Head to Brick Lane Bookshop for the launch of East London Suffragettes.
Thursday 7 August
POETRY AFTERNOON: The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden hosts Poetry @ 3, a daytime poetry open mic where poets can read up to four minutes of their poetry. Free, just turn up, 3pm
MOOMINS: Foyles in Westfield Stratford City has a celebration of Moomins to mark the 100th birthday of Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomin books. Free, prebook, 3pm-4pm
DEVILSKEIN & DEARLOVE: Twice today, Malini Stevenson is reading from South African writer Alex Smith’s new young adult novel, Devilskein & Dearlove, set in Cape Town. At Balham Library at 2.30pm and Tooting Library at 4.30pm
POETRY MAG LAUNCH: Butcher’s Dog Poetry Magazine launches its third issue at The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. Hear poetry readings from seven poets whose work features in the issue: Jo Brandon, Natacha Bryan, Neil Fulwood, Rosie Garland, Howard Laughton, Danny O’Connor and Tom Vickers. £4, prebook, 7pm
ROUNDHOUSE SLAM: The heats of Roundhouse’s Poetry Slam take place in Camden today, with poets aged 16-25 performing their work in the famous venue. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
MEN OF LETTERS: Duncan Barrett will be reading from and discussing his new book, Men of Letters, at Clapham Books. Its uses personal stories, letters and diary entries of the men who joined the Post Office Rifles to tell the story of how World War One affected ordinary people. 7.30pm
Friday 8 August
SUFFRAGETTE LAUNCH: The East London Suffragette Festival is now underway. As part of it, Brick Lane Bookshop hosts the launch of East London Suffragettes by Sarah Jackson and Rosemary Taylor. Hear the authors talk about the local history book. Prebook, 7pm
BIRD WATCHING: Helen Macdonald, author of the recent H is for Hawk, and Tim Dee, author of two birdwatching memoirs are at London Review Bookshop to talk about birds, and about writing about birds. H is For Hawk is Helen’s memoir of acquiring and training a goshawk of her own. £10, prebook, 7pm
Saturday 9 August
PETER RABBIT: To celebrate the opening of the new Hatchards bookstore in St Pancras Station, there is a weekend of literary events themed around Beatrice Potter’s Peter Rabbit. The bookseller is reported to be the first ever stockist of the classic children’s book. Events include storytelling, activities, competitions and for the little ones a live Peter Rabbit character. 9-10 August
WAR POETRY: Keats House hosts an afternoon of war poetry, focusing on work by those not involved in combat themselves. Free with admission to the house, just turn up, 3pm
POETRY OPEN MIC: Platform 1 is an opportunity for up and coming poets to perform alongside established acts. Arrive up to half an hour early to put your name down to perform your work. Takes place at The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. £5/£4, just turn up, 8pm
Sunday 10 August
WHERE’S WALLY: Waterstone’s Croydon hosts a puzzle trail day, giving children a chance to search for the stripy-shirted escapee. Every correct entry wins a prize. 11am-3pm
Monday 11 August
BBC PROMS: The world famous Proms are now underway, but there’s more to them than just music. In today’s literary event, National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke celebrates the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas. Takes place at the Royal College of Music. Free, 5.45pm
INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING: Teams from Great Britain and the USA go head to head in Story Slam at The Book Club in Shoreditch tonight. Five storytellers from each team will be telling tales around the theme of “Borders”, with the audience deciding who wins. Free, prebook, 7.30pm
Tuesday 12 August
ALEXA CHUNG: The broadcaster, journalist and fashionista is at Westfield London (White City) to sign copies of her best-selling book IT, a collection of her personal writings, drawings and photographs. Free, prebook, 12.30pm
CREATIVE WRITING EVENT: Drinks, Thinks and Inks is a creative writing social event, with exercises designed to make the words flow in a relaxed environment. No writing experience is necessary, individuals and groups are all welcome. £10, prebook, 6.30pm
AWAITED NOVEL: Haruki Murakami’s new novel, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, is released today and there are two events to mark it. Big Green Bookshop is hosting a special event from 7.30pm, and Foyles on Charing Cross Road is waiting out until midnight when the book goes on sale.
LIARS LEAGUE: The Phoenix on Cavendish Square hosts the monthly Liars League. Actors and authors stand up to tell stories they have written along the theme of Beauty & Beast. £5, just turn up, 7.30pm
NEW POETRY READINGS: Poets Tom Pickard and Philip Terry are both reading from their latest works at London Review Bookshop in Holborn. Tom Pickard’s Hoyoot: Collected Poems and Songs pays homage to his 50 year career, and Philip Terry’s Dante’s Inferno relocates the narrative of the Inferno to the campus of Essex University. £10, prebook, 8pm
Wednesday 13 August
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS: Objecting To War is a local project by Ben Copsey aiming to tell the untold stories of the wartime conscientious objectors of Islington and Camden who united to create Peace Pledge Union. Tonight at Housmans bookshop in Kings Cross, Ben shares some of their stories. 7pm
THE AWAKENING: Kate Chopin’s feminist novel The Awakening sent shockwaves through American society when it was first published in 1899. Now, over 100 years on, the novel and its modern relevance is being celebrated at Waterstone’s Hampstead. £5/£3, prebook, 7pm
WOMEN WRITERS: Loose Muse, hosted by Agnes Meadow, is London’s only regular event for women writers of all genres. There are also open mic spots. Takes place at The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. £5/£3, just turn up, 8pm
Love London Literature? See our August round-up of new non-fiction books about London.
Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.