Best Literary Events

Best Literary Events

Bookish things to do in 2012

In honour of our books issue of Stylist, we've rounded up the best literary-themed events to look forward to this year.

1. Port Eliot Festival

19-22 July; Port Eliot Estate, St Germans, Cornwall, PL12; £150; porteliotfestival.com

Mixing highbrow with high fashion, this festival of cool culture combines talks by acclaimed authors such as Tracy Chevalier (Girl With A Pearl Earring) and Jon Ronson (The Psychopath Test) with starlit film screenings, an eclectic mix of bands, outdoor swimming and appearances by fashion luminaries. In 2011, Martin Scorsese curated the open-air cinema, Kate Winslet performed a secret show and fashion A-listers including Luella Bartley and Stephen Jones created looks for the audience. This year’s line-up will be announced in March, but Stylist is already sold.

2. London Gothic Evening

8 March; Blackwell’s Bookshop, 100 Charing Cross Road, WC2; free; thekitschies.com

Knock back The Kraken Black Spiced rum and relive your teenage goth phase – minus the moodiness – at this evening filled with fantasy fiction.

3. Bel Ami

Nationwide, 9 March; belamifilm.com

Christina Ricci plays one of the many wives of Paris’ power brokers seduced by social climbing Robert Pattinson in this film adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s 1885 novel. Beautifully shot and evocative, with dazzling performances by Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas.

4. Literary Salon at Latitude Festival hosted by Stylist and Emerald Street

Thursday 12 July; Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk

We know you love reading and talking about books which is why Stylist and Emerald Street are going to be curating our very own literary salon at Latitude festival in July. The line-up will be confirmed shortly so keep checking Stylist.co.uk and Emerald Street for more details as they emerge. Get your tickets at latitudefestival.co.uk

5. Literary Death Match

27 March; Voodoo Rooms, 19 West Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2; £5; literarydeathmatch.com

Four authors perform their most electric writing in seven minutes in a hilarious battle to win the literary death match crown

6. Carol Ann Duffy & Friends

19 March; The Royal Exchange Theatre, St Anns Square, Machester, M2; £10, royalexchangetheatre.org.uk

Join Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and fellow local poets Jean Sprackland, Joseph Hobson and Linda Sunderland for the latest in Duffy’s evenings of poetry readings, jazz and conversation

7. The Week Literary Lunch

2 April; The Ivy private dining room, 1-5 West Street, London, WC2; £95; theweek.co.uk, call 0844 815 5872 to book

Pencil in lunch at The Ivy – with Lanson champagne – and a talk with writer William Boyd about his new book, Waiting For Sunrise

8. London LSE Space For Thought Literary Festival

29 February– 3 March; free; lse.ac.uk

Highlights of the festival include author and Stylist contributor Jeanette Winterson discussing the role the arts play in improving health and wellbeing.

9. London Laydeez Do Comics

19 March; The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, E1; £1.50; laydeezdocomics.com

Superman who? Join graphic novel-loving ladies for a chat about comics served up with cake and wine.

10. London International Antiquarian Book Fair

24–26 May; The National Hall, Olympia Exhibition Center, Hammersmith Road, W14; £10; olympiabook fair.com

Grab a first edition – Dickens’ Great Expectations is on sale – from the world’s premier book fair selling over 10,000 works dating from the 15th century to today.

11. Crimefest

Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel, College Green, BS1; from £12.50; crimefest.com

It’s had us coveting knitwear like never before, so we’re thrilled that cast and crew from cult show The Killing are coming to this four-day crime fiction festival. Designed for both hardcore crime fans and occasional thriller readers, other festival highlights include talks by duo Roslund & Hellström and British talents Lee Child and PD James.

Tags: books, Books

10 Best Literary Events - Books - Stylist Magazine