Literary Calendar

In the summer of 2012, Gruff Rhys, the lead singer and guitarist of Super Furry Animals, made a bizarre pilgrimage across the United States. He was following in the footsteps of his distant relative, the pioneering explorer and cartographer John Evans, who had set off from Snowdonia in 1792 in an attempt to track down the legendary Welsh-speaking Native American tribe, the Madogwys. (This tribe – who were, inevitably, too good to be true – also inspired two long poems,&hellip

Hear fifty of the greatest love poems from the last 50 years. More information. Actors and poets from across the globe come together for a celebratory reading. What does love give us? It gives us hope; courage; defiance. Through these poems we look at the world as it is now, through human qualities that counteract hate: love, empathy, humanity. Part of Poetry International Hear fifty of the greatest international love poems from the last 50 years. A star cast of&hellip

The Ranters were a disparate group of religious and political radicals who flourished during Britain’s revolutionary moment, from the outbreak of the Civil Wars to the early years of the Commonwealth. Ever since the mid-17th century their extreme libertarianism has been an inspiration to several generations of revolutionaries, as well as the subject of heated debate amongst historians. Nigel Smith’s A Collection of Ranter Writings was first published in 1983 and struck an immediate chord with radicals in a Britain&hellip

Paul Bailey headlines author and journalist Paul Burston’s celebrated literary den. He talks about his new novel The Prince’s Boy. Bailey is joined by Janet Ellis, Tiffany Murray, Vernal Scott and Wayne Herbert. Recently named one of the world’s top LGBT events by ArtInfo,Polari literary salon returns for the summer season, offering the very best in new, established and up-and-coming LGBT literary talent. Hosted by Paul Burston, Polari was described by The New York Times as ‘London’s most theatrical salon’ and by Sarah Waters&hellip

Helen Macdonald and Tim Dee will be at the shop to talk about birds, and about writing about birds. Radio producer Tim Dee propelled himself into the front rank of British nature writing in 2009 with his remarkable birdwatching memoir The Running Sky, followed in 2013 by Four Fields. Helen Macdonald, writer, poet, naturalist, conservationist, historian and some-time falconer, has recently published H is for Hawkwhich recounts how, under the literary tutelage of T.H. White and in part as a strategy for overcoming personal grief, she&hellip

Good evening fight fans! Tonight, Book Slam heads to iconic East London boxing venue, York Hall, for the most anticipated heavyweight contest in recent memory and twelve rounds (probably) of high calibre literary sparring. In the blue corner, we have internationally renowned storyteller, one-time street brawler, drug dealer, convict, Chicago Golden Glove Champion, bull runner and author of ‘The Old Neighborhood‘, BILL HILLMANN. In the red corner, please make some noise for guitarist from The Slits, punk legend and author of&hellip

In a rare London appearance Lydia Davis will reading from and discussing her unique body of work. More information

Owen Lowery performs his poetry, and Poet in the City present great poetry in sign language. Lowery reads from his acclaimed book of poetry Otherwise Unchanged. He is joined by Poet in the City, who take language to new limits withThe Body Electric, a project bringing together poetry and sign. Taking words off the page and performing them live in BSL, celebrated deaf actors bring fresh and surprising new light to classic poems, from Robert Frost to Rabindranath Tagore. These performances&hellip

Poet in the City presents a celebration of the life and work of C.P. Cavafy. Exploring some of the fascinating themes arising from his poetry, from the erotic to the historic, this event will celebrate a unique poetic voice. Cavafy was widely regarded as one of the most important poets of the modern age, bringing a bold honesty to the pursuit of pleasure. Poet and translator David Constantine is joined by author and poet Louis de Bernières, in an event which features live poetry&hellip