Stoke Newington Literary Festival

"A literary festival that's thrown its pretensions in a skip"  The Londonist

Just a week to go to the second Stoke Newington Literary Festival.

I've attached the full programme for you to download, but below are a few highlights.

As well as abusive comedians, former resident Edgar Allen Poe goes centre stage in a collaboration with www.theflickerclub.com. An event discussing his outstanding cultural influence (a panel consisting of Christopher Fowler, Pat Cadigan, Kim Newman, Stephen Jones, Barry Forshaw) is followed by legendary actor, director and playwright Steven Berkoff who talks about Poe’s classic The Telltale Heart. Filmic highlights include a spooky showing of 1964 classic The Masque of the Red Death starring Vincent Price. A bust of Poe will also be unveiled on the site of his former academy, on Stoke Newington Church Street.

The area’s rabble-rousing past is kept alive with debates on dissent, how we’re bankrupting our youth and why we’re demonising the working class in a programme featuring Suzanne Moore, Laurie Pennie, Owen Jones, Ross Perlin and Dan Hancox.

Other stellar events include Jon Ronson, Stella Duffy, Dan Cruikshank, Linda Grant, Bella Bathurst, Alex Wheatle, Matt Thorne, Darren Hayman, Shaun Keaveny, Howard Marks, Emma Kennedy, Louise Wener, Colin Grant, Viv Albertine, Paul Morley, Charles Shaar Murray, Max Schaefer, The Society for Curious Thought and many more….

2011 also sees the launch of the Stoke Newington Kids’ Literary Festival, curated by The Spare Room Society, featuring, amongst others,  John Hegley, Knife & Packer, Chris Riddell and multi award-winning actor and performer David Walliams, who will talk about his latest children’s book Billionaire Boy.

Among the hottest recommendations are famed comedians Rowland Rivron and Alexei Sayle, cult psychogeographer Ian Sinclair in conversation with counter-culturalist Barry Miles, skunk baron turned crime writer Howard Marks, comedian Stewart Lee chatting to novelist Dan Rhodes and children’s author and grown-up artist Oliver Jeffers.

There’s also a wealth of other happenings that span local history, radical politics, sociology, music journalism and culture, poetry and, of course, literature. Plus free workshops and a great range of events for kids. As well as lots more besides.

Friday 3^rd June:

2pm: Chainsaw Gang – have modern vampires lost their bite? Four rising children’s horror authors bite, snarl and growl.  12+ (unless accompanied by brave adult)

2pm: Arsenal Story Telling Event – ”fun football stories, games and riddle” 6-12 years.

8pm: The Life and Works of Alexander Baron – his cult novel about the London underworld, The Lowlife, is considered a major antecedent to punk.

Saturday 4^th June:

10am – Dr Seuss event.  Including a visit from the Cat in the Hat. 5-8 years.

3.30pm: The Life and Influence of Edgar Allan Poe – Poe lived in Stoke Newington and a panel discuss his work before Steven Berkoff discusses his own adaption of The Tell Tale Heart.

Sunday 5^th June: 1pm: Pete Brown’s Beer and Book matching – what ale should you read while drinking Dostoevsky?

And a few more:

• Comic poet John Hegley is at the Town Hall with poems for all ages
• Louise Yates, a Roald Dahl prize winner, will be showing off her drawing skills for little ones aged 3-5
• the launch gala with Jon Ronson, Richard Wiseman and hosted by Dianne Abbott
• Stella Duffy is joined by Turkish author Elif Shafak
• Shaun Attwood and Gavin Knight talking about drugs and gangs
• debut authors Sarah Winman, Sam Leith and Naomi Wood
• celebration of Mary Wollstonecraft
• beer and book matching, an event after our own heart
• John Osbourne doing his Edinburgh show, John Peel’s Shed
• Nikesh Shukla, Lee Rourke, Gavin James Bower, Evie Wyld and Niven Govinden all in the same room
• the Firestation Book Swap on tour

Tickets are priced between £3-£10 and are on sale from www.stokenewingtonliteraryfestival.com or 020 7609 1800. The festival runs from 3-5 June.

Thanks to  Jane Alexander & Rachel H for the highlights.