Thursday 18 September
SEWING BEE: Stuart Hillard, semi-finalist on BBC2’s Great British Sewing Bee, is at John Lewis on Oxford Street to launch his sewing handbook, Sew Fabulous. 4pm
1945 FRANCE: Waterstone's Piccadilly has an illustrated talk by documentary-maker Stuart Nimmo (also author of Perilous Moon: 1945 - War in the Sky) about Occupied France and the Normandy landings in 1945. Free, prebook, 7pm
VARIETY EVENING: Scriggler: Live is an evening of music, literature and debate, featuring spoken word artists, actors, writers, poets and musicians. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
BANG SAID THE GUN: Expect poetry, spoken word, and an open mic at Bang Said The Gun. Tonight's performances are by Liz Bentley and Paul Cree. At The Roebuck in Borough. £7/£5, just turn up, 8pm
Friday 19 September
PLAYWRIGHT PLATFORM: Enda Walsh is the subject of today's Platform at National Theatre. The writer and director discusses his new play, Ballyturk, followed by a book signing. £4/£3, prebook, 6pm
Saturday 20 September
LIPPED INK: With open mic slots, a featured poet and a spoken word session, Lipped Ink at the Poetry Cafe has something for everyone. £5, just turn up, 8pm
Sunday 21 September
WORDS ON WATER: As part of Totally Thames Festival (which Londonist is part of), Wasafiri (an international contemporary writing magazine) celebrates its 30th birthday with six acclaimed contemporary writers sharing readings of their work, while aboard a boat on the Thames. £15 including a free copy of Wasafiri’s 30th birthday magazine, prebook, 2pm
FAMILY STORYTIME: To finish Londonist's weekend aboard a boat, London Dreamtime take us on a family-friendly voyage through sea shanties, comedies, music hall songs and folklore, suitable for littlest Londonists and their grown-up friends. £7.50, prebook, 5pm
TORRIANO POETS: This week’s poetry reading at Torriano Poets Meeting House in Kentish Town features Sue Hubbard and Margaret Eddershaw. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
PERFORMANCE POETRY: Poet Claire Trévien is at Rich Mix in Shoreditch to perform a stage version of her poetry collection, in collaboration with Penned in the Margins. The Shipwrecked House combines poetry, performance, sound and smell. £8/£6, prebook, 8pm
Monday 22 September
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: In today's National Theatre Platform, John Lahr talks to Nicholas Hytner about playwright Tennessee Williams, as Lahr's biography of Williams, Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, is published. Followed by a book signing. £4/£3, prebook, 6pm
AUTHOR FEEDBACK: Books talk back at the British Library this evening, when a small, selected panel of unpublished authors read an extract of their novel to a published author and audience, then receive feedback from both. Organised by The Eccles Centre for American Studies. Free, prebook, 6.30pm
TED HUGHES: Alice Oswald discusses A Ted Hughes Bestiary, her selection of Hughes' animal poems, with Paul Keegan, who edited Hughes' Collected Poems, at Daunt Books in Marylebone. £8, prebook, 6.30pm
ANDREW MARR: King's College has a new series of events in which journalists talk about a novel which changed their lives. First up is Andrew Marr, talking about Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, interviewed by Mary-Kay Wilmers. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
CROMWELL: Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces Tracy Borman is at Hatchards on Piccadilly to talk about the life of the subject of her book, Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant. £8, prebook, 6.30pm
ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION: The second in the new series of Words on Monday events at Kings Place is an illustrated talk by Huw Lewis-Jones about Ernest Shackleton's famous journey across Antarctica, 100 years ago. Particular focus is on Everest veteran George Lowe who was there to capture the journey on film. Lewis-Jones is the author of The Conquest of Everest, a book about Lowe's photography. £9.50, prebook, 7pm
SHORTLISTED READINGS: Writers whose work has been shortlisted for the SI Leeds Literary Prize are at Rich Mix in Shoreditch to take part in readings and discussions of their work. Introduced by award-winning writer, broadcaster and journalist Dreda Say Mitchell. Free, prebook, 7.30pm
Tuesday 23 September
DOUGLAS COUPLAND: There are two Coupland appearances today — a free talk at the Royal Society of Arts off the Strand, inspired by his new book Kitten Clone: Inside Alcatel-Lucent, at 1pm; then later he's appearing at the London Review Bookshop with Alain de Botton, £10, prebook, 7pm
PAUL MORLEY: In King's College journalists talk about a novel which changed their lives with Paul Morley being interviewed by Adam Thirlwell about Vladimir Nabokov’s Pale Fire. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE: Jem Roberts, author of the first authorised biography of Douglas Adams, The Frood, is in conversation with best-selling author and devoted Adams fan Marie Phillips at Foyles Charing Cross. £5, prebook, 6.42pm
LONDON STORIES: Storytellers from The History Press are now at Waterstones Piccadilly every Tuesday to share legends, myths and tales for grown-ups. Tonight is the turn of Helen East and Rick Wilson who will tell the tale of 2000 years of London history. Free, prebook, 7pm
CRICK CRACK CLUB: The adult storytelling night is back, with a double-bill of fairy-tales courtesy of Ben Haggarty and Nell Phoenix. Takes place at The Forge in Camden. £10/£8, prebook, 7.30pm
Wednesday 24 September
LITERATURE FESTIVAL: Soho Literary Festival kicks off today with a veritable wealth of activities going on. Not sure what to go to? Here's our pick of events. At Soho Theatre, all events £9, prebook, until 28 September
JAMES BOND: Matthew Parker, author of Goldeneye, is at Hatchard's on Piccadilly talking about James Bond author Ian Fleming's home in Jamaica, and the creation of the James Bond character. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
AUTHOR TALK: Sue Monk Kidd, best-selling author of the critically acclaimed The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings is in conversation with Fanny Blake, books editor for Woman & Home. At Waterstones Piccadilly. £5/£3, prebook, 6.30pm
ECONOMICS: John Lanchester, author of How to Speak Money, is in conversation with Guardian's economics editor Larry Elliott about the book. It aims to demystify a lot of the technical jargon which surrounds economics. At Kings Place. £15-£25, prebook, 7pm
STANZA BONANZA: The Norwich and Tonbridge poetry teams go head to head in the Stanza Bonanza at Poetry Cafe tonight. Free, just turn up, 7pm
HOMEWORK: Literary cabaret night Homework takes place at Bethnal Green Working Mens Club and brings its current season to a close with an evening themed "Change Something". Writers prepare something in advance then perform it on the night. £8, just turn up, 7.30pm
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Follow @LondonistLit for our pick of that day’s literary events.
