Race, Politics and the Media – in conversation with Gary Younge

Gary Younge, a multiple award-winning author, broadcaster and editor-at-large for The Guardian, will be talking race, politics and the media with Joy Francis, executive director of Words of Colour Productions.

Date: Wednesday, 21 June
Time: 7pm
Venue: Waterstones Piccadilly, 203/206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HD

Gary has written five books: Another Day in the Death of America, The Speech, Who Are We?, Stranger in a Strange Land and No Place Like Home. Born in Hertfordshire to Barbadian parents, Gary grew up in Stevenage, studied French and Russian at Heriot Watt University and Newspaper Journalism at City University. After nine years of reporting for The Guardian from all over Europe, Africa, the US and the Caribbean, Gary was appointed The Guardian's US correspondent in 2003, where he spent 12 years before returning to London, with his wife and two children, in 2015.

In 2017, he was awarded the J. Anthony Lukas Prize – which "recognises superb examples of nonfiction on an American topic" – for Another Day in the Death of America by New York's Columbia University and the Aaronson Outstanding Achievement Award for Social Justice Journalism by the City University of New York. The book has also been shortlisted for The Orwell Prize 2017, for political writing.

As well as being interviewed, Gary will read from the heart-rending Another Day in the Death of America before taking part in an audience Q&A and a book signing.

Tickets costs £5 and are available online, in store or by telephone – 020 7851 2400. If you have any questions or queries please contact Waterstones Piccadilly. Attendees are advised that photography and/or filming will take place at this event.

Summerfest – Literary Festivals in June 2017

The list goes on! Literary festivals taking place in June, for which dates are available at the time of posting, including some that are already in progress, are listed below. Follow links for festival details, programme of events, etc.

Kibworth Book Festival, Leicestershire: a rolling festival with events throughout June

Ilminister Literary Festival, Somerset: 31 May – 8 June.

Flamstead Book Festival – Books in the Belfry: 1 June

Charles Causley Festival, Launceston, Cornwall: 1-5 June

Stoke Newington Literary Festival: 2-4 June

Belfast Book Festival: 7-17 June

Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival: 8-10 June

Balham Literary Festival: 8-11 June

RS Thomas Literary Festival, Aberderon, North Wales: 9-11 June

Festival of Writing & Ideas, Borris House and Village, Carlow: 9-11 June

Crossing the Tees – Book Festival for the Tees Valley: 9-24 June

Howth Literary Arts Festival, North County Dublin: 9-11 June

Derby Book Festival: 9-17 June

Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe: 9-18 June

Manchester Children's Book Festival: 13 June – 15 July

Immrama – Festival of Travel Writing. Lismore, Co. Waterford: 14-18 June

Borders Book Festival, Harmony Garden, Melrose in Scottish Borders: 15-18 June

Dalkey Book Festival, South County Dublin: 15-18 June

Winchester Writers' Festival: 16-18 June

Broadstairs Dickens Festival – 80th year celebration: 17-23 June

Festival of Chichester: 17 June – 16 July

Hinterland – Festival of Literature and Art. Kells, Co. Meath: 22-25 June

Tiverton Literary Festival: 22-25 June

Sidmouth Literary Festival – sun, sea and books. East Devon: 23-25 June

Hebden Bridge Arts Festival – all the town's a stage: 23 June – 2 July

Proms at St Jude's Music and Literary Festival, Hampstead, London: 24 June – 2 July

Chalke Valley History Festival: 26 June to 2 July

Bradford Literature Festival: 30 June – 9 July

Follow LiteraryFestivals.co.uk and Culture Fox for news and most up-to-date information about festivals and events in the arts and literary field.

Apologies to anyone whom we may have missed on this occasion. Please be assured that it was not intentional – quite the contrary, in fact. If you are organising a literary festival or any arts/literary-related event, please get in touch with us – we want to hear from you!

Contact the Editor with your press releases, public announcements, etc or use the Event Notification Form that we provide for this purpose.

Book Launch and Tour – The Key Signature & Other Stories by Noel King

The Key Signature & Other Stories is the title of the debut collection of stories from poet and actor, Noel King that will be launched on Monday, June 5 at Siamsa Tire Theatre & Arts Centre, Town Park, Tralee, Co. Kerry. Mary Kennelly will be the keynote speaker and the evening gets under way from 6pm.

The Key Signature & Other Stories comprises a collection of 19 stories, each of which, in various ways, concern"the trials of modern man in an Ireland of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century ... (from) ... host family father falling in love with the au pair to cross-dressing husband unleashing his grief and his vices after the funeral of his beloved wife"!

The launch will be followed by a reading tour at venues across Ireland. Dates which have been announced include:

• Tuesday, June 6 @ 8pm – On the Nail, Chez le Fab, Arthur’s Quay Park, Limerick – hosted by Limerick Writers' Centre.
• Wednesday, June 7th @ 7.30pm Seanchaí – Kerry Literary & Cultural Centre, Listowel, Co Kerry.
• Thursday, June 8th @ 6.30pm – Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop, Galway City.
• Friday, June 9 @ 7.30pm – The Elbow Lane Inn, Fermoy, Co. Cork.
• Saturday, June 10 – 4 'pop-up' readings with Mae Leonard in Naas, Co. Kildare:

1. McAuley Place @ 2pm
2. Naas Library @ 2.30pm
3. The Moat Club Cafe @ 3pm
4. Swan's on The Green @ 4pm

• Sunday, June 11 @ 6.30 – The Cafe @ Louis Mulcahy Pottery, Clogher, Ballyferriter, Co. Kerry.
• Wednesday, June 14 @ 7.30pm – David Butler & Tanya Farrelly’s Staccato series @ Toner’s Pub, Baggott Street, Dublin.
• Thursday, June 15th @ 8pm – SPOTLIGHT @ The Haven, Bachelor's Quay, Cork.
• Friday, June 16th @ 2pm – Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare in association with Clann na Farraige writers group

The Key Signature & Other Stories by Noel King is published by Liberties Press and is available to buy online.

BEYOND WORDS: IBBY Ireland's Silent Books Exhibition Opens in Tralee Library, 2-19 June

Following the successful first leg of its Irish tour in South Dublin Libraries and Dún Laoghaire, an international exhibition of picture books is now coming to Tralee Library in County Kerry.

The Irish section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is proud to introduce Silent Books, a travelling exhibition of over 100 recent, exciting, wordless picture books from around the world, from Mexico to the US via Denmark, Iran and beyond.

From 2-19 June 2017, the collection will visit Tralee Library, where a host of events will bring it to life. The Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council will launch the exhibition in the library at 10am on Friday 2nd June. Other events include Nation Creation workshops run by author, Debbie Thomas, as featured on RTÉ's News2day. Regular activities will showcase the collection with special Silent Books story times and local schools will visit the exhibition throughout June.

This exhibition came about in response to the arrival of refugees from Africa and the Middle East on the Italian island of Lampedusa. IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People) launched the project, Silent Books, from the world to Lampedusa and back, in 2012. The project involved creating the first library on Lampedusa, to be used by local and immigrant children.

The second part of the project created a collection of silent books (wordless picture books) that could be understood and enjoyed by children regardless of language. These books were collected from IBBY National Sections – over one hundred titles from over twenty countries. One set of books was deposited at the documentation and research archive in Rome (Palazzo della Esposizioni), another was delivered to the library in Lampedusa and a further set forms part of the travelling exhibition that is now touring Ireland.

Jane O’Hanlon, President of Ibby Ireland says:

"This amazing Silent Book project began in 2013, in order to establish the first library at Lampedusa for use by local and immigrant children. Since then, it has travelled widely, including to Mexico, Italy, Austria, Canada and others of the seventy member nations of IBBY International. Now, it is Ireland's turn and we are excited to be able to host it at venues around the country. The project is motivated by the idea that every child has a right to become a reader. By highlighting 'wordless' books as a seed collection, IBBY ensures that it is accessible to every child who visits it, no matter of what age, language or culture. IBBY Ireland, a volunteer organisation, is thrilled and excited to have this collection touring in Ireland."

Sara Keating, The Irish Times:

"How can a book speak when it has no words? Powerfully, through pictures alone. (…) The exhibition is designed to draw attention to the key role that silent books can play in crossing cultural boundaries and promoting literacy."

Further information about this exhibition is available from IBBY Ireland, the local branch of IBBY International, an international network of people from all over the world, who are committed to bringing books and children together.