Bow to Biennale: David Buckman at the Write Idea Festival
In ‘From Bow to Biennale: Artists of the East London Group’, David Buckman reveals for the first time how charismatic teacher John Cooper inspired working class East Enders into becoming one of the most successful exhibiting groups of the 1930s. Over many years he traced six then-surviving members to record their memories. Progressing from evening classes in Bow, its artists achieved shows at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Tate Gallery, in the provinces and annual exhibitions in the West End. In 1936,&hellip
“Things I wish I knew when I started…” Michael Jecks at the Write Idea Festival
“Things I wish I knew when I started …” A humorous look at the life of an author, with anecdotes about the industry, writing, and how Michael works. Michael Jecks is the author of thirty-two novels published by Headline and Simon & Schuster. A past chairman of the Crime Writers’ Association, he is also a founder of the Historical Writers’ Association and Medieval Murderers – a performance group of historical crime writers. In quieter moments he has written short stories&hellip
The Gentle Author at the Write Idea Festival
The Gentle Author will talk about his new book ‘The Gentle Author’s London Album’. Between the covers of this magnificent album you will discover more than 600 of the Gentle Author’s favourite pictures of London, setting the wonders of our modern metropolis against the pictorial delights of the ancient city, and celebrating the infinite variety of life in the capital. This is London seen from an easterly direction – as the centre of gravity in the city has shifted, The&hellip
Alison Moore at the Write Idea Festival
Alison will be talking about the writing of her novels, reading from her books and taking questions. Alison Moore’s first novel, ‘The Lighthouse’, was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012 and in the New Writer of the Year category of the National Book Awards 2012 before going on to win the McKitterick Prize 2013. Her short stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies, including ‘Best British Short Stories’. The title story of her debut collection ‘The Pre-War&hellip
Robin Ince at the Write Idea Festival
The Importance of Being Interested Award winning comedian and science enthusiast Robin Ince follows up his Happiness Through Science show with a look at his favourite scientists – Charles Darwin and Richard Feynman. Find out why we have eyebrows, why bald dogs have bad teeth, how heavy metal music makes pigs deaf and why spaghetti snaps into four pieces. It is a loving look into the minds of two giants of human imagination who changed our worldview. He’ll also stop&hellip
Jay Rayner at the Write Idea Festival
A Greedy Man in a Hungry World “The doctrine of local food is dead and farmers markets are merely a lifestyle choice for the affluent middle classes” Restaurant critic and BBC One Show reporter Jay Rayner combines hardnosed reporting with witty memoir to take you on a journey through the world’s edible landscape. From debunking a supermarket trolley full of myths to shooting the food world’s most cherished sacred cows, this talk will change the way you shop, cook and&hellip