Author appearances, poetry and spoken word events in London this week
Wednesday: The brilliant Homework features poetry battles between regulars Joe Dunthorne, Ross Sutherland, Tim Clare, John Osborne and Luke Wright, and guests including Buddy Wakefield, Sam Riviere and Catherine Smith (7.30pm, £5).
Polarbear told us all about tonight's Roundhouse Poetry Slam final (7.30pm, £4); see poets battle it out, plus performances from Daniel Cockrill, Indigo Williams, Musa Okwonga and Polarbear himself.
Liza Klaussmann reads from her new novel Tigers in Red Weather (cover shown is US edition), at Waterstones Covent Garden (6.30pm, £5 / £3).
At Rich Mix there's a night of solidarity with Pussy Riot, featuring over 30 poets (including Kirsty Irving, Chris McCabe, Jack Underwood and Tim Atkins) reading their own work and that of the imprisoned band (7pm, free).
Thursday: Rob Auton is the special guest at Walthamstow Library for a night of open mic poetry and music (7.30pm, free).
Salon London pops up at the National Theatre looking at the NT's production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, plus science writer Marcus Chown and David Speigelhalter (7.30pm, £10).
Friday: Ross Sutherland is in the middle of three nights of his poetry/rap/clip show mash-up Stand By For Tape Back-Up at Battersea Arts Centre (8.45pm, pay what you can).
Saturday: Go on one of Most Curious's regular literary walks, meeting outside Russell Square tube at 2pm (£10).
Work by Forest Poets is on display at the William Morris Gallery until 16 September, as part of the E17 Art Trail.
Sunday: Daunt Books's walking book club discusses Michael Frayn's wonderful Spies as they ramble Hampstead Heath. Meet at the Hampstead shop at 11.30am (free).
Monday: Two events at the British Library: poets John Agard, Jackie Kay, Daljit Nagra, Carol Leeming and Grace Nichols present an alternative A-Z of Britain (6.30pm, £7.50 / £5) and another chance to catch Liza Klaussmann talking about Tigers in Red Weather, this time with BL writer in residence Naomi Wood (6.45pm, £4 / £3).
Bashir Sakhawarz, Shereen Pandit, Hom Paribag and Navid Hamzavi are at the Poetry Cafe talking about prose in plight for Exiled Writers Ink (7.30pm, £4 / £2). Abol Froushan hosts.
Marcus Slease reads at More Poetry at the Coffee Shop (near Liverpool Street station, 7.45pm, £1).
Tuesday: Zadie Smith makes a rare public appearance at Waterstones Gower Street, signing copies of NW from 1pm. Across town, Lee Child is signing copies of his latest, A Wanted Man, at Waterstones Leadenhall Market from 12.30pm.
Rose Tremain previews her new novel Merivel at the Wellcome Library, in a Granta event (7pm, free but book in advance).
Julian Baggini discusses philosophy at Foyles on Charing Cross Road (6.30pm, free).
Pankaj Mishra highlights some of the 20th century's lesser-heard voices at the London Review Bookshop (7pm, £7).
Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.
