Looking at the week ahead in literary London
Tuesday: Farrago Poetry's Seasonal SLAM! is at the RADA Foyer Bar tonight (7.30pm, £6 / £5). Open to any poet - and everyone gets a prize - there's a featured line-up of Keith Jarrett, the new UK SLAM! champion, Niall Spooner-Harvey and Carmina Masoliver among others.
There are open mic slots at Ride the Word XIX (Cafe Yumacha, 45 Berwick Street, 6.30pm, free). It's first come first served and a host of names already have their spots confirmed: Jen Hamilton-Emery, Vanessa Gebbie, Tania Hershman and Sarah Salway are just a few.
Persephone Books are staying open until 8pm tonight; pop along at any time and enjoy mince pies and mulled wine, and they'll do their gorgeous signature giftwrapping for free on anything you buy.
Wednesday: Trespass Magazine's Christmas bash at the Enterprise 2 (Haverstock Hill, NW1, 7pm, free) also celebrates the launch of their latest Love and Cynicism issue. Expect songs from Sylvia Powell, poetry from Andrew McMillan, Emily Harrison, Lucy Williamson (among others) and Michelle Hallak reading an extract from her award winning play.
Diverse Deeds plays host to prize-winning Australian poet Angela Gardner at Café Oto (18-22 Ashwin Street E8, 8pm, £6 / £4). Harry Godwin, Mendoza, Nat Raha and Michael Zand are all young local poets, and will join her on stage.
John Barker, author of Bending the Bars, discusses his time with the militant Angry Brigade, and his subsequent imprisonment, at Housmans (5 Caledonian Road, 7pm).
Thursday: Bang Said the Gun do stand up poetry for people who don't like poetry. Fran Landesman is the star attraction on paper, but we really like the sound of a Christmas pudding giveaway and the "tequila slam" open mic spots. Plus carols by candlelight. What's not to like? (The Roebuck, 50 Great Dover Street SE1, 8.30pm, £5.)
Saturday: Spoken Ink are doing a Lewis Carroll Christmas in Hyde Park on Saturday and Sunday (the Cockpit, maps provided when you buy a £10 ticket, times throughout the day). The Beaver and the Bellman are going snark hunting, and the walrus and Cheshire cat are dancing to the tune of a lute. Plus mulled wine and mince pies for all!
Sunday: We're big fans of the Fitzrovia Radio Hour, and since their Festive Fireside Fables show isn't in an exactly secret place (under the Globe Theatre, 7pm, £10) we have no qualms over telling you about it this time. Treats include a Christmas on Callisto and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves told in less than seven minutes.
Monday: If you enjoyed Jane Campion's latest film, Bright Star, you'll love the Keats event at the Free Word Centre (60 Farringdon Road, 6.30pm, £10). Ben Whishaw and other actors from the film will read from a selection of Keats's poems and letters. Mark Bradshaw, the film's composer, will also be conducting some of the haunting music from his score.
John Hegley's Christmas at the Batterseaside runs until Wednesday at the BAC (Lavender Hill, SW11, 7pm / 2pm matinees, £12 / £7). What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than spending time with Luton's finest and his tales of Santa's parrot?
