What do an ex-Python, Martha Stewart, and a woman in the running for first female poet laureate all have in common? Come on now, use your deductive reasoning skills. They all somehow feature in this week’s Book Grocer, of course!
Monday: Novelist David Benioff has a few recognisable names on his CV – he’s both collaborated with Spike Lee and written the screenplay for The Kite Runner. Tonight Benioff is at Foyles to discuss his second novel, City of Thieves (6.30pm, free; e-mail [email protected] to reserve a ticket).
Also on: Poetry magazine Magma launches its 41st issue at the Troubadour (8pm, £6/£5 concessions). Some of the poets featured in the latest issue will be on hand to read from their work.
Tuesday: Admittedly, our initial searches turned up few events for the day. So why not pop into the V&A on your lunch break? Blood on Paper: The Art of the Book is in its last week – and also free.
Wednesday: Alright all you would-be novelists: New Yorker staff writer James Wood is at the London Review Bookshop this evening to discuss his study of novelistic techniques, How Fiction Works (7pm, £6). We suggest that you not bring along your worthy little manuscript and press it pleadingly into his hands. Sadly, we suspect it's not how fiction works.
Also on: Jackie Kay, rumoured to be among the candidates for first female poet laureate, will be at the Soho Theatre in an Apples and Snakes–sponsored event (8pm, £8/£6 concessions); and more fun with the occult at Housmans, as it hosts a launch party for Merlin Coverley’s Occult London (7pm, free).
Thursday: Sure, Martha Stewart’s literary credentials are dubious, there was that ill-advised insider trading incident back in 2004, and this Londonista personally resents the bad rap given her place of origin because of Stewart’s associations with it. Still, if you turn out to see Stewart at Harrods today, it’s probably either due to curiosity or because you like cookies. Ooh, we like cookies. Stewart will be signing copies of her latest book, the very appropriately named Martha Stewart’s Cookies (no surprises there), containing 200 different cookie recipes. Here’s hoping you get to sample at least 20 of them (5.30pm, we think free).
Friday: Housmans hosts Out of the Woods, readings of short stories written by London-based authors. Support your locals! (7pm, free)
Saturday: Oh Michael Palin, we love you – then, now, forever. And although it’s true that we may never get beyond our secret wish that every time we see you, you just might break into a rousing rendition of The Lumberjack Song, we will continue to support you in whatever your creative endeavours. Stand in line at the Southbank Centre for you to sign our copy of New Europe? Surely. XOXO!
Sunday: It’s the last instalment of the ICA’s Booker at the Movies series, and we suspect that they’ve saved the heavy hitter for last. Ian McEwan’s brilliant Atonement made us swoon, the movie somewhat less so (except for Keira Knightley’s green dress – cripes, can we have one please?), but we’re obviously rather heavily biased in favour of the literature, aren’t we? (Ranting aside: When one searches for “Atonement” on Amazon, the movie comes up first.) The ICA’s screening of the movie will be followed by discussion with the screenwriter, Christopher Hampton (4pm, £10 nonmembers/£9 concessions/£8 members).
Know of an event that belongs in the Book Grocer listings? Please e-mail us at londonist-at-gmail-dot-com.
Lumberjack Lego man courtesy of Minifig’s Flickrstream under the Creative Commons Attribution license
