Just out the Van: Lights, Music, Words, Action - It’s Book Slam time again with Guatam Malkani, author of the Londonstani, Salena Godden, writer, singer, and raconteur, and Iman, winner of the National Music Award. This Thursday at Neighbourhood, 6.30pm till late, 12 Aclam Road, W10 5QZ, £5 in advance or £6 on the door.
Fresh Next Week: Michael Palin leads a reading from Another Sky, a new collection of work by writers whose lives and careers have been jeopardised by their commitment to free speech. Other readers include William Boyd, Jung Chang, Moris Farhi, Antonia Fraser, Ronald Harwood, Prunella Scales, and Timothy West. £3.50/£2.50, 6pm next Monday at the Olivier Theatre, National Theatre, South Bank, London, 020 7452 3000.
Just In Shop: "We welcome today's judgment. We believe that the case should never have come to court in the first place, and regret that even more time and money was spent trying to appeal the original judgment. We are glad that the Court of Appeal has upheld the original judgment and that, once again, common sense and justice have prevailed, helping to ensure the future of creative writing in the UK." Random House on the Court's clearing The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown of plagiarising The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
Three for a Pound:
1. Agent Tony Cowell is to launch a new Dragon's Den-style show on ITV London which will seek out new author talent for publication (no link yet).
2. And if you don't get on that How to Publish your First Novel.
3. No face for literature: Jane Austen gets a Heat magazine-style makeover.
If you'd like to bring an event to our attention, please email [email protected]. The Book Grocer will be away next week and back after Easter.