The London literary scene is pretty much set to 'snooze' for August, but September makes up for that with some huge names heading for the capital. We imagine these will all sell out in advance so snap your places up now.
Freedom, Jonathan Franzen's first novel since The Corrections, already has people scrambling over proof copies at these shady backroom literary events we attend. The book is released in the UK on 23rd September and Franzen will be talking about it at the Southbank Centre on the 30th, so you've got a week to read it and come up with an intelligent question (7.45pm, £10).
Also at the Southbank Centre, Seamus Heaney will be reading from his new collection, Human Chain, on 14th September (7.30pm, £12).
Foyles have a bundle of fantastic authors too: you won't see DBC Pierre (7th September) or Michael Frayn (9th September) anywhere else in London; Philippa Gregory (2nd September), Will Self (16th September) and Raymond Briggs (4th September) are all set to make appearances, as is legendary SF writer William Gibson (5th October). All these events are free but you are so going to have to reserve a seat.
