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About this Events Guide
Love all things literary? Looking for book events and literature lectures in the North East? Our monthly what’s on guide captures the literature and book chat, lectures, readings and other events taking place across the North East, in Durham, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Teesside and beyond.
If you are organising a book and literature-related event that could be added, let us know.
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Sat 04
14:00 in City Library, Newcastle
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The Real Frankenstein – Time Bandits |
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Presented in full costume, this promises to be a lively and interactive look at the writing of the story and background to Mary Shelley. This event is organised by Newcastle Libraries.
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Wed 08
17:00 in City Library, Newcastle
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Poetry Readings with Natalie Scott and Harry Gallagher |
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Harry Gallagher’s latest collection, Northern Lights, came out in November 2017 and immediately attracted rave reviews. Harry describes the book as ‘a kind of love letter to the people of the north east’. He performs live the length and breadth of the UK and is delighted to be reading at the library alongside his good friend Natalie Scott.
Natalie Scott’s published works include two poetry pamphlets and one full collection: Berth – Voices of the Titanic. Her poems have appeared in many journals and she has appeared at festivals and events including Crossing the Tees, Middlesbrough Literature Festival, Darlington Arts Festival and T-junction. This event is organised by Newcastle Libraries.
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Fri 10
19:00 in Palace Green Library, Durham
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Adult Storytelling Event with Heather Yule |
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This event is a storytelling and musical evening exploring an array of legends, folktales and ghost stories from East Lothian inspired by the Bodies of Evidence exhibition showcasing the 2013 discovery of Scottish soldiers buried in Durham. This event is organised by Palace Green Library.
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Fri 10
19:00 in Waterstones, Newcastle
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An Evening with Jasper Fforde |
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We are absolutely thrilled to announce a very welcome return visit from one of our favourite authors, the great Jasper Fforde! He will be talking about, and signing, copies of his latest novel, Early Riser. This event is organised by Waterstones.
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Sat 11
11:00 in Palace Green Library, Durham
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Family Storytelling Event with Heather Yule |
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This is a drop-in storytelling event for families and is suitable for children of all ages. Come and enjoy fantastic legends, folktales and ghost stories from East Lothian. Lively tunes and tales that would have been familiar to the young Scottish soldiers who were captured and marched to Durham after the 1650 battle of Dunbar. This event is organised by Palace Green Library.
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Sun 12
11:00 in Baltic, Gateshead
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Raising The Flag: Poetry Take Over Day |
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Actor, educator and performance poet Chérie will lead two workshops during the day, one for poets and one for complete beginners. Drawing inspiration from the themes and formats of the exhibition, and from Chérie’s own relationship with kanga, participants will be supported to create a piece of writing and, if they choose, to read it at one of the pop-up stages. This event is organised by Apples and Snakes.
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Wed 15
17:30 in Alington House, Durham
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“The Beginning of Sound Film -The End of Literary Modernism?” and “The Rise of Populism and a Call for the New Sincerity in Contemporary Fiction” with Lara Ehrenfried and Arya Aryan |
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The first pair of talks in our series of Late Summer Lectures will look at how literature reflects trends and developments in wider culture and politics, focusing on modern and contemporary writers. Free and open to the public. This event is organised by Late Summer Lecture Series.
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Sat 18
14:00 in Oriental Museum, Durham
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Getting to Noh – from ‘page to stage’ with Jannette Cheong |
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Come and enjoy an illustrated talk on Noh theatre, followed by a reading and musical performance from Jannette Cheong’s new play. This event is organised by Oriental Museum.
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Wed 22
17:30 in Alington House, Durham
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Sacred Symbols, Snake-Women and Sisterhood: Crafting Power in Medieval Origin Stories with Alexandra Claridge, Olivia Colquitt and Madelaine Smart |
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Our second Late Summer Lecture takes us back to look at three stories from the medieval period, whose presentation of mythical beginnings and endings raises fundamental questions of sovereignty, legitimacy, and genealogy. Free and open to the public. This event is organised by Late Summer Lecture Series.
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Wed 29
17:30 in Alington House, Durham
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‘Remembrance, but to what end?: Registers of petition in the holograph manuscripts of Thomas Hoccleve’ and ‘(S)he’s just not that into you: Resistance and Persistence in Medieval Romance Literature’ with Laurie Atkinson and Hannah Piercy |
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Remembrance and lost love. These are two of the themes to be found in the medieval literature explored in this pair of talks from our Late Summer Lecture series. Free and open to the public. This event is organised by Late Summer Lecture Series.
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Thu 30
19:00 in Lit and Phil, Newcastle
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Transatlantic crime conversation with Ann Cleeves, Marcia Talley and Kate Charles |
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A recent Radio Times Poll asked viewers to name the best British crime drama of all time: and Ann Cleeves’ creations were ranked in the top 10 not once but twice!
Author of Shetland and Vera, Ann Cleeves is a North East treasure. Here she’s invited two fellow crime-writers to join her for an ‘in conversation’ event. This event is organised by The Lit and Phil.
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Disclaimer
Before you travel, please check all event information using the web links provided.
