Have Yourself a Literary Christmas

Wintertime, writing and wordsmiths: here’s our guide to the literary events on this Christmas, from Paul Muldoon to a modern take on traditional penny readings

Preview by Holly Rimmer-Tagoe | 03 Dec 2014

December is perhaps the only time of year when clichés and platitudes become acceptable, or even welcomed. And whether it’s a warming fire, a comforting mulled wine or a heartening cinematic offering, much of what we now think of as Christmas has a literary character at its centre: Charles Dickens.

Dickens’ novel A Christmas Carol popularised many Yuletide traditions – so, in this spirit, we've taken look at the wintery writing events on offer this month. If you feel in need of a temporary escape from the toxic combination of decorating/shopping/cooking, or simply want to evade the usual ambush of Christmas parties, read on.

Discussion: Science Fiction and Apocalypse 
The industrial, bare-brick walls of The International Anthony Burgess Foundation host an evening dedicated to all things sci-fi. Why has there been an explosion in the production of apocalyptic literature since 9/11? Is sci-fi the only way in which humans can conceive of another world order, or the possibility of revolution? Andrew Sawyer, who is an academic authority on science fiction literature at the University of Liverpool, and Heather Morison, who has created a portable library of apocalyptic tales called Tales of Space and Time, lead a discussion into the ideas and anxieties that have motivated sci-fi since the 1930s.

From Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to JG Ballard’s The Drowned World, the experts will be debating the questions thrown up by the sci-fi genre: the dangers of technological advance, what it is to be human and the ethical dimensions of scientific research. It promises to be an informative evening.

The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, Wed 3 Dec, 6.30pm, free (advance booking required)

The Heathens’ Christmas Party
The team behind First Draft, Manchester’s bimonthly cabaret night celebrating local talent, return with The Heathens’ Christmas Party. First Draft’s anarchic mixture of spoken word, poetry and drama gets a Christmas revamp in a consciously non-traditional way. The clue is in the name; new writers and performers present fresh, recently drafted work to the assembled audience in the hope of a raucous reception.

The Castle Hotel, Manchester, Mon 15 Dec, 7.30pm, free 

An Evening with Paul Muldoon
Paul Muldoon’s prominent reputation precedes him. As poetry editor at The New Yorker and a recipient of both the TS Eliot Prize (in 1994) and Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (in 2003), Muldoon has often appeared to be confined to the realms of academia and literary criticism. Don’t let this put you off. Although Muldoon’s poetry requires a sizeable amount of brain power, his work – littered with riddles and archaic references – is well worth the challenge.

Muldoon joins the Liverpool Poetry Cafe for a reading, accompanied by music from Dominic Williams. Expect to hear about his new poetry collection, One Thousand Things Worth Knowing, published by Faber & Faber early next year.

The Bluecoat, Liverpool, Thu 18 Dec, 7.30pm, £5 (£3)

The Penny Readings
Returning for its 11th year, in the opulent surroundings of St George’s Hall, the Penny Readings Festival reimagines the Victorian tradition of large public reading tours. The good folks at The Reader Organisation have made this community event a stalwart of the Liverpool Christmas calendar.

With previous guests including poet Jenny Joseph and comedian Alexei Sayle, this year the final chapter of Liverpool author Frank Cottrell Boyce’s ongoing online serial The Menlove Treasure will be revealed – all for a mere penny!

St. George’s Hall, Liverpool, Sun 21 Dec, £0.01p

firstdraftmcr.wordpress.com

thebluecoat.org.uk

thereader.org.uk

anthonyburgess.org