Literary Calendar
Events for November 18, 2013 through December 2, 2013
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Poet in the City, Kings Place
Poet in the City presents the London showcase of this acclaimed show combing poetry and jazz. Actress Samantha Bond joins celebrated actor Sir Derek Jacobi, singer Ruthie Culver and her UtterJazz quartet in a compelling homage to two of the most influential voices of the 20th century: WH Auden and Benjamin Britten. The power of WH Auden’s words – by turns outspoken, lyrical or witty – together with the rich harmonies and beautiful melodies of Benjamin Britten provide inspiration for vibrant jazz re-workings of their 1930s songs. Auden’s ceaseless experimentation is reflected&hellip
5 x 15, The Tabernacle
Chuck Palahniuk, Charlotte Higgins, John Lloyd, Kate Mosse and Pen Vogler. More information/book tickets
Charles Moore talks about the Iron Lady, Kensington Library
Charles Moore talks about the life and career of Margaret Thatcher, how she used both her femininity and modest background to her advantage. Margaret Thatcher first assessed the age and then shaped it, changing the political and economic landscape of the country to such an extent that we may consider that we are still living in Thatcher’s Britain. More information/book tickets
Standpoint Salon with Lionel Shriver & David Goodhart, Hardy’s Brasserie
On Monday 18th November Lionel Shriver and David Goodhart will be discussing “Anglo-American Dreams & Nightmares” at Hardy’s Brasserie, Marylebone, over a book-inspired four course set menu cooked by Raymond Blanc protégé Sam Hughes. More information/book now
Rachel Cooke on Her Brilliant Career: Ten Extraordinary Women of the Fifties, Foyles
The 1950s is an era most associated with prudishness, frugality and old-fashioned values, where a typical week in a woman’s life entailed 60-70 hours of housework, and little to no independence. Journalist and critic Rachel Cooke’s new book sets out to show a hidden side to the monochrome decade, as she profiles ten extraordinary ’50s career women who blazed trails in the fields of film, archaeology, law and motor racing, among others. Tonight Rachel takes us back 60 years to&hellip
Sir Max Hastings discusses the First World War, Kensington Library
Sir Max Hastings (Catastrophe) talks about the origins and early campaigns of the First World War. Sir Max will discuss how inevitable, or avoidable, the Great War was. Was our going to war a mistake, or was it one of our finest hours? Ask questions and join in the discussion at the end. More information/book tickets
Barry Norman talks to Claire Armistead, LJCC
In Barry Norman’s candid, witty and moving account of life, love, marriage and loss, he introduces us to his wife, Diana, the remarkable woman he knew so well and loved so deeply. He traces their careers and lives together, describing how Diana moved from being an accomplished journalist, to mother-of-two, to best-selling author. Through his writing, we grow to love Diana’s irrepressible nature, fierce intelligence, her sense of fun and even her stubbornness. With heart-breaking honesty, he shares the difficulty&hellip
Adelle Waldman talks to Alain de Botton, LJCC
Adelle Waldman lives in Brooklyn with her husband, the writer Evan Hughes. She attended Brown University and Columbia University School of Journalism. She has written for the New York Times Book Review, The New Republic, Slate,The New Yorker, The New York Observer, The Wall Street Journal and many others. Before writing The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P she was a newspaper reporter, covering business and legal affairs. She grew up in Baltimore. Alain de Botton was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1969 and now lives in London. He is&hellip
Jeremy Paxman on Great Britain’s Great War, Daunt Bookshop, Marylebone
The renowned broadcaster and bestselling author has written a magnificent history of the First World War, accompanied by a 5-part flagship BBC TV series to mark its 100th Anniversary. Rich with personalities, surprises and ironies, this broad narrative history paints a picture of courage and confusion, doubts and dilemmas, and is written with Jeremy Paxman’s characteristic flair for storytelling,wry humour and pithy observation. Talks take place at Daunt Books, Marylebone High Street Tickets are £8 (including wine). They may be&hellip
Iain Sinclair on American Smoke
In American Smoke (Hamish Hamilton), the third part of a loose trilogy of topographical ruminations that began with Hackney: That Rose-red Empire and Ghost Milk, Iain Sinclair follows the traces of the writers of the American Beat generation – Kerouac, Burroughs, Charles Olson, Gary Snyder, Malcolm Lowry and more – in a journey that takes in the Old West, Mexico, volcanoes, murder, and a good deal else besides. He will be at the shop to talk about the book with writer, editor and curator Gareth&hellip
John Carey on John Donne, National Portrait Gallery
John Carey, British literary critic and emeritus Merton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford explores the poetry and personality of John Donne. In his talk he will give and account of Donne’s life and relate it to the Lothian portrait of Donne which now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery. More information/book tickets
Antonia Fraser discussed the 1832 Reform Bill,Kensington Library
Bestselling historian Antonia Fraser discusses the human and political drama of the events surrounding the Reform Bill of 1832. How close did the country come to revolution? How do the events relate and resonate in regards to today’s political and social landscape? More information/book tickets
Margaret Drabble, Edmund Gordon, Ian McEwan discuss Angus Wilson, Courtauld
A leading novelist of the post-war era, Angus Wilson provided a sharp and often very funny portrait of Britain during this period. He shared with E.M. Forster a concern with the problems of liberal humanism, while his elaborate plotting and rich characterisation recall the works of Dickens. Unusually for a male novelist of his time, he placed women at the centre of several books – notably The Middle Age of Mrs Eliot (1958) and Late Call (1964) – while Hemlock and After (1952) and Anglo-Saxon Attitudes (1956) were&hellip
The Violent Art of Crime Fiction with S. J. Bolton, Andrew Taylor and Barry Forshaw, Kings Place
Some of the best crime writers in the UK discuss their books and the controversial issue of violence in the genre. S. J. Bolton weaves folklore and forensics into dark and dreadful tales in her immensely popular novels. Andrew Taylor is the author of crime and historical novels, including the Richard & Judy international bestsellerThe American Boy. His awards include the CWA’s Diamond Dagger. MG Gardiner is one of the most compelling of psychological crime novelists, writing under the name Meg Gardiner. She’s&hellip
John Freeman talks to Kamila Shamsie: ‘How to read a Novelist’, Daunt Books
John Freeman, former editor of Granta, will be joining us to chat about what makes a great novel. His book collects a number of interviews with well known authors and seeks to fathom what makes a great novelist and a wonderful novel. John will be in conversation with acclaimed novelist Kamila Shamsie, author of Burnt Shadows and Broken Colours. More information/book tickets
Amy Tan on The Valley of Amazement, Foyles
From the author of the Joy Luck Club comes a novel that spans decades and continents, following the lives of three generations of women and the mysterious painting that holds the key to their hidden histories. The story sweeps from San Francisco to Shanghai to New York, and connections are forged across the years — in spite of their three very different lives — as each strives to come to terms with the tumultuous journeys of her forbears. In this exclusive London&hellip
Artemis Cooper discusses Patrick Leigh Fermor, Kensington Library
Bestselling biographer Artemis Cooper talks about the life and times of the enigmatic writer Patrick Leigh Fermor. Artemis will also discuss The Broken Road, Fermor’s final book about his journey through Europe in 1933, and take questions on the art of researching and writing biography. More information/book tickets
Amy Tan at Kings Place
Join Amy Tan for a discussion of her hit debut novel, The Joy Luck Club. In 1949, four Chinese women, recent immigrants to San Francisco, meet every week to play mahjong, eat dim sum and gossip about their children. Through their stories, and those of their four daughters, the novel explores the fault lines between two generations and two cultures. The book became an instant New York Times bestseller, was nominated for the National Book Award, and has since been adapted into a successful film,&hellip
Nadeem Aslam and Kamila Shamsie discuss the Pakistani novel, Courtauld
Pakistan produces people of extraordinary bravery,’ Nadeem Aslam has written, ‘but no nation should ever require its citizens to be that brave.’ His sentiment is shared by Kamila Shamsie, and the work of both novelists has focused on the human cost of conflict in their homeland. Nadeem Aslam was born in Pakistan, and experienced the devastation of General Zia’s martial rule before his family fled to Huddersfield when he was 14. He has traced the plight of his compatriots from&hellip
Literary Death Match at Kings Place
To ensure this will be a literary December to remember, Literary Death Matchreturns to Kings Place for an enchanting Christmas special rife with lit, wit, and smash literary and comedic hits. This is going to be one to remember — don’t miss it! The night will feature four writers reading their own wonderful tales for seven minutes or less, judged by three all-star judges. Two finalists will be chosen to compete in the Literary Death Match finale, a vaguely-literary game that will steal your&hellip