Libraries news archive

 
 

Author talks and visits

Many Westminster libraries frequently have visits from authors to talk about or read from their books and answer questions. Here are just a few of those we've been lucky enough to accommodate...

Barbara Ewing

November and December 2008
Writer and actress Barbara Ewing did so many talks at so many different libraries we have given her a page of her own!

Dorothea Smartt and Jacob Ross

November 2008
Victoria Library played host to a joint reading event staring Dorothea Smartt (reading from her latest poetry collection Ship Shape) and Jacob Ross (reading from his latest book Pynter Bender).

Further details on the authors...

Dorothea Smartt, born and raised in London, is of Barbadian heritage. Described as ‘accessible and dynamic’, her poetry appears in several journals and ground-breaking anthologies, including IC3: The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain (2000), and A Storm Between Fingers (Flipped Eye, 2007). She has exhibited at London’s Museum in Docklands, as part of the residency/exhibition project 'TradeWinds-LandFall’ between London and Houston, Texas. Jacob Ross was born in Grenada, and has lived in Britain since 1984. He is a poet, playwright, journalist, novelist and a tutor of Narrative Craft. He is the author of acclaimed short story collections, Song for Simone (1986) and A Way to Catch the Dust (1999); co-editor with Joan Anim-Addo of Voice, Memory, Ashes (1998); co-author with Kwesi Owusu of Behind the Masquerade: The Story of Notting Hill Carnival (1986); Ridin’ n Risin and Turf - Anthologies of Short Stories with Andrea Enisuoh.



Boy A book coverJonathan Trigell - Re-joining society

October 2008

Jonathan Trigell discussed his book Boy A. This book is an award winning novel centered around the release of a child criminal as an adult. It was also made into a BAFTA winning film (also entitled Boy A) starring Andrew Garfield.

 

 

Reading Aloud to Young Children

October 2008
Parents and carers were given advice on 'How to enjoy reading aloud to young children' with actor and author Edmund Pegge at Marylebone Library.

Laurie King and Andrew Martin Talk in Paddington Library

In June 2008
Laurie King talked about her novels and Andrew Martin again gave an informal talk about his, and also answered questions about his fiction writing.


Death on a branch line book coverMurder, mystery and steam: an evening with Andrew Martin

2008
Marylebone Library gave readers the opportunity to meet the creator of Jim Stringer, Steam detective, hero of a series of novels set on the railways of Edwardian England.

Death on a branch line, the latest in the series, was published on the 5 June.

Andrew visited various other libraries throughout Westminster to talk about his book.

H.R.F. Keating

Wednesday 28 May
Prize winning author H.R.F. Keating gave a talk about the Inspector Ghote series at Paddington library.

John Harvey's Cold in handGritty Crime

Thursday 24 April 2008
Queen's Park library hosted a talk by John Harvey who discussed crime in fiction and crime in real life with Police Superintendent Jonathan Morgan.

John Harvey has been described as “one of the masters of British crime fiction” by the Sunday Telegraph, and “one of the leading writers of crime fiction alive today” by Le Monde. He was born in 1938 in north London, where, after several lengthy sojourns in Nottingham, he continues to live.
Like many successful writers, he learned his trade writing pulp fiction – including many westerns. He has close to one hundred published titles to his credit.

 


Jay Merill - Astral bodies [book cover]Astral Bodies

Thursday 6 March 2008
Jay Merill visited Charing Cross Library to help celebrate World Book Day and the National Year of Reading. She read from her collection of short stories: Astral Bodies.


Pictures of Antony Clayton's talk at Marylebone LibraryAntony Clayton: The Folklore of London

Spring-heeled JackThursday 15 May 2008
Acclaimed author of books including Subterranean City and Decadent London, Antony Clayton gave a fascinating talk at Marylebone Library on the subject of his forthcoming book, The Folklore of London. A lively discussion followed, mostly on the grisly subject of plague pits! He went on to do the same talk at Westminster Reference Library in June.

This is not the only talk Antony has given; he has frequently given talks both at Westminster reference Library and elsewhere on the subjects of all his books. Indeed, the likelihood is that if you keep visiting the news and events page you will spot another of his talks some times soon...



Tim WintonTim Winton - Read from 'Breath'

Wednesday 30 January 2008
Tim Winton offered a sneak preview of his new novel 'Breath'; the story of a young man who spurns the rules to live an exhilarating life by the sea in Westminster Reference Library. Attendees were also given the opportunity to ask questions. Previous books by Tim Winton include:

They can be found in Westminster libraries.