TWO RIVERS is our featured publisher this week

Two Rivers Press has rightly been described as 'one of the most characterful small presses in the country'. Now in its twelfth year, the press is a cooperative, with a growing reputation for bold design and illustration combined with distinctive new writing. Two Rivers Press is strongly rooted in the Thames Valley, Reading in particular, and many of our titles deal with aspects of the area's history. Two Rivers Press stands for the best in small independent publishing, and we intend to continue to surprise and entertain readers who love unusual books written and designed with imagination, wit and flair.

Two Rivers Press won the Cultural Contribution Award at the Pride of Reading Awards last week hosted by Chris Tarrant.

Oscar Wilde wrote The Ballad of Reading Gaol in France shortly after his release from Reading, the only new work that he published after that time. He left England never to return and was not allowed to see his two sons again. The experience of gaol devastated him.

News

11 November 2008 - WRITING RE:CONNECTED

The New Writing Partnership - Promoting, Developing and Celebrating New Writing

When: Monday 24th November 2008
Where: Epic, Norwich (see link below)

As a coda to New Writing Season 2008 programme of conferences and workshops, The New Writing Partnership, in collaboration with Amb:IT:ion, is organising a half-day ‘thinkshop’ about Writing Re:connected -- you are invited to take part. Our focus for will be: 'What could we, as literary organisations, be looking to offer or cultivate in light of current digital media trends?' and ‘What impact will the developments in digital media have on what we, as organisations in the literature sector, offer the writers, readers and other partners with whom we work?’

The event will take place at Epic, Norwich, between 12:30pm and 6:15pm, on Monday November 24th, 2008. You are invited to join the debate. PLEASE RSVP to confirm attendance.

11 November 2008 - ANVIL PRESS presents Ros Barber and Joe Winter reading at Waterstone's Brighton

When: Thursday 20th November at 7.00 p.m.
Where: Waterstone's Brighton

Tickets £3, available from the shop and redeemable against purchase of the books on the night.

Ros Barber will be reading from her new collection of poems, Material. Joe Winter will aslo be reading from his new Rabindranath Tagore translations, The Golden Boat.

Further details: 01273 206017

07 November 2008 - POETRY ‘IN’ THE CRYPT...

Where: Is in the Neighbourhood Centre next to
St Mary’s Church, Upper Street, Islington

When: Saturday November 15th at 7.30 p.m.

Featuring:

Michael Bartholomew-Biggs
Graham Kings
Hugh Underhill

Michael Bartholomew-Biggs is a recently-retired mathematician still pursuing a career as a poet. His new collection Tell It Like It Might Be (Smokestack, 2008) celebrates and questions the value of human imagination which can nourish faith, hope, mystery and love but also spins webs of private fears and guilt and coins the easy lie or terrible falsehood. These poems deal with illusion and delusion, lovers’ deceptions and lying dossiers endorsing war. But beware of scepticism: sometimes the implausible is also true.

Graham Kings is vicar of St Mary’s, Islington and his support has been invaluable in enabling Poetry in the Crypt to continue into its 10th year. Graham is also a poet and his new book Signs & Seasons (Canterbury Press, 2008) uses poetry – along with art, story and humour – to engage with life’s most difficult questions and challenges. Drawing on the shape of the Christian year, it blends ancient Christian insights and contemporary understanding to create a ‘spiritual travel kit’ – see: signsandseasons

Hugh Underhill lives in Bedford. He taught English at universities in Hong Kong and Melbourne and his publications include criticism, short stories and four poetry collections. His latest book, Found Wanting (Smokestack, 2008) pursues the poetry of the material world. It attends to the sometimes fragile, sometimes tenacious, nature of relationships and is rooted in the belief that living acquires meaning through commitment and choice. His poems also consider how all artists are, in a double sense, ‘found wanting’.

Admission £4 (£3 concessions)

Poets from the floor welcome

Proceeds will support work with orphans and HIV+ women in Igatpuri, India

The Neighbourhood Centre is a grey building beside St Mary’s Church on Upper Street, London N1, midway between Angel and Highbury & Islington tube stations. Buses 4, 19, 30 and 43. For more information contact nmattson@sampo.plus.com