Books about town

Love books? You’ll love next week: find out more about the story behind a real life Ali G character in Percival Everett’s latest novel. Hanif Kureishi's in town talking about his screenwriting career and Wilbur Smith will be signing copies of his new work Blue Horzon.

Talks

Craving Authenticity

Percival Everett's novel, Erasure, tells the story of an obscure black writer whose critical parody of an illiterate 'ghetto' memoir, worthy of Ali G himself, becomes a publishing sensation. Everett talks to Fay Weldon and Diran Adebayo about the search for the 'authentic voice' in lit-rit-ture.

Migrate or Die, should freedom of movement be a human right?

Should freedom of movement be a human right and in the light of recent immigration and asylum legislation should it remain so? A debate with Howard Jacobson, Ann Leslie and Kamile Shamsie. Chaired by Lisa Jardine.

Hanif Kureishi

Continuing The Orange Screenwriters season, Hanif Kureishi, whose works include My Beautiful Launderette and The Buddha Of Suburbia talks about his screenwriting career.

Miranda Seymore with Ruth Padel

Miranda Seymour, a biographer of Mary Shelley, discusses the writer's life, and the effect of the moon on the consciousness of the Romantic period.

Monique Beudert Memorial Lectures: Paul Gilroy

Paul Gilroy, professor of sociology and African and American studies at Yale, argues in favour of a 'raceless future'.

Poetry

Penelope Shuttle and Raman Mundair

A Cats Night Out with poems read by Penelope Shuttle and Raman Mundair. RFH Voice Box as before. Thur 13 Mar, 7.30pm, £5, concs £3.

Art and architecture

Sir Richard Carew Pole, president of the Royal Horticultural Society, and resident of Antony, one of the most beautiful 18th-century houses in Cornwall, and home of the National Collection Of Day Lilies, talks about his family and his family home, now owned by the National Trust. Purcell Room South Bank, SE1 (020-7960 4242). Mon 10 Mar, 6pm, £7.50.

Sculpture in 20th Century London Parks

Given by Alan Powers, as part of The London Parks And Gardens Trust winter lecture series. Georgian Group 6 Fitzroy Square, W1 (020-7839 3969). Mon 10 Mar, 6.30pm, £7.

Book festivals

Jewish Book Week

David Grossman with Linda Grant (Sat 8 Mar), Writing Music with Steven Isserlis and Norman Lebrecht, Jonathan Safran Foer with Peter Florence and Howard Jacobson with Vanessa Feltz (Sun 9 Mar) are some of the attractions in the concluding part to Jewish Book Week.

Spit-Lit 2003

The conclusion to the East End literary ladies festival includes readings and debates with Bernice Rubens (Fri 7 Mar), Barbara Trapido, Michele Roberts, Sarah Dunant, Irma Kurtz and Kate Adie (Sat 8 Mar) and Melanie McGrath with Diane Atkinson (Sun 9 Mar).