Literature

Literature Events in Manchester and the North

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

Last Updated 14 July 2017

There’s plenty going on in the land of literature. Tania Hershman launches not one, but two new books – a collection of poetry and one of short stories. Scottish Makar, Manchester Literature Festival patron and Chancellor of the University of Salford, Jackie Kay is at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, reacting to the Tread Softly show with her wonderful words. There’s an exhibition of another kind in the Special Collections at Man Met, with a look at typesetting and poetry. Fancy something a little more light-hearted? Enter John Hegley, with his verse and daft songs. Plus, the chance to book now for some of October’s Manchester Literature Festival events, including the Bookend date with Armistead Maupin.

Here are our picks

1. Tania Hershman and Guests at Waterstones

Tania Hershman. Credit Gwen Riley Jones.

Tania Hershman and Guests at Waterstones at Waterstones Manchester Deansgate, City Centre, 27 July 2017, from £3.00 - Book now

Prolific short-short story writer, and recent headliner at Verbose, Tania Hershman is launching not one but two new books – her debut poetry collection and her third collection of micro fictions, with a little help from her friends Jo Bell and Kate Feld.

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2. A Summer Evening of Poetry with Jackie Kay at YSP

Image Jackie Kay. Photo courtesy of the Scottish Government

A Summer Evening of Poetry with Jackie Kay at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 27 July 2017, from £8.00 - Book now

Poet Jackie Kay talks Yorkshire Sculpture Park show up with words responding to pictures. A one-off event, this promises to be a proper good’un.

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3. Tricking the Impossible: Word and Type at Manchester Metropolitan University

Penny Rimbaud by Moochin Photoman.

Tricking the Impossible: word and type, Penny Rimbaud and Bracketpress at Manchester Metropolitan University Special Collections, Manchester, 24 April–25 August 2017, free entry - Visit now

Exhibition exploring the collaborative relationship between the writer Penny Rimbaud and his publisher, the co-founder of Bracketpress, typesetter and book designer Christian Brett.

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4. An Evening with Armistead Maupin at RNCM

Author Armistead Maupin. Credit Christopher Turner.

An Evening with Armistead Maupin at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 25 October 2017, from £10.00 - Book now

The renowned raconteur and Tales Of The City author Armistead Maupin is coming to town to launch his new, long-awaited memoir, as part of this year’s Manchester Literature Festival.

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5. Manchester Literature Festival 2017

Manchester Literature Festival 2017, 6–22 October 2017, from £free - Book now

Manchester Literature Festival is gradually releasing details of events happening between 6 and 22 October 2017 – keep an eye out for our specific picks, starting with Armistead Maupin, a special Bookend event.

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