The Londonist Literary List appears every Tuesday. If you'd like to bring an event to our attention, please email [email protected].
It's a busy old week, so let's get on:
Tonight
May Contain Graphic Content poses the question "Are graphic novels a complex and creative new literary form – or just glorified comic strips?" and they have some interesting speakers to debate the topic including Dan Franklin of Jonathan Cape, publisher of Ghost World, Jimmy Corrigan and the sublime Black Hole ; Paul Gravett, journalist, curator and author of Graphic Novels: Stories to Change Your Life; Dave McKean, illustrator, filmmaker and comic book artist; and writer, illustrator and newspaper cartoonist Posy Simmonds. Recommended. 7pm, Guardian Newsroom, 60 Farringdon Road, London, EC1R 3GA, £5 PEN Members / £7 non-members.
As part of Agatha Christie Week 2006, a panel of leading authors, directors and producers will debate whether the 'Queen of Crime' was in fact a better playwright than she was author in Agatha Christie - Author or Playwright. After playing an Amdram role in The Unexpected Guest, our moneys on "author", simply because her dramas seem to have dated so much more. Continue the debate at 6.30pm, the Conference Centre, British Library, St Pancras, £6/£4.
Also tonight, Tom McCarthy: Tintin’s Secret (we were a bit hasty and added it last week).
Wednesday
Be Near Me, Andrew O'Hagan's third novel, centers on an English priest who takes over a small Scottish parish and clashes with a world he can barely understand. Trapped in class hatreds and threatened by personal flaws, he discovers what happened to the ideals of his generation. Hear Andrew read at 7pm, The London Review Bookshop, £6, buy tickets here.
Thursday
At the UK premiere of Qissat: Short Stories by Palestinian Women, a collection of stories by Palestinians living under occupation and throughout the diaspora, Liana Badr, Randa Jarrar, Adania Shibli and Huzama Habayeb read from and discuss their writing. £8.50, 7.45pm, Purcell Room, Royal Festival Hall, buy tickets here.
Also tonight, JG Ballard’s new novel, Kingdom Come, combines his trademark ingredients of sinister mall culture, murder and mystery. He discusses it with Robert McCrum. 7pm, £7/£5, Logan Hall, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, to book tickets call 0845 456 9876.
Felix Dennis (84th on the Sunday Times Rich List) and author of How to Get Rich puts his own personal spin on what it takes to be a multi-millionaire in modern business, very kindly so we can do the same. Read an extract from the Times here
. 6.30pm, free, but email [email protected] to reserve tickets, The Gallery at Foyles 2nd Floor, 113-119 Charing Cross Road.
Friday
Nii Parkes hosts an African writers evening, 8pm, £4, Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton St, London WC2, 020 7420 9887.
Sunday
The Roman de Fauvel, a 14th-century satirical poem, takes its inspiration from the politics of the time, with music and verse that mocks the ambition and corruption of those in power in medieval France. The Clerk's Group, with the help of poet Ian Duhig, has updated this classic work to take a wry look at the politics of the 21st century, with music, readings and projected images from the Parisian manuscript showing the original poem by Gervais de Bus. £12/£9, 6:30 pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall.
