On April 12, Will Self is going to be in conversation with Dr Sebastian Groes at the Museum of London about London’s psychogeography and how the city’s myths, memories and narratives can be mapped and recorded. This event is based on research for Groes’ book The Making of London, which analyses the city’s psychogeography. Self will be giving readings from his work and will participate in a discussion focusing on psychogeography and Groes’ book.
Further details here.
Will Self is going to be in conversation with Matthew Beaumont and others at the Howe lecture theatre, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London on Sunday 13 March from 2pm to 4pm.
As part of the current exhibition After London, which responds to the apocalyptic vision of London set out in Richard Jefferies’ 1885 novel, the discussion will focus on apocalyptic landscapes in literature, art and film.
To reserve a place, which is free, email the gallery, slg@gre.ac.uk. More details here.
March 14: Will Self argues the case for his favourite building in London, Stockwell bus garage, at the Royal Academy of Arts. Ticket information and details here.
April 6: Will Self is going to be holding a Philosophers’ Forum at The Idler Academy in London. “Socrates was Plato’s teacher. He famously never wrote anything down, preferring to teach through live debate. Tonight Will Self plays the Socrates role, and answers Academy pupils’ philosophical conundrums. Be sure to bring some thorny problems for Will to tackle.” Tickets £12.50, details here.
A reminder that although Will Self’s talk with John Gray to discuss his new book – The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death – at the Royal Society of Arts tonight is sold out, you can listen to it online at the RSA website here from 6pm. It’s also available as a free mp3 audio file, and you can watch it here too.
January 20: Will Self will be speaking about his love for Montaigne at the Institut Français in London. He will talk about the time when he first discovered Montaigne, whether it was love at first sight, whether he often rereads the Essays, whether he has encouraged his friends to read them and whether Montaigne has ever disappointed him. And he may attempt to answer the most important question: should we read Montaigne, and why? For further details and to buy tickets, visit their website here.
Because of “unprecedented demanded”, the British Library has rescheduled the talk between Russell Hoban and Will Self from February 2 to February 15 2011 to “a larger venue” (TBC).
Hoban will be talking about his novel Riddley Walker (1980) and its extraordinary language, as well as his other work, which includes Kleinzeit (1974), Pilgermann (1983), The Medusa Frequency (1987), Amaryllis Night and Day (2001) and Angelica Lost and Found (2010).
Will Self is going to be taking part in Thrilling Wonder Stories, coordinated by Liam Young and Geoff Manaugh at the Architectural Association in London on November 26. The event is free and open to the public and will also be streamed live online at www.thrillingwonderstories.co.uk from 1pm to 8pm.
Will Self is going to be at the Thunderbolt in Bristol tonight from 8pm. More details here.
Will Self is a guest on this week’s Loose Ends on Radio 4 at 6.15pm on Saturday September 11. Clive Anderson’s other guests will be the Labour MP Peter Hain and the actor Russell Tovey, with music from Imelda May. You can listen again here, until 18 September.
Some forthcoming tour dates with Will Self talking about Walking to Hollywood:
September 7 at the Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham, West Sussex. Details here.
September 9 at the SW11 festival in London. Details here.
September 13 at Arnolfini, Bristol. Details here.
September 14 at Topping books in Bath. Details here.
September 17 at Cambridge Arts Centre. Details here.
October 4 at Clapham Bookshop, 7pm. More details here.
October 11, Ilkley literature festival. Details here.