Author appearances, poetry and spoken word events in London this week
A celebration of the work of PG Wodehouse at Kings Place
Festivals
Cityread London 2014 takes place throughout April, with events including workshops, quizzes, film screenings, competitions and more. See the website for events schedule.
London Metropolitan Archive’s Spring Festival takes place 11- 12 April with writing workshops, performances, and author readings including Meltem Arikan, Catherine Webb, Chris Fowler and Mike Carey. £15/£25 (extra charge for some events), prebook.
Thursday 10 April
WINE AND WRITING: Beyond Retro in Dalston is hosting a wine-tasting and creative writing evening, led by wine expert Carlo Lupori and guest writer Rob Self-Pierson. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
HOUSMANS FUNDRAISER: There is a fundraising event for Housman’s Bookshop featuring artists, authors and activists at Surya on Pentonville Rd. £5, prebook, 7pm
TOLSTOY MYSTERY: Writer and journalist Pavel Basinksy talks about his book Flight From Paradise, which looks at why writer Leo Tolstoy fled from his home shortly before his death. Takes place at Waterstones Piccadilly. Free, prebooking essential, 7pm
BOOK LAUNCH: Waterstones Hampstead hosts the launch of Hermione Eyre’s debut novel Viper Wine, about 17th century Britain. £5/£3, prebook, 7pm
FOODIE AUTHOR TALKS: Three authors discuss their foodie-themed books at Daunt Books in Marylebone. Helena Attlee talks about The Land Where Lemons Grow, Pen Vogler discusses Dinner with Mr Darcy and Mina Holland talks about The Edible Atlas: Around the World in 80 Cuisines. £8, prebook, 7pm
EAST END MIDWIVES: Stoke Newington Bookshop hosts an evening to celebrate the launch of Sarah Beeson’s new novel, The New Arrival, which tells the story of a trainee midwife in Hackney in the 1970s. £2.50, prebook, 8pm
KOREAN POETRY: Southbank Centre hosts an evening of poetry by one of South Korea’s most important contemporary poets, Kim Hyesoon. Free, prebooking essential, 8pm
VARIETY EVENING: Survivors Poetry at the Poetry Cafe features Poetry, music, variety floor spots and special guests. £3.50/£2.50/£1.50, just turn up, 8pm
STAND-UP POETRY: Bang Said The Gun‘s weekly stand-up poetry shindig takes place at The Roebuck in Borough and this week features Jonny Fluffypunk and Malika Booker. £7/£5, just turn up, 8pm
Friday 11 April
AUTHOR DINNER: As part of Cityread London, Literary Dinners invites you to join Louisa Young, author of My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You. There will be readings from the book. £30, prebook, 6.30pm
WAR POETRY READING: Poets Michael Hofmann, Kathryn Maris and Sam Riviere read poems specially-commissioned by the Poetry Society and the British Museum, inspired by the exhibition Germany divided: Baselitz and his generation. Takes place at the British Museum. £5, prebook, 7pm
PLAY LAUNCH: Head to Rich Mix for the launch of playwright Patricia Cumper’s anthology, Inner Yardie: three plays. Includes readings from the anthology and a discussion. Free, prebook, 7pm
SOVIET CHILDHOOD: Meike Ziervogel and Hamid Ismailov will be discussing the Soviet Childhood in Hamid Ismailov’s novels The Railway, The Underground and The Dead Lake at Waterstones Piccadilly. Free, prebooking essential, 7pm
MODERN POETS: Dodo Modern Poets aims to bring new and established poets to as wide an audience as possible and especially to venues off the beaten track. This month’s poets are Isabel Bermudez, Jenny Ridley and Patric Cunnane. At Poetry Cafe. £7/£6, prebook, 8pm
Saturday 12 April
LOCAL AUTHOR SIGNING: Local author and ghost hunter Jason Hollis will be signing copies of his new book, Haunted Enfield, at Waterstones in Enfield. Free, just turn up, 12.30pm
BOOK SIGNING: Bestselling author Harlan Coben will be signing copies of his new thriller novel Missing You at Waterstones Piccadilly. We think this will be a popular one, so get there early. Free, just turn up, 1pm
Sunday 13 April
WALKING BOOK CLUB: Emily’s Walking Book Club reads Carlo Levi’s Christ Stopped at Eboli. Sets off from Daunt Books on South End Road. Free, just turn up, 11.30am
JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX: Celebrate Jazz Verse Jukebox‘s fifth birthday at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. There will be spoken word performances, live music, plus an open mic for poets. £8, just turn up, 7.30pm
TORRIANO POETS: This week’s Sunday Poetry Reading at Torriano Meeting House features Happenstance, introduced by Helena Nelson £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
Monday 14 April
FEMALE GRAPHIC NOVELS: Laydeez Do Comics is a women-led graphic novel forum. The guest speakers are comic artist James McKay, illustrator Joanna Wilkinson and artist Annie Fielder. Takes place at Foyles Charing Cross Road. Free, prebook, 6pm
PG WODEHOUSE: Words on Monday at Kings Place hosts a celebration of P.G. Wodehouse with various performances of some of his written works. £9.50, prebook, 7pm
SHORT STORIES: Faber Social presents Short Stories, an evening of readings by writers such as Jon McGregor, Sarah Hall, Ben Marcus, Evie Wyld and Robert Williams. Takes place at The Social on Little Portland St. £6/£8, prebook, 8pm
AGATHA CHRISTIE: Hillary Macaskill, author of Dickens At Home and du Maurier At Home has written her latest book about Agatha Christie. An event takes place at Stoke Newington Bookshop to celebrate the launch. £3, prebook, 8pm
Tuesday 15 April
AUTHOR TALK: Author Mick Herron will be reading from his award winning novel Dead Lions, and discussing his Slough House crime thriller series at Waterstones Piccadilly. Free, prebook, 7pm
IRISH STORYTELLING: Waterstones Piccadilly hosts an evening of live Irish storytelling with June Peters and Xanthe Gresham and introduced by Christina Oakley Harrington to celebrate the publication of Cuchulainn and the Crow Queen. Free, prebooking essential, 7pm
POETRY UNPLUGGED: The Poetry Cafe hosts Poetry Unplugged, a weekly open mic night. Anyone is welcome to sign up. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
Wednesday 16 April
POETRY EVENING: Waterstones Piccadilly presents an evening of poetry and discussion with the celebrated poet and author Elaine Feinstein.£6.50/£5, prebook, 6.30pm
RADIO HISTORY: Dave VJ and Lindsay Wesker will be at Housmans to discuss their book Masters of the Airwaves: The Rise and Rise of Underground Radio which looks at the history of radio becoming mainstream. £3, just turn up, 7pm
WAR LITERATURE: Lara Feigel discusses her new book, The Love-Charm of Bombs, with Selina Hastings at Keats House. The book is put together from the work of five World War Two writers, and looks at why World War Two was a time of romantic excitement and literary achievement. £5, prebook, 7pm
CHILDHOOD MEMOIRS: Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson talks about This Boy, his memoir of a childhood in the 1950s and 1960s. At Daunt Books in Marylebone. £8, prebook, 7pm
FOUR MINUTE MOVIES: Poetry Cafe hosts a new open mic/filming session for poets, storytellers and comedians, allowing four-minute, storytelling slots to be filmed. £4, just turn up, 7.30pm
BOOK LAUNCH: Head to Riverside Studios in Hammersmith for the UK launch of novel Mission London by Alek Popov. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing. £9.50/£8.50, prebook, 8pm
Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.