Author appearances, poetry and spoken word events in London this week
Thursday 4 July
Fiction Uncovered FM broadcasts from Foyles today and Friday between 11am-4pm for Independent Booksellers Week, with guests including Damian Barr, Courttia Newland and some Fiction Uncovered writers.
Celebrate Spanish crime fiction at Belgravia Books (6.30pm, free).
There's a bumper evening at Review Bookshop as they mark the release of five – five – books. Hear Quentin Crisp, Rosanne Rabinowitz, Nina Allan, PF Jeffery and writers from the Rustblind and Silverbright anthology (7pm, free).
David Mitchell-the-comedian-not-the-author talks about his memoir at the Apple store on Regent Street. It's free and starts at 7pm, but you really should reserve your place in advance.
James Bowen and his ever popular cat Bob are at Waterstones Islington to talk about the next installment of their story (6pm, free).
Zena Edwards and Paul Lyalls take the guest spots at Bang Said the Gun stand up poetry night (8pm, £7 / £5).
Meet Lauren O'Farrell, aka Deadly Knitshade, and get your copy of Stitch New York signed at the Royal Festival Hall (6.30pm, free).
Paul McGrane hosts a free open mic session at the Poetry Cafe from 3pm.
The SLAMbassadors are on at the Poetry Cafe, hosted by Joelle Taylor (7.30pm, £3).
Friday 5 July
The free Africa Writes Festival starts at the British Library, with events about the diaspora, translation and the future with guests including Warshan Shire, Doreen Baingana and Hannah Pool.
Luke Wright previews his next show, Essex Lion, at Leicester Square Theatre (8.30pm, £6 / £5).
Review Bookshop parties it up for Viviane Schwartz's new graphic novel Sleepwalkers (5pm, free).
Jumoke Fashola's Jazz Verse Jukebox has a guest turn at the Royal Albert Hall, and brings Inua Ellams, Anthony Anaxagoru, Hollie McNish and John Siddique (7.45pm, £13.50).
Zena Edwards headlines at Lipped Ink at the Poetry Cafe; Mark 'Mr T' Thompson and Sarah Thompson host (7.30pm, £5).
Ruth O'Callaghan presents Hilary Davies and Mario Petrucci at the Trinity United Reform Church in Camden (7pm, £5 / £4).
Saturday 6 July
If you missed our preview of the Matchwomen's Festival at the Bishopsgate Institute you'll also have missed the author and poetry line-up, which includes Attila the Stockbroker, John Hegley, Owen Jones, Liz Payne, Michael Rosen, Kate Williams, Hollie McNish and Chris Searle (from 11am, free).
More free events with Africa Writes at the British Library, including Diriye Osman, Mukoma wa Ngugi, Andrew Eseimokumo Oki and Bernadine Evaristo (from 12pm).
Ngugi wa Thiong'o and his son Mukoma Wa Ngugi talk about their work in this paid-for event in Africa Writes at the British Library (6.30pm, £7.50 / £5).
The Enemies project at the Hardy Tree Gallery kicks off with appearances from Iain Sinclair, SJ Fowler, Ben Morris and Marcus Slease (7.30pm).
Sunday 7 July
Africa Writes at the British Library closes: catch events with Dorothea Smartt, Tendai Huchu, Billy Kahora and Elmi Ali (from 12pm, free).
Writers shortlisted for the Caine Prize read at the Southbank Centre. Hear Elnathan John, Tope Folarin, Pede Hollist, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Chinelo Okparanta (6.30pm, £8).
Art Homer and Joan Michelson are the guests at Torriano Poetry (7.30pm, £5 / £3).
Monday 8 July
Brixton Book Jam has a packed line-up, including Irenosen Okojie, Helen Smith, Cherry Potts, Ben Johncock, Harys Francke and Tom Pollock (7.30pm, free).
Kid, I Wrote Back has a secret guest performer as well as open mic at Bar Kick (7pm).
Tall Lighthouse press hosts its open mic night at the Poetry Cafe (7.30pm, free).
Ben Morris, Dylan Nyoukis, Holly Pester, SJ Fowler and Emma Bennett perform at the Hardy Tree Gallery on Pancras Road (7.30pm).
C.D. Wright, Víctor Rodríguez Núñez and Forrest Gande read at the London Review Bookshop for the launch of The Wolf issue 28 (7pm, free).
The Footsy Index in Camberwell features Lucy Harvest Clarke, Amy De'Ath and Sarah Kelly (7.30pm).
Tuesday 9 July
New York Times bestselling author Kimberly Mccreight is at Waterstones Hampstead talking about her book Reconstructing Amelia (7pm, £6 / £4).
Niall O'Sullivan hosts the Poetry Cafe's weekly open mic night, Poetry Unplugged (7.30pm, £5 / £4).
Ariadne's Thread launches its seventh issue at The Old Ship in Richmond (7.30pm, free).
Wednesday 10 July
Ruth Cherrington looks at the role Working Men's Clubs played in London, and beyond, at Housmans (7pm, £3).
Tongue Fu returns to Udderbelly with Ty, Dizraeli, Femi Martin and Luke Wright in tow (9.15pm, £12.50).
Performances from Jacob Sam-La Rose, six up and coming poets from London and another six from Teesside with Project Break-Out North/South at the Southbank Centre (7.30pm, free).
Head to Clapham Books to hear Tom Canty talk about his debut novel Clapham Lights. We can't think why he's been booked at this particular bookshop (7pm, free).
Antonia Fraser discusses the 1832 Reform Bill with Tom Hodgkinson at the Idler Academy (6.30pm, £20).
Faber and the Poetry Trust present Olivia McCannon, Julia Copus and Jo Shapcott reading at Bloomsbury House (6.30pm, £6).
Agnes Meadow hosts Loose Muse at the Poetry Cafe, a night for women writers (7.30pm, £5 / £3).
Book ahead
Christopher Fowler, author of the fantastic Bryant & May novels, is talking to Joanne Harris about his latest, Plastic, at Foyles on 18 July (6.30pm, £5 / £3).
Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.
