Literature Events in Manchester and the North

December is well and truly in our sights and we have some great events lined up for those readers who have been good this year – read on to find out about the gifts we’ve wrapped up for you…

Murmur is back in the Northern Quarter on Sunday 9 December, welcoming leading contemporary video artist and poet Ed Atkins (last in the Rainy City in 2015 for Manchester International Festival, with Performance Capture, a specially commissioned show co-curated by then MIF Director Alex Poots). He will be showcasing his forthcoming novel, Old Food, which isn’t out until November 2019 – so this is your chance to grab a sneak peek before anyone else. Murmur #7 adds visual artist, filmmaker and writer Fatema Abdoolcarim to the line-up, and there will be music from SMS DJs.

Now in the last throes of her Poet Laureate reign (she is due to step down next year), Carol Ann Duffy hosts the last of her & Friends series of 2018 on 10 December, featuring readings by award-winning House Poets John Fennelly and Mark Pajak, and chat and a performance by special guest Zaffar Kunial, just announced as being in the running for the Costa Book Award and also shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize, the winner of which will be revealed by Ian McMillan in January. The head of Manchester Writing School will be back in the New Year – we’re looking forward to hearing from Kate Fox, appearing in March.

Also on 10 December (you’ll just have to pick – it’s also the last-ever Evidently at The Eagle Inn!), it’s the annual Centre for New Writing Literature Live event in memory of graduate Caroline Chisholm, which this time welcomes highly acclaimed and multi-award-winning Ross Raisin, author of three novels, numerous short stories, and named as both The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year and one of Granta’s Best of Young British Novelists.

On 12 December, No Matter is back in The Castle, for its fourth bi-monthly showcase of avant poetry talent. Always highlighting three headliners, this one features Dostoyevsky Wannabe-published writer Emma Bolland, editor of Poetry Wales magazine and co-organiser of the recent two-day Poetry Emergency festival Nia Davies, and Rebecca Tamás, whose new collection comes out soon with Penned in the Margins and has been selected as a Poetry Book Society recommendation for spring 2019, so definitely one to watch. It’s free in, but bring your pocket money purse to spend big at the book table…

If you fancy a trip to the Big Smoke, head to the Royal Albert Hall on 17 December, when the That’s What She Said: End of Year Special has a fab line-up, including award-winning literary hero Rosie Garland and iconic author Salena Godden. Can’t make it? No worries, it’s back in Manchester in February with its first show of 2019 – find out more here.

Christmas shopping? We’ve got you covered with our guide to independent outlets – Chorlton Bookshop, Magma Books and HOME are all included, and some even stock anthologies and graphic novels featured in this very guide throughout the year.

And before you go, be sure to scurry on down to our “More in Literature” stories below the picks plus our guide to the UNESCO City of Literature, which brings together details of some of our favourite bookworm-friendly go-tos, including Chet’s Library – check out the monthly Chet’s Library Unscripted tours on 6 December, 17 January and 14 February, perfect for a wander amid the wood-panelled rooms and book-lined galleries of the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.

And if you fancy venturing further afield, then our tips for trips include must-go Literary Places in Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Cumbria.

Here are our picks