Summer, our fickle friend – are you going to cooperate with us now? No more depriving us of our fun in the sun, our picnics, our tans, our leisurely strolls through parks and convivial afternoons spent barbequing? Because if not, look at all the other lovely things we have to keep us busy. Like books. Books don’t require that every time we go out, we bring both hot- and cold-weather clothing, both umbrella and sunglasses. We’re just putting you on notice, summer, that we do have other options. Look, see:
Monday: As with a few of the other London Literature Festival events, we’re not sure from whence the “literature” claim arises with tonight’s The Bible Tells Me So (Bible = book? Literature = thoughts, ideas and discussion?). No matter. The premiere of the documentary of the same name, followed by a conversation between Gene Robinson, first openly gay bishop ordained in the Episcopal church, and Sir Ian McKellen, promises to be provocative, timely and worthwhile (7pm, £12/50 percent concession discount).
Also on: London Lit Plus’s Literary pub quiz. We wish it happened every week (7pm).
Tuesday: Colin Grant discusses his biography of Marcus Garvey, Negro with a Hat (7pm, £7/50 percent concession discount); the Lavendar Library celebrates queer literature (7.30pm, £10/50 percent concession discount); and Guardian writer George Monbiot discusses his latest collection of essays, Bring On the Apocalypse (7.45pm, £9/50 percent concession discount), all at the London Literature Festival.
Wednesday: Chinese poet-in-exile Yang Lian discusses the influence on his own work of another poet-in-exile – and modernism founding father – Ezra Pound, in the Poetry Society’s Under the Influence series, as part of the China Now festival (7pm, £10/£7 concessions and members).
Also on: And speaking of exile: the topic will serve as jumping-off point for Refugee Encounters, a discussion among emigrant writers who now call London home (7pm, £7/50 percent concession discount). Elsewhere in the city: the Society of Young Publishers hosts Canon Tales, shining the spotlight on publishing professionals in a bid to promote the creativity found in all parts of the industry (6.30pm, free); the Gower Street Waterstone’s welcomes Sarah Wise, reading from her latest novel, The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum (6.30pm; £2 tickets are redeemable against purchase of the book).
Thursday: And speaking of modernism: Marshall Berman pretty much wrote the book on it. The author of All That Is Solid Melts Into Air discusses Cities and Modernism at the Southbank Centre tonight (7.30pm, £10/50 percent concession discount).
Also on: Launch party for the latest issue of Ambit magazine, with readings from magazine authors. At the Owl Bookshop, in conjunction with London Lit Plus (7pm, free).
Friday: Light-hearted Friday evening fare it isn’t, but we can hardly imagine a more worthwhile discussion than that between Halima Bashir and Damian Lewis. In her memoir, Tears of the Desert, Bashir, a young Sudanese doctor, recounts her experiences of the genocide in Darfur (7pm, £7/50 percent concession discount).
Saturday: You have to admire a man who gives you recommended reading prior to taking you on a guided walk. Niall McDevitt is such a man. Whether or not you have time to do your homework first, join him on The London Adventure: WB Yeats Walk (1pm, free).
Also on: Comics and zines enthusiasts will want to stop in at Pens, Pencils and Photocopiers (11am–7pm, free). And finally, sadly, the London Literature Festival closes today. Though we’ve lapsed into festival fatigue, the lineup continues to impress, so choose wisely, because there’ll be a great big gaping festival void next week.
Know of an event that belongs in the Book Grocer listings? Please e-mail us at londonist-at-gmail-dot-com.
Image courtesy of ziggy25 via the Londonist Flickr pool
