 | Daddy, What's a Poet? Andy Bennett (Deadbeat Press) 2012-02-02 This is the first publication from Deadbeat Press, who will be publishing pamphlets and collections from local poets and authors and collaborating with UEA Creative Writing Society. Andy Bennett's debut collection of satirical poetry and cartoons will be introduced by Martin Figura. “Daddy, What’s A Poet?” is Andy’s first collection of poetry, and contains a mixed and satirical selection of poems that combine Andy’s huge historical geekery with a desire to understand how the lessons of history can be applied to 21st Century Britain. There’s also a fair bit in there about drugs, and some really groan-worthy cartoons. 6.30pm FREE | |
 | Tim Cockburn: Appearances in the Bentink Hotel 2012-01-27 The highly-tuned awareness of these poems comes not out of introspection, but attentiveness and also a real affection for the ‘cheerful stabs of flair among the serious junk’ of the world. Dry ice, microwaves, lager-tops: each have their limelight in the mind, affording a glimpse into moments that, though private, are also the ones we most meaningfully share. Tim Cockburn was born in 1985 in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and raised in Nottingham. He studied Fine Art and Creative Writing at the Norwich School of Art and Design, and holds an MA from the University of East Anglia in Creative Writing. He lives and works in Nottingham. 6.30pm FREE | |
 | The Memoirs of Phyllis Ellis 2012-01-12 Book Launch From Osborne House to Wheatfen Broad - Memoirs of Phyllis Ellis This is the story of Phyllis Ellis in her own words, transcribed from conversations she had with Peter Kelley in the years before she died, just a week before her 91st birthday in 2004. Wife of the legendary Norfolk naturalist Ted Ellis, Phyllis was well-known in her own right as a writer and conservationist. (She was awarded an MBE for Services to Nature Conservation aged 83 shortly before taking up abseiling or charity!). Charting her family back to the time of her great-grandfather, head game-keeper to Queen Victoria at Osborne House, right up to the end to her life, this is the story of a remarkable woman and her work. This book has been compiled and published by friends and family at Wheatfen and provides a wonderful insight into the character of a woman described by her friend David Bellamy as 'A powerhouse of drive and energy'. From 6.30 Free | |
 | Louis De Bernieres 2011-12-15 Writer, musician, raconteur and local star Louis De Bernieres will be coming to give a reading on the 15th December. Always entertaining - as well as extremely interesting when talking about the craft of writing and his own career - an evening with Louis and a glass of wine will be a great way to have fun and relax in the middle of Christmas shopping horror. (Although you can do a bit of that too if you like - and he will be signing books of course...)From his most well known Corelli book, to his most recent wonderful collection of short stories, Notwithstanding, he has proved himself to be a writer of great wit, insight and observation and it is always a joy to hear him read. From 6.30 Free | |
 | Silly Solar System launch 2011-12-08 Local writer Kevin Price,(The Beauty Contest at The Zoo) has written a new book, wonderfully illustrated by Robin Carter (Horrible Histories). Told as a long rhyming poem it is a fun and fascinating introduction to the stars and planets of the Solar System, told by a father to his son, in a rocket with a dog... Kevin set up his own publishing company and donates a portion of the profits to a different charity with each book - which are enjoying great success across the country. Come along to get this ideal present signed by the author at the launch! From 6.30 Free | |
 | Sarah Hall evening 2011-12-01 Here is an event we have been hoping to arrange for some time... The brilliant Sarah Hall - author of such great books at The Electric Michelangelo, The Carhullan Army, Haweswater and How to Paint A Dead Man is coming to to do an event in the shop. The Beautiful Indifference is the title of her first collection of short stories which is published at the end of November and we are thrilled to have her here on the 1st December. This is the chance to hear a multi award-winning - including double Booker longlisted, (once shortlisted) - author reading in an intimate setting and talking about the experience of writing, whilst you sit on the floor and drink wine. What could be better? From 6.30 Free | |
 | Peter Scupham evening 2011-11-23 Borrowed Landscapes, Peter Scupham's first book since his acclaimed Collected Poems of 2002, explores a hinterland of enchantment and nightmare, a landscape whose contours reach back to Shakespeare's England by way of two world wars and a coming of age shaped by the Suez crisis and the Cold War. The barbarities of the twentieth century haunt the shadows; there is comfort in the graces of domestic life, in friendships and long memories, in cats and gardens and eccentricities. A sequence of poems honours the life of a scholarly father-in-law who fought in the Great War. In a parallel autobiographical sequence, 'Playtime in a Cold City', three undergraduate years in the 1950s become a touchstone for a lost pastoral, before the 'fields of youth' fade to memory, 'the lit faces of dead friends, /laughing'. Generous, witty and shrewd, Borrowed Landscapes affirms Scupham's belief that when a 'murderous crew' of sorcerer's apprentices 'turn is to was', there is 'only a pen to turn was to is'. Come and enjoy an evening with this much celebrated poet who will be reading from this very recent collection. 6.30 Free | |
 | WG Sebald - Book club 2011-11-15 Writers Centre Norwich Book club open to all - this meeting will discuss one of the great pieces of East Anglian - (and pretty well eveything else in the known world) writing by the late and very great W.G. Sebald 6.00pm - free | |
 | Black Shuck - The Devil's Dog 2011-10-27 Launch event - Piers Warren For centuries Black Shuck has patrolled the coastal paths of Norfolk – a spectral portent of death. But now the phantom dog is evolving into something altogether more horrifying. Gaining strength and powers by the day, Shuck has developed a gruesome appetite – a hunger he sets out to satiate ... Wildlife film-maker Harry Lambert needs a serious rest. His best friend is dead, his wife has left him and his career is on the rocks. A spot of bird-watching on the Norfolk coast should help ... but when Harry stumbles into Black Shuck's territory, the hellhound finds the victim it was hunting for ... Open launch - from 6.30pm Thursday 27th October | |
 | The Mystery of Edwin Drood 2011-10-13 To mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens in 2012, Unthank Books are publishing Sir David Madden's masterful new completion of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, Dickens’ last, and unfinished novel. With astonishing literary ventriloquy David Madden pays the greatest homage by closely following the signals laid down by Dickens in his sadly incomplete original, as well as seamlessly continuing the story with a truly Dickensian repertoire of comedy, psychological acuity, inimitable description and turn of phrase. Published in one volume with Madden succeeding the 'master,' this is at last a completion of the mystery that proves Edwin Drood to be as much a 'whydunnit' as a 'whodunnit' and affords real pleasure, finally and fully from start to finish. It is as if Dickens has risen from the grave to finish the book Join us from 6.30 to celebrate the launch of this new title from Norwich publisher Unthank Books. | |
 | Voewood Literary festival 2011-08-27 Billed as 'The Literary Garden Party of the Year', the Voewood Literary Festival is bringing an outstanding line-up of writers, musicians and performers to North Norfolk for three days this summer. Check out the website to see how to get involved! Tickets available online, and also from The Book Hive, the festival's official bookseller. www.voewoodfestival.com | |
 | Padrika Tarrant 2011-07-20 Born in 1974 in Bristol, Padrika Tarrant received her BA(Hons) in Fine Art (Sculpture) from the Norwich School of Art and Design. In 2005, she was the recipient of an Arts Council England Escalator award for fiction. Her poetry and short fiction have been published in Stride, Birdsuit, Poetry Monthly, Creature and Ink, Sweat and Tears. Padrika’s collection of short stories, Broken Things (Salt Publishing, 2007), was longlisted for the 2008 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. She lives in Norwich with her four-year-old daughter, Jay Rowyn, and a menacing cockatiel called Scribble. This is the launch of her new book - also with Salt - called The Knife Drawer. 6.30 pm. Free | |
 | Harriet Walter Event 2011-07-06 Harriet Walter's new book, Facing It: Reflections on Images of Older Women, edited by Joan Scanlon, is a wonderful collection of beautiful portraits of older women. The photographs, mostly by celebrated photographers, include some stunning portraits of well known figures such as Judi Dench, Bianca Jagger, Mary Quant, Elizabeth Frink and Pina Bausch, as well as those of older women bravely facing the glare of public scrutiny for the first time. "We are all in it together", says Harriet, whose collection of photographs aims to reflect the 'infinite variety' of older women in our society. The images are interspersed with very moving and insightful autobiographical essays by Harriet, and apt quotations from literary texts. For several years, Harriet Walter has been collecting images of older women whose faces and lives have inspired and moved her. In this collection of portraits by a variety of remarkable photographers, Harriet reflects on the process of ageing in a society where older women are often rendered invisible, and asks why their often extraordinary stories are not portrayed in the theatre and in film. She also ponders on her own advancing years and takes courage from the positive examples set by the women represented in this book. Grief and loss, joy and playfulness, humour and tenacity are all present in these pages, showing the grit and determination of older women looking age in the eye and offering some wonderful role models for younger women looking forward. Amidst all the books about how to stay young, this book is a wonderful and unique tribute to women growing old defiantly, and will appeal to anyone who wants to celebrate the beauty, wit and wisdom of their mothers, their friends, or indeed themselves! This is an inspiring book that celebrates the beauty of older women while also exploring the old age of some famously beautiful women. Jane Miller This is a beautiful book. Its message is one of joy and celebration. It holds the fear of ageing at bay and shows us beauty where we rarely look for it. Joan Bakewell A heart-warming and compelling collection of photographs of older women, whose faces we see far too rarely amongst the images that surround us. Anna Ford A really lovely book, so full of good sense — indeed of wisdom. It makes me envious — I wish I had put it together myself! But I end by feeling deeply grateful to Harriet Walter for bringing it off. Diana Athill Harriet Walter is one of England's best known actresses. Her career has spanned film, television and theatre since the late '70's. An associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Compnay, she has earned her position at the top of her profession, highlighted by her recent productions of Mary Stuart at the Donmar and Women Beware Women at the National Theatre. Harriet will be visiting The Book Hive on Wednesday 6th July. Entry is £3, (redeemable against the purchase of books on the night) and includes wine. 6.30pm.Please call 01603 219268 to book. We look forward to seeing you then for this unique chance to meet this inspirational woman. | |
 | Angus Sinclair Poetry Launch 2011-06-29 Promising young poet Angus Sinclair 23, is £2,500 better off after being announced the winner of the fourth Café Writers Norfolk Graduate Commission. Also included in the award is publication of a poetry pamphlet by Gatehouse Press and the chance to read at Café Writers and the Poetry- Next-the-Sea festival. Angus, who is also professional wrestler Johnny Snott, will write a collection of poems based around the theme of wrestling in Norfolk. The sport has a rich history in the county from Lord Nelson and his sailors grappling at The Wrestlers Inn in Great Yarmouth to the present day World Association of Wrestling which brings the sport to local community centres and village halls. Angus, who has graduated last year with a first class degree from the BA in Creative Writing at Norwich University College of the Arts and has just embarked on the UEA’s MA in Poetry said: “I am overwhelmed to have won and delighted to have the opportunity and so much support in writing about a sport I care so much about.” The launch of ANOTHER USE OF CANVAS will be at The Book Hive on the evening of Wed. 29th June at 6.30pm. Free. | |
| Literary translation evening 2011-06-23 Come and join MA students from the University of East Anglia as they read their translations of poems, play-scripts and stories from French, Spanish, Greek and German. Introduced by Professor Jean Boase-Beier Head of the School of Literature and Creative Writing, UEA | |
 | Bernardine Coverley evening 2011-06-09 Bernardine Coverley Thursday June 9th Bernardine Coverley is a gardener and writer. She has lived in Morocco, walked in the Algerian Sahara, observed flora and fauna in Jamaica, Cuba and Chile, and ridden a horse through forests in Hungary. In England she is a tree warden for a rural parish. Garden of the Jaguar Remote Mayan sites reclaimed by trees and vines - toucans, howler monkeys and wild orchids - Zapatista rebel gatherings and endangered turtles - this is a book for anyone who has a passion for plants or even the tiniest bit of wilderness, ever walked in a wood or nurtured a window box. In the tradition of natural science and personal journey, Garden of the Jaguar shows the writer's daily life in a Mexican garden, and the mountains, forests and coast of Chiapas, home to more species of plants, birds and mammals than any other place in North America. "In 2003 I travelled to the heartland of the Mayan world, and worked as a gardener for a pioneering environmental charity. Na Bolom, House of the Jaguar, was founded in the 1950s to protect the Lacandon rainforest and champion the people who lived there. In the same spirit of enquiry as amateur Victorian naturalists, I wanted to observe and record what I saw." Bernardine will also read from her book-in-progress, Eve's Apprentice - "based on my year as an apprentice in a big garden in Essex and also the small rural parish where I live with its hornbeam wood, native black poplars, red deer, barn owls. Vikings sailed up the River Blyth and I like to think that Ubbeston is named for Ubba, one of the viking brothers who killed St Edmund.I've been the tree warden for the last twelve years and with many of the 37 households helped with a hedge survey, plant new trees and go for full moon walks. " This is a return to The Book Hive for Bernardine who came to the shop last July. Known also from the book Hideous Kinky, written by her daughter Esther, she is an engaging and entertaining speaker who conveys not only a great knowledge about the natural world, but also a genuine passion and sensitivity. Free, no tickets, wine... | |
 | The Butterfly Isles 2011-06-01 Patrick Barkham Wednesday 1st June The Butterfly Isles- Butterflies animate our summers but the 59 butterfly species of the British Isles can be surprisingly elusive. Some bask unseen at the top of trees in London parks; others lurk at the bottom of damp bogs in Scotland. A few survive for months while other ephemeral creatures only fly for three days. Several are virtually extinct. This bewitching book charts Patrick Barkham's quest to find all 59 - from the Adonis Blue to the Dingy Skipper - in one unforgettable summer. Barkham brings alive the extraordinary physical beauty and amusingly diverse character of our butterflies. He witnesses a swarming invasion of Painted Ladies, experiences the curse of the Purple Emperor, makes a euphoric sighting of an exceedingly rare migrant and as summer draws to a close, suffers from butterfly burnout. He meets some deeply knowledgeable and eccentric butterfly obsessives and reconnects with lovely, overlooked corners of our countryside. As he goes, he looks back at the butterfly collectors of the past and ahead to a future in which many of our butterflies will struggle to survive on an overcrowded and overheating island. Wry, attentive, full of infectious delight and curiosity, written with a beautifully light touch, "Butterfly Isles" will become a classic of British nature writing. PATRICK BARKHAM was born in 1975 in Norfolk and was educated at Cambridge University. He is a features writer for the Guardian, where he has reported on everything from the Iraq War to climate change: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/patrickbarkham He lives in London and Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk. Patrick will give an illustrated talk, read from (and sign copies of) the book and take questions - all with wine, of course. | |
 | Richard Mabey event 2011-05-25 Richard will read from his new book, The Perfumier and the Stinkhorn: Six Personal Essays on Natural Science and Romanticism Undoubtedly Britain's foremost nature writer, Richard Mabey's most recent book follows hot on the heels of Weeds, published at the end of 2010. This title contains inspiring meditations through the author's rich store of memories. In these elegant, short essays, revered nature writer Richard Mabey, attempts to marry a Romantic's view of the natural world with that of the meticulous observations of the scientist. By Romanticism he refers to the view that nature isn't a machine to be dissected, but a community of which we, the observers, are inextricably part. And that our feelings about that community are a perfectly proper subject for reflection, because they shape our relationship with it. Scientists eshew such a subjective response, wanting to witness the natural world exactly, whatever feelings subsequently follow. Our feelings are an extension of our senses - sight, taste, smell, touch and sound - and here, in a sextet of inspiring meditations, Mabey explores each sensory response in what it means to interact with nature. From birdsong to poetry, from Petri-dish to microscope, this is a joyful union of meandering thoughts and intimate memories. Wednesday 25th May 6.30pm. Free | |
 | Superhero day in the shop!! 2011-05-08 The authors of the brilliant book "101 things to do to become a superhero... or an evil genius! " will be giving a workshop for aspiring young superhumans and evil genii on Sunday 8th May at 10.30 am. Get your cape on and come on down to this once in a lifetime chance to release yourself from being a mere mortal!!! Book now - 01603 219268!!! | |
 | This is what a poet looks like 2011-05-06 The Book Hive and Nasty Little Press bring you THIS IS WHAT A POET LOOKS LIKE - 6-21 May 2011 Following up on the success of last year's Hack-In-A-Box, this year we present 16 poets over the 16 days of the festival, in the shop, writing. Each poet will base themself in the large window at the front of the shop, on a special 'poet's desk', but will then - if they choose - use the whole shop as an arena in which to work for as long as they like on their given day. The result will be a collection of new poems, which Nasty Little press will then publish and have back in the shop for sale as soon as possible. The poets taking part in this extravaganza of wordsmithery are: Fri 6 - George Szirtes Sat 7 - Tom Warner Sun 8 - Lora Stimson Mon 9 - Dean Parkin Tues 10 - Hannah Jane Walker Wed 11 - Luke Wright Thurs 12 - Molly Naylor Fri 13 - Laura Elliot Sat 14 - Nathan Hamilton Sun 15 - Tim Turnbull Mon 16 - Helen Ivory Tues 17 - John Osborne Wed 18 - Martin Figura Thurs 19 - Sam Riviere Fri 20 - Yanny Mac Sat 21 - Tim Clare Come and see them at work, be part of the atmosphere they will absorb and react to, and of course, have a butchers at what a poet actually looks like... Then buy the book you witnessed being created. | |
 | Street Hunt!! 2011-05-05 One of the most exciting things to happen in The Book Hive Win up to £10,000! Street Hunt is a kind of visual crossword puzzle, a treasure hunt where the riches are road names, a story emerging from the page, and your chance to win up to £10,000! A poem has been written with words from Norfolk road names. A book of photographs shows the street signs and their surroundings, but with the names removed. You have to work out what the streets are, using the emerging story of the poem to help you. The first person to submit a correctly completed book with all the right answers wins. The prize is the total cash fund from book sales, with a guaranteed minimum of £1,000 and a maximum of £10,000 if all the books printed are sold. Street Hunt is about getting out into the streets, travelling around the county and talking to people. Joshua Sofaer makes art events, performances and exhibitions that often involve the participation of members of the public. He is interested in the way the ordinary and the overlooked can be visually spectacular, and believes that art can allow people to become more active citizens. Reserve your copy of Street Hunt (£10) by purchasing a special voucher from the Festival box office. You can exchange your voucher for, or buy, a copy of the book from the Book Hive in London Street, Norwich, from midnight on Thursday 5 May. | |
 | Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You 2011-04-21 It is our pleasure to announce the forthcoming publication by Nasty Little Press of Molly Naylor's Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You. How does it feel to have your world blown apart? Britain is booming and Molly moves to London from deepest Cornwall full of naive dreams, high hopes and on a quest to make her life just like the movies. Then on 7/7/2005, she finds herself on a tube blown up by terrorists and her life is forced to take a different direction. Blending poetry and prose with breathtaking illustration, this is the true story of what happened next and how we put things back together after they’ve been blown apart. “I loved Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You. It’s funny, lyrical and sad, and most all does what all the best writing does – makes you tilt your head to one side and think about the world in a different way.” - Jonathan Coe This is a departure for Nasty Little Press. Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You is published in American Comic format,(a bit smaller than A4,) to give the accompanying illustrations from Max Naylor room to show off. The launch is free and open to all so come along for a drink, meet Molly and buy a copy of the book. 6.30pm | |
 | Heidi Williamson first collection launch 2011-03-16 Poetry Book Society Recommendation Heidi Williamson’s first collection is peopled with vibrant and disturbing shadows. The Northern Lights reach down beneath the London skyline, James Dean learns the craft of distance, Darwin staggers across a heaving ship, Coleridge slumbers on to another dream, and The Travelling Salesman turns a calculator on us. Fuelled by a residency at the London Science Museum’s Dana Centre, Williamson’s fascination with science leads her to explore less usual territories for poetry, including mathematics, chemistry, and computer programming, as well as space travel, electricity, and evolution. As she investigates the limits of personal and factual knowledge with ‘eyes wide open’, the driving force throughout is a desire to understand the ‘astonishing state of possibilities’ in the world around and inside us. ‘Heidi Williamson’s poems are about contact with the haunted world. She understands uncertainty and loss, as well as the trace loss leaves behind as memory, memory that acts like a Blitz incendiary waiting to ignite later in life. The sensuousness of language is asserted…through tender explorations of our haunted fabric’ – George Szirtes. Come and hear local poet Heidi read from her first colection and help her celebrate the start of her publishing career. 6.30pm Free. | |
 | Periodic Tales by Hugh Aldersey-Williams 2011-02-24 Everything is made of them, from the furthest reaches of the universe to this book that you hold in your hands, including you. Like you, the elements have lives: personalities and attitudes, talents and shortcomings, stories rich with meaning. You may think of them as the inscrutable letters of the periodic table but you know them much better than you realise. Welcome to a dazzling tour through history and literature, science and art. Here you'll meet iron that rains from the heavens and noble gases that light the way to vice. You'll learn how lead can tell your future while zinc may one day line your coffin. You'll discover what connects the bones in your body with the Whitehouse in Washington, the glow of a streetlamp with the salt on your dinner table. From ancient civilisations to contemporary culture, from the oxygen of publicity to the phosphorus in your pee, the elements are near and far and all around us. Unlocking their astonishing secrets and colourful pasts, Periodic Tales will take you on a voyage of wonder and discovery, excitement and novelty, beauty and truth. Along the way, you'll find that their stories are our stories, and their lives are inextricable from our own – and no nerdy chemistry. Find out why Shakespeare was a chemist and T. S. Eliot a spectroscopist! Periodic Tales is Radio 4's book of the week from 31st January. Come along to The Book Hive to celebrate its launch, have a drink, hear Hugh reading and buy a signed copy of the book! 6.30pm. Free | |
 | Stop Sharpening Your Knives 4 2011-02-03 SSYK4 is edited by the poets Emily Berry, Nathan Hamilton, Sam Riviere, and Jack Underwood. The series is fast establishing a reputation for spotting the best new poetic talent around. This is the launch of the new one. Thursday 3rd Feb.6.30. drinks, readings, copies for sale, editors and contributors mingling with whoever wants to come and join in. Free. | |
| Bridgeworks Launch 2011-01-26 Bridgeworks is an anthology of prose fiction, poetry and autobiography by members of the long-running Creative Writing Group at the Rethink Bridges drop-in centre in Norwich. For many years, the group has met weekly under the auspices of the centre, and all members are welcome. Some of the group have published work nationally, some have not tried our hand at writing since we left school. In this warm and welcoming group, some remarkable work has been created - and Bridgeworks features the best of it. The launch of the anthology is at The Book Hive on Wednesday the 26th January at 6.30 and is free to all. | |
 | Tom Cox reading 2011-01-13 Come and join Tom Cox to celebrate the launch of his new book Talk To The Tail on Thursday 13th Jan. Tom was one of the first people to do a reading at The Book Hive, which included some work in progress of this new book. People who have read his work, (on cat based themes, golf, music etc etc) will know what a great writer he is, but hearing him read is an experience not to be missed. Touching and very funny, his work appeals to everybody, NOT just cat lovers. Come along and see... "Tom Cox is a very funny writer... And he knows his cats." - Kate Atkinson "Made me laugh out loud." - David Sedaris | |
 | Good Morning Nantwich - book signing 2010-12-20 What possesses a right-minded comedian to quit the day job for life as a breakfast radio DJ? 'I have always been very aware that millions of people truly appreciate the breezy banter and lively tone of the majority of breakfast broadcasting. I admit that on occasion I have been known to wake up in a good mood and feel quite chirpy. Unfortunately for me this happens one day a year at most!' -- Phill Jupitus Why exactly would a nationally successful stand up comedian, chuck in the exhilaration and freedom of life on the road for endless Coldplay singles, arguments with BBC management, incredibly expensive coffee and an alarm clock set to 4.30am, five days a week? When the BBC decided to launch a brand new digital radio station that would play alternative music for truly passionate music fans, their first port of call was to elicit the services of Phill Jupitus. With a record collection that ran the gamut from calypso to techno, and a love of radio inspired by his childhood hero John Peel, Phill seemed the perfect choice to launch 6 Music. Phill readily accepted, determined to do something different with such an unexpected yet brilliant opportunity. Little did he know what lay ahead. With the weighty advice of such broadcasting behemoths as Terry Wogan, Steve Wright and Tony Blackburn ringing in his ears, Jupitus tried to shake up the world of breakfast radio for the better one tune at a time. Were the public ready for something new? But more importantly, did they even want it? In Good Morning Nantwich, Phill Jupitus not only discovers the answer but finds out what really makes the listening nation tick first thing in the morning. Phill Jupitus will be in the shop signing from 1pm on the 20th December, where there will also be... mulled wine and mince pies!!! | |
 | Ellen Monaghan winter jewellery show 2010-12-10 Ellen Monaghan, a Norfolk jeweller working in London, will have her first show in Norwich at The Book Hive on December 10th. Showcasing her new work - all of which will be for sale, Ellen will also be taking commissions. Come down and join her for a drink and a rare chance to see some of her beautiful handmade jewellery. 6.30 - 9.30pm | |
 | The Ballad of John Clare - Hugh Lupton 2010-11-24 The Ballad of John Clare tells the story of twelve momentous months in the early life of John Clare. We see him courting his childhood sweetheart, labouring in the fields, having his first sexual encounter, playing the fiddle with the village band. We see him surrounded by a rich oral culture. Above all we see him at one with the landscape that would be his life-long inspiration. But this is no rural idyll. The poaching laws are savage. The enclosure of the parish is about to begin, taking the land held in common and parcelling it out to the local farmers. Starvation and malnutrition are a constant presence. A new social order is at hand. The Ballad of John Clare vividly brings to life the countryside around Peterborough as it would have been two centuries ago, and allows us to empathise with Clare himself. Educated beyond his class, the peasant poet is about to emerge on his short and tragic career. Hugh Lupton will be launching this, his first novel, on 24th November at 6.30pm. Free and unticketed | |
 | Peter Kent's Big Book of Armour 2010-11-18 This is not just a book about medieval knights and Roman soldiers. This title offers something quite different because it looks at every sort of armour, in every application: from a snail to a 50,000-tonne battleship! Armour doesn't just offer protection from bullets and swords, because lethal force can be anything from a lion's claw to a burst of radiation. This entertaining and informative book looks at some rather unusual armour, such as spacesuits, police riot uniforms, builder's helmets, deep sea diving vessels and plastic armour, the material for the armour of the future, as well as examining animal armour and people in armour through the ages. Norwich illustrator Peter Kent launches this book at The Book Hive at 6.30 on Thursday 18th November Free and unticketed | |
 | Boring the Arse off young people 2010-11-10 BORING THE ARSE OFF YOUNG PEOPLE MARTIN FIGURA In Boring the Arse Off Young People Figura turns his wry humour on the middle-aged people who “should be occupying their time with: / jigsaws, / the litter problem, / gravy, / coach trips to the Norfolk Lavender Fields.” But who are instead “doing degrees / with no possible practical application” or having glorious, celebratory sex – “and when we’ve finished / doing what we want to, this flesh will keep moving still.” Midnight walks where “the moon snags on the cathedral’s spire” rub shoulders with nightmares in which an ex-lover squeezes “the creams / for my skin diseases into the bag where my favourite cheese is” in a collection of poems guaranteed to warm the heart and tickle even the most grumpy of rib cages. Nasty Little Press with Martin Figura, 6.30, wed. 10th November | |
 | Larkin - Letters to Monica Norwich Launch 2010-10-26 Tuesday 26th October Philip Larkin: Letters to Monica: Edited by Anthony Thwaite Philip Larkin met Monica Jones at University College, Leicester, in Autumn 1946, when they were both twenty-four; he was the newly appointed assistant librarian and she was an English lecturer. In 1950 Larkin moved to Belfast, and thence to Hull, while Monica remained in Leicester, becoming by turns his correspondent, lover and closest confidante, a relationship which lasted over forty years until the poet’s death in 1985. This remarkable unpublished correspondence only came to light after Monica Jones’s death in 2001, and consists of nearly two thousand letters, postcards and telegrams, which chronicle - day by day, sometimes hour by hour - every aspect of Larkin’s life and the convolutions of their relationship. The letters deal extensively with other writers, living and dead (D. H. Lawrence, Hardy, Katherine Mansfield, Kipling, Dickens, Kingsley Amis), and with the experiences that shaped Larkin’s poems. Anthony Thwaite will be in the shop signing copies. Drinks, Q and A. 6.30 pm No booking required | |
 | Elspeth Barker Book Launch 2010-10-14 Thursday 14th October O Caledonia and short stories – by Elspeth Barker Janet lies murdered at the foot of the castle stairs, oddly attired in her mother’s black lace evening dress, lamented only by her pet jackdaw . . . Brought up in the unrelenting chill of Calvinism and the Scottish climate, Janet turns to her risqué Aunt Lila, to literature and to nature. People, birds and beasts move in a gleeful danse macabre through the lowering landscape in a tale that is as rich and atmospheric as it is witty and mordant. The family motto – Moriens sed Invictus (Dying but Unconquered) – is a fitting epitaph for this wild, courageous girl. Written with lyricism, poetry and remarkable assurance, O Caledonia arrived to great acclaim in 1991 when it won the David Higham Prize and was shortlisted for the Whitbread First Novel Award. The reissue of this neglected classic comes with a selection of short stories. Set either on Norfolk’s crumbling cliffline, in the hills of Tuscany or on a beach in Portugal – ‘The Dance’ is Barker’s response to Paulo Rega’s painting of that title – they are laced with the same mordant wit, tragic possibility and lightly worn erudition that distinguish O Caledonia. Like the recent, ‘Packing for India’, with its shades of William Trevor, these tales of loss and redemption are confirmation that Barker’s particular genius is alive and well. 6.30 pm – Please book a place | |
 | Ronald Blythe book launch and signing 2010-10-07 Thursday 7th October Aftermath – selected writings 1960-2010 - By Ronald Blythe Foreword by Richard Mabey Ronald Blythe’s career began in 1960 with the publication of A Treasonable Growth, a novel set in Suffolk and reissued this year as a Faber Find. It was followed a year later by a collection of short stories, Immediate Possession, but from The Age of Illusion (1963) much of Blythe’s considerable achievement has been non-fiction, most notably Akenfield, his Wormingford diary in the Church Times, his essays on John Clare and his Penguin editions of Hazlitt and Hardy. The publication of Aftermath celebrates Blythe’s unique achievement. Over the last 50 years his gentle, eloquent voice has spoken to us of the countryside, and the literature it has inspired, latterly from his farmhouse hidden away down an ancient track on the Suffolk/Essex border. Here are extracts from his major works, from Akenfield and Divine Landscapes, The View in Winter, his introductions to Hazlitt and Henry James and volumes of war poetry. Here too, for the first time, are essays and reviews – of novels, literary biographies, letters and diaries, anthologies of landscape writing both sacred and topographical. From George Herbert and Traherne, from Gilbert White and Francis Kilvert to Clare and Hardy, Blythe’s place in the English pastoral tradition is assured. Richard Mabey’s foreword is both a tribute to his friend and mentor and a wonderful introduction to this timely anthology. Ronald Blythe will be reading from the book and signing copies from 6.30pm on the 7th October This event is ticketed and cost £3, redeemable against purchasing the book. Booking essential. | |
 | Lovesong - by Alex miller 2010-09-29 The Book Hive is to host one of only two events in the UK for Australian author Alex Miller and his new novel Lovesong. A hugely respected writer in his own country, Miller's work is less known over here. He is conducting a major - if whirlwind - media tour and having a launch and Daunt books, Chelsea and The Book Hive, Norwich. Look out for him in the press and on radio 4's open book, and come along to the free event on the 29th September from 7.30, with wine provided by Australia House. See the 'news' page on this site for more details... | |
 | Olive Oil Tasting 2010-09-24 Think you know about good food? Do you actually know about good food but want to know more? This sort of thing doesn't happen very often, but now is your chance to learn about and taste the best oils and vinegars from around the world, as presented by the man who first bought olive oil, direct from the single estate farms around the Med where he found them, to England some 30 years ago. No more was it something you bought from the chemist to bung in your ear! Since then his range has grown to take in products from around the world, including vinegars so good you want to drink them. You will be able to buy as well taste. Don't miss it. 6.30 - £3, redeemable against books | |
 | Honey tasting 2010-09-09 Come down to the book hive and enjoy a talk and taste by local beekeeper Hayley Draper, (known to many of you as Hayley from the window coffee shop...)A chance to learn about and taste some very local honey, as well as see how it is made by the bees and the beekeeper. Honey cookbooks and bee books will be available on the night. £3 on the door, redeemable against any book purchase. 6.30pm, Thursday 9th September. | |
 | Sushi and Sake evening 2010-09-01 Wednesday 1st September SUSHI AND SAKE Join us for an evening of sushi making and tasting with Shunsuke Tomii, the chef at the fantastic Shiki in Tombland. Watch him at work, ask questions and sample the food and drink. There will be an array of books on Japanese cooking and culture available too. £3 on the door, redeemable against book purchases | |
 | Everything Beautiful 2010-07-27 Come along on Tuesday night to join in the discussion of Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell. This event is part of the Summer Reads campaign run by The Writer's Centre, Norwich. Look on their website for more details. All titles are 10%off in the shop,and signed by the authors. 6.00pm, free and open to all. | |
 | Larkin Evening 2010-06-18 18th June – To mark the 25th anniversary of Philip Larkin's death and as part of Independent Bookseller's Week, we are hosting an evening celebration of the great man. We will be joined by Dr. Mark Rowe of the UEA as well as Anthony and Ann Thwaite, between them bringing an unrivaled expertise and insight into Larkin's life and work. There will also be readings from other poets for whom Larkin is a major influence. This event will start promptly at 6.30 pm. Free entry. | |
 | Coffee and Chocolate tasting 2010-06-11 11th June - Coffee and chocolate tasting, in conjunction with The Window, Norwich's best and the world's smallest coffee shop. ~ Experience cupping! ~ Educate your palate and understand the different flavours in coffee ~ Caffeine talk by Dave Hart ~ Raw chocolate presentation and tasting by Jo Balfe 6.30pm. Free entry | |
 | Yesterday's New School 2010-05-15 The Norwich frings festival 2010 present... Yesterday’s New School 15th May, Book Hive 6.30 Free Last year’s UEA Creative Writing MA graduates give an exclusive reading of their work. Will they still be as witty and relevant nine months past their graduation? How have they fared? Do some of them resemble former X-factor contestants? What insights can they give the aspiring writer? Probably none of these questions will be answered – but still, come along and soak up the atmosphere, hear some prose and get with the new school. | |
.jpg) | Hack-In-The-Box 2010-04-26 From the 7th to the 22nd May 2010, The Book Hive will be presenting a piece of living literary art in one half of its large glass frontage. The dates coincide with the Norfolk and Norwich Festival, when the other half of the window will be used to display a piece of neon work by artist, performance maker and writer Tim Etchells, (www.nnf10.org.uk). But our piece works like this... For one hour every day a different writer will sit inside a purpose built 'Writer's Box'. They will not be able to see out, but the public, via the use of a small viewing hole attached to a periscope, will be able to look in and see them. Inside they will be at work, adding their own contribution to a continuing piece which will ultimately be published as an illustrated book by Gatehouse Press and sold in the shop. The participating writers cover a breadth of styles and genres and are all critically acclaimed in their field. They are: DJ Taylor, Henry Sutton, George Szirtes, Sam Riviere, Sheridan Winn, Jeremy Page,Luke Wright, John Osborne, Anjali Joseph,Sam Jordison, Eloise Millar, Rachel Hore, Tom Cox and Rebecca Stott. Come by and have a look and pre-order a copy of the book, which will be available in the shop from Tuesday 25th. | |
 | Tessa Newcomb 2010-04-21 Wednesday 21st – Tessa Newcomb by Philip Vann Celebrated artist and daughter of the late Mary Newcomb has the Norwich launch of a beautiful new book about her and her work. Tessa sees her art as inseparable from ordinary life. Each of her paintings seems to tell a secret story. Their eerily beautiful atmospheres and curiously juxtaposed imagery recall the art of Christopher Wood (1901-1930). Among her sources of inspiration, she counts ‘watching slow, atmospheric films’, early 20th-century urban photography, ‘going places and rail journeys’ and reading poetry. This well-illustrated book – partly based on the author’s conversations with Tessa Newcomb – is the first survey of this artist of singular vision, with a keen, popular following. It reveals how her subtly multi-layered paintings are illuminated by an interior radiance, an awareness of what she calls ‘Spaces and Silences’, and a rare, magical poignancy. 6.30pm | |
 | William Barr 2010-04-14 Wednesday 14th – William Barr – The Carp Club Mr Barr is an angry man, and rightly so. His first book, Real Football Real Fans is a response to the absurdities and excesses of the Premier League. This one is an attack on the failings, and failures, of our political class in the context of the Parliamentary expenses scandal and the financial crisis. Plenty of readers will have sympathy with his views, but few would have the imagination and wit to express anger in the form of an elegant fable based on carp fishing. Swift and Voltaire come to mind, with an underlying touch of Orwell. Mr Barr's knowledge of fishing is as impressive as his humour; the book raises a number of important contemporary political and social issues in its 170 pages, but is so well written that it is easy to underestimate its importance. Read and enjoy. Local writer Barr launches his new book The Carp Club – a pertinent and fishy take on politics today! 6.30pm | |
 | Bernadine Coverley 2010-04-07 Wednesday 7th – Bernadine Coverley – Garden of the Jaguar Remote Mayan sites reclaimed by trees and vines - toucans, howler monkeys and wild orchids - Zapatista rebel gatherings and endangered turtles - this is a book for anyone who has a passion for plants or even the tiniest bit of wilderness, ever walked in a wood or nurtured a window box. In the tradition of natural science and personal journey, Garden of the Jaguar charts the writer’s journey from daily life in a Mexican garden to the mountains, forests and coast of Chiapas, home to more species of plants, birds and mammals than any other place in North America. 6.30pm | |
 | Sheridan Winn book launch 2010-03-24 To mark the publication of 'New Magic', the latest in the series of her Sprite Sisters books, Sheridan Winn will be having a launch party in the shop on the 24th March. Set in the rolling north Norfolk countryside, Sheri's books have been a hit with children since they first appeared in 2008. This will be the final book in the Sprite Sisters series - The Earth stories are on there way! www.sheridanwinn.com | |
 | D J Taylor new book launch 2010-03-22 We are delighted to welcome D J Taylor to the shop for the launch of his new book 'At The Chime of a City Clock' - an authentic slice of comedy-noir set in 1930's London. Taylor is a Norwich based writer of great acclaim, having written six previous novels as well as being a well known critic and reviewer. Monday 22nd March 6.30pm www.djtaylorwriter.co.uk | |
 | Stripy Horse strolls into town! 2010-03-13 Come and join us kids for a fun morning with Karen Wall and Jim Helmore who created the wonderful Stripy Horse series of books. To mark the launch of the third title - 'Hold On Stripy Horse' in March, Karen and Jim will be here on the morning of Saturday the 13th to do some drawing, reading and playing with anyone who wants to join in. AND you can get your book signed! Free entry 10.30 am | |
 | The Middle Ones record launch 2010-03-06 The first album launch in the bookshop, and not the last. Come and join the band and friends for a bit of a drink and sing-song to mark the release of their new record. | |
 | Poetry evening with George Szirtes 2010-02-12 The Book Hive's second poetry event will be taking place on the 12th February and we are thrilled to have George Szirtes taking part. One of the leading voices in contemporary poetry, George is known to many in Norwich through his teaching, and across the world through his writing. He also - for the those who have not visited it - has a great website on which he writes an excellent blog. (www.georgeszirtes.co.uk) He will be joined by a small collection of up and coming poets who are establishing themselves firmly on the national scene, including some from the Stop Sharpening Your Knives gang. The evening will involve the poets reading some of their own work, as well as favourite pieces of love poetry to reflect the time of the month! All welcome. Free.6.30pm | |
 | John Osborne Poetry launch 2010-02-03 WHAT IF MEN BURST IN WEARING BALACLAVAS? by John Osborne "Yes, I like these poems. There is a warmth, as you'd expect with a balaclava in the title." John Hegley John’s voice is all his own; thoughtful, humorous and down to earth. The poems in this collection occupy a world that poetry often likes to pretend doesn’t exist. They find the simple moments of splendour in the comfortable hum-drum of British life. Modern paranoia lingers in the background but it’s easy to ignore when we can “Sky Plus The Apprentice” and “Graham Coxon has got a new album out soon.” John Osborne’s poetry has been published all over the place, from The Spectator to The Big Issue. Carving out a niche for himself as non-fiction writer his first book , Radio Head – Up and Down the Dial of British Radio was broadcast as Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and serialised in the Daily Mail. | |
 | THE HOSTAGE HANDBOOK 2010-01-29 THE HOSTAGE HANDBOOK by Anthony Grey • Highly-charged diaries of the first western hostage of the modern era, published verbatim for the first time, forty years after his release. • Recorded secretly in shorthand, the diaries chronicle two years of solitary confinement in the heart of Beijing during the chaotic Cultural Revolution, which resulted in three million deaths. • A key part of the author’s fight against isolation and despair, they describe the psychological battle for survival all hostages face – and show how keeping a diary can help face up to many hardships. • Interspersed with reflections on how Anthony Grey sees the ordeal today and how the experience changed his life. Anthony Grey became a foreign correspondent with Reuters after a career in provincial journalism. He reported the Cold War from East Berlin, Prague,Warsaw, Budapest, Sofia and Bucharest before being assigned to China in early 1967 to cover the Cultural Revolution. He became the focus of worldwide headlines for two years when seized as a hostage by Mao Tse-tungs's Red Guards. Since his release, he has gone on to establish himself as a radio and television broadcaster and an international bestselling novelist, translated into 17 languages. Reviews ‘Grey’s experience - through fear, false hope, deep depression, suicidal thoughts and outrage at the failure of the British government to secure his release - is painfully similar to those of his later colleagues in Beirut and Baghdad…Mercifully he came home to sunlight and love – and lived on to work for the BBC and write exciting novels.’ Robert Fisk, The Independent. ‘This real-time journal of two years captivity gives a vivid picture of the afflictions and frustrations he faced and the often mindless and inhumane behaviour of his captors…But it also reveals Tony’s stubborn capacity for inventiveness and imagination, which created an inner space for his spirit’s survival in spite of all.’ Sir John Weston, Britain’s former ambassador to the UN and NATO With the recent release of Peter Moore this book could not be a more important and relevant piece of work. Come and meet the author and buy the book - The Hostage Handbook will be launched at The Book Hive on Friday 29th January at 6.30pm | |
 | Gaza - beneath the Bombs 2010-01-23 Gaza - Beneath the Bombs Author event ‘An honest, forthright account full of compassion and insight. It plunges the reader into Gaza.’ JEREMY HARDY The Israeli offensive in Gaza was described by Amnesty international as ‘22 days of death and destruction’. Defying an international press ban, Sharyn Lock’s eye witness blogs became crucial reading for anyone following the conflict. Sharyn’s candid and dramatic accounts, now published as a book, provide an important glimpse behind the media black-out, of Palestinians who face their oppression with courage and humour. Reading and signing of “Gaza: beneath the bombs” by Sharyn Lock with the author and Dr. Ian Gibson The Book Hive – sat 23rd January 2010 at 4.30pm | |
 | Christmas Drinks!!! 2009-12-21 From 3.00pm on Monday the 21st December, we will be welcoming Christmas in by eating and drinking all afternoon and into the evening. Come and join us...! | |
 | New book by Norwich writer 2009-12-08 'Plumple' - the first children's book by Norwich writer Kerry Davis, (illustrated by Norwich artist Emma Hart) will be launched in The Book Hive on the evening of Tuesday 8th December. Although the event is private, signed copies will be available from then onwards. The book follows Plumple the Polar Bear through all the adventures his dressing-up box can provide...! | |
 | Pop-Up Workshop 2009-12-06 On the afternoon of Sunday 6th December, leading 'paper engineer', (pop-up artist) Robert Crowther will be in the shop talking about, demonstrating and teaching the art of the pop-up. Come along to learn about how he creates his beautiful books and have a go at building a pop-up of your own! Open to kids (5 upwards) and adults too. 2pm. Free. Roberts books will be available to buy and for him to sign. | |
 | leading children's illustrator to visit shop! 2009-12-04 Much loved illustrator Bruce Ingman, creator of such wonders as 'The Pencil', 'The Run Away Dinner' and 'Previously' will be visiting The Book Hive on Friday 4th December at 2.30. He will sign some books, have a cup of tea and say hello to anyone here!Come and say hello - and check out his brilliant website, www.bruceingman.com | |
| Tom Cox Reading 2009-11-26 On Thursday 26th November writer Tom Cox will be coming to the shop to read from various pieces of work in progress, including his new book Talk to the Tail. Tom's previous titles include 'Bring me the Head of Sergio Garcia!' and 'Under The Paw'. Come and join us for an evening with this very funny writer. 6.30.pm www.tom-cox.com | |
 | BOOK LAUNCH: The First Law of Motion by K.R Moorhead 2009-11-20 The Book Hive will host a launch of The First Law of Motion by K.R Moorhead. (krmoorhead.com). Drinks,chat and a reading from the book by Moorhead. Check her website for further details about this book by an author who has been part of The Book Hive gang since the moment the idea was first concieved..." | |
 | The Bookhive Opens! 2009-10-22 The opening day of The Book Hive, This also marks the Norwich launch of Southampton Dada by Nick Rogers, published by new Norwich publisher Cant Books. The Book Hive will host a the launch and copies of the book will be available to buy in store afterwards. |