Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.
Graham Norton speaks about his new memoir at Southbank Centre
Ongoing
Richmond Literature Festival is going on throughout November in Richmond-upon-Thames. Take a look at the festival calendar for a full list of events.
Christopher Brett Bailey’s show This Is How We Die opens at Battersea Arts Centre this week. The show of spoken word and storytelling was inspired by William Burroughs, beat poetry and B-movies.
Thursday 30 October
POETRY READINGS: Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden hosts readings by John Torrance and Neil Donnelly from their recently published poetry collections, and by Catherine Fried who will read poems by the late Erich Fried. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
DEEP SOUTH: Author Kate Mayfield is in conversation with literary critic Jake Kerridge for an evening of bourbon and Southern delights. The author will discuss her new memoir, The Undertaker’s Daughter, a portrait of a childhood spent growing up in a funeral parlour in 1960′s Kentucky. At Waterstones Hampstead. £3/£5, prebook, 7pm
MATHS PUZZLES: Matt Parker, maths teacher by day and stand-up comedian by night celebrates the launch of his first book, Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension, at Foyles on Charing Cross Road. The book contains maths puzzles and games which aim to solve some of the biggest mysteries of maths. £5, prebook, 7pm
RUTH RENDELL: In partnership with Newham Bookshop, crime writer Ruth Rendell is at Bishopsgate Institute to mark the publication of a 50th anniversary edition of her first book, From Doon with Death. The book, first published in 1964, introduced the character Chief Inspector Wexford, who has been in 24 of Rendell’s books to date. £12/£10, prebook, 7.30pm
Friday 31 October
SLAMBASSADORS: The youth spoken word and poetry slam is at Southbank Centre for the national final, with a guest appearance by poet Mark Grist and a set from spoken-word sensation and SLAMbassadors UK Artistic Director Joelle Taylor. Free, just turn up, 4pm
TOMAS GONZALEZ: Colombian author and translator Tomas Gonzalez talks about his novel, In the Beginning was the Sea, at London Review Bookshop. The book was first published in 1983 and has recently been translated into English. £10, prebook, 7pm
LATE NIGHT KEATS: Keats House in Hampstead hosts a Halloween special adults only evening of Gothic literature, music and a poetry open mic compered by the Keats House Poet in Residence, Daljit Nagra. £8, prebook, 7pm
YETI POETICS: Paul Chandler presents a night of very spooky verse, special guests and an opportunity for open-mic readings at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. Pay what you can afford, just turn up, 7.30pm
Saturday 1 November
MARY BERRY: The celebrity food wizard is at Waterstones King’s Road to sign copies of her new book, Cooks the Perfect. Arrive early to avoid disappointment. 1.30pm
LONDON TREASURE HUNT: Hatchards in Piccadilly hosts a London Literary Treasure Hunt. Ten leading authors with a strong connection to London have been hidden among the bookshelves of the oldest bookshop in the UK and will be waiting to read and talk to successful treasure hunters. Free, prebook, 6pm
Sunday 2 November
STORIES: The Invisible Dot in King’s Cross hosts the first event in a new season of Stories, where young poets, writers, thinkers, and speakers come together to share stories on a theme. Tonight’s performers include Liam Williams, Alfie Brown and Katy Wix. £10/£8.50, prebook, 4pm
GRAHAM NORTON: The TV personality is at Southbank Centre to discuss his new memoir, The Life and Loves of a He Devil, which covers his life from childhood in Ireland to the present day. £30 (includes a pre-signed hardback copy of the book), prebook, 7.30pm
TORRIANO POETS: This week’s poetry reading at Torriano Poets Meeting House in Kentish Town features Kate Foley and Donald Gardner, introduced by Angela Kirby. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
Monday 3 November
LERNER’S LIFE:Dominic McHugh, author of Alan Jay Lerner: A Lyricist’s Letters, is in conversation with Lerner’s widow, Liz Robertson at Samuel French Bookshop in Fitzrovia. They discuss the life and legacy of the musical theatre legend behind My Fair Lady, Camelot and Gigi who worked with the likes of Julie Andrews and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Includes a QA and book signing. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
COMIC CRASH: As part of the Comica Festival, Darryl Cunningham is in conversation with Danny Dorling at Foyles. They’re discussing Cunningham’s new graphic book Supercrash: How to Hijack the Global Economy, a study of the origins of the 2008 financial crash and the philosophy that caused it to happen. £8, prebook, 6.30pm
JAMES ELLROY: At tonight’s Guardian Book Club, James Ellroy talks to John Mullan about corrupt cops, femme fatales and his classic crime novel, The Black Dahlia. At the Royal Institution in Mayfair. £20, prebook, 7pm
FABER SOCIAL: The Social on Little Portland Street is the venue for a special Faber Social curated by celebrated artist and writer Stanley Donwood. Actor, writer and artist Ric Jerrom will be reading from Stanley’s forthcoming collection of fiction, Humor. Paul Kingsnorth reads from The Wake, recently long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, plus more readings, and live music. £10, prebook, 7pm
Tuesday 4 November
UNKNOWN SOLDIER: A new exhibition opens at the Poetry Library at Southbank Centre today. An Unknown Soldier is a series of printed poems responding to remembrance, DNA technology and propaganda. The exhibition also includes new works for the centenary year of the outbreak of the war, commissioned to highlight the 43 million pocket Gospels of St John that were given to servicemen. Free, just turn up, until 4 January
SELINA HASTINGS: At today’s Bloomsbury Book Club event, Selina Hastings, biographer of Evelyn Waugh and Nancy Mitford among others, discusses her memoir of her father, The Red Earl: The Extraordinary Life of the 16th Earl of Huntingdon, with her publisher, Robin Baird-Smith. £10/£25, prebook, 6pm
CREATIVE WRITING: The focus of tonight’s Southbank Centre Creative Writing School is finding inspiration in the landscape. Get help with your writing from experts. £15, prebook, 6.30pm
LITERARY FUNDRAISER: Head to the Book Club in Shoreditch for an evening of literary entertainment from the likes of actress Katy Wix, author Naomi Wood, and lecturer Kate Maclean. Money raised goes to the East End social enterprise, The LUMINARY BAKERY. £5, prebook, 7pm
1920s IOWA: Pulitzer Prize winning author Jane Smiley is at London Review Bookshop to read from her latest novel, Some Luck, and to sign copies. The book is expected to be the first in a trilogy, and is set in 1920s Iowa. £10, prebook, 7pm
INSIDE ANONYMOUS: Gabriella Coleman presents her new book, Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous, at Foyles. She has spent the past six years studying the rise of Anonymous, a group of hackers, activists and technologists. £5, prebook, 7pm
VIRGINIA WOOLF: Maggie Gee is at Waterstones Piccadilly to talk about her new book, Virginia Woolf in Manhattan. It’s an evening of readings, discussion and pure inspiration chaired by Palestinian novelist Salma Debbagh. Free, prebook, 7pm
OUTSPOKEN: The night of poetry, spoken word and live music is at The Forge in Camden, with poetry from Dean Atta, Charlotte Higgins and Kat Francois £10/£12, prebook, 7.30pm
BEYOND WORDS: The Gipsy Hill Tavern hosts an evening with performance poet Mabs Jones and prize-winning poet Chris Hardy. £4/£3, just turn up, 7.30pm
BURN AFTER READING: Hosted by a community of emerging young poets and each month featuring the foremost voices of poetry and spoken word. This month features Yomi ‘GREEdS’ Sode and Katie Bonna alongside the Burn After Reading Poets. Held in Seven Dials Club, Covent Garden. £5, just turn up, 7.45pm
DISRAELI’S DOUBLE LIVES: Meet historian Douglas Hurd at London Jewish Cultural Centre in Camden. Hurd is the author of Disraeli: The Great Prime Minister or the Dandy Gambler, and is in conversation with Edward Young about the paradoxes at the centre of Disraeli’s ‘two lives’: a dandy and gambler on the one hand, a devoted servant and favourite Prime Minister of the Queen on the other. £12/£15, prebook, 8pm
Wednesday 5 November
WRITING ABOUT MONSTERS: The Royal Society of Literature holds The Roy Jenkins Memorial Meeting at Courtauld Institute. In a conversation chaired by Selina Hastings, authors Richard Davenport-Hines, Lucy Hughes-Hallett discuss the art of bringing dark characters to life on the page. £8/£5, prebook, 7pm
ANTHOLOGY LAUNCH: Black BLUE present the launch of their new anthology, Revolution, at The Red Lion in Hoxton. The event is also a book swap; bring along a book you’ve enjoyed and a piece of writing about why you enjoyed the book, and try to convince a stranger to swap with you. £5 in advance which includes a copy of Revolution, or £2 entry on the door, 7pm
CRICK CRACK CLUB: The storytelling club hosts an evening with mythologist Dr Martin Shaw at Swedenborg House in Holborn. The theme is The Eloquence of a Fairytale, and Shaw tells the Indo-European wondertale, popularised by the Brothers Grimm, Faithful John, with a simultaneous commentary. £8, prebook, 7pm
PRISON POETRIES: Head to Southbank Centre for a panel discussion about writing poetry in prison. Pat Winslow, ex prison writer-in-residence is in conversation with Marek Kazmierski, editor of Not Shut Up magazine, and human rights campaigner Hamja Ahsan. Free, prebook via email, 8pm