Word Christchurch AUTUMN SEASON TICKET UPDATE

AUTUMN SEASON TICKET UPDATE   Tickets to both Steve Braunias and David Walliams have now SOLD OUT. There are still tickets to see Helen Macdonald, Nick Davies, Xinran and David Mitchell, and an Autumn Season pass  is still great value at $70 for all four of these sessions, especially as it incurs only one booking fee on Dash Tickets.   SPOTLIGHT ON:  HELEN MACDONALD                 HELEN MACDONALD: H IS FOR HAWK Tuesday 12 May, 6pm Charles Luney Auditorium, St Margaret's College Book here You might have seen the fantastic double-page interview with Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk in last Saturday’s Your Weekend in The Press.  Did you know she is coming to Christchurch? She will appear live in conversation with Steve Braunias (How to Watch a Bird, Civilisation) on 12 May, talking about the incredible memoir that is taking the literary world by storm. This will be a great meeting of two inquisitive minds, a conversation not to be missed for lovers of memoir, nature writing, and exquisite prose. Helen Macdonald is currently touring the United States, where H is for Hawk is number four on the New York Times hardcover non-fiction bestseller list, which is a huge achievement on top of the awards the book has already won in the UK. News has just come in that the film rights to H is for Hawk have been optioned by Lena Headey, star of Game of Thrones. For more information on the deal, go here. READ: Helen Macdonald writing in the New York Times about ‘The Living Beauty of Wicken Fen’, an example of her extraordinary nature writing. LISTEN: Helen Macdonald interviewed on the Guardian Books podcast.  WATCH: Helen Macdonald interviewed on chat show Skavlan, with interjections from Ricky Gervais (seriously!).  ************************************************************************************************ TALKING HEADS: ASSET SALES Festival goers may remember the packed session ‘Red Zones, Green Frames and Blueprints’, based on Freerange Press’s book Once in a Lifetime: City-building after Disaster in Christchurch. Here is a chance to keep the conversation going. The team behind the book are pleased to present the first edition of Talking Heads, a series of talks that explore the current state of play in Christchurch and expand upon some of the themes and issues discussed in Once in a Lifetime. Join them for a discussion with contributing author Raf Manji about how the council reached its decision to include selling assets as part of its response to Christchurch’s current financial situation (submissions for which close on April 28). James Dann, one of the book’s editors, hosts this event and will field questions from the floor. Thursday 23 April, 5:30–6:30pm BNZ Lounge, EPIC, 96-106 Manchester St, Christchurch ************************************************************************************************ BOOK LAUNCH: GIVING YOURSELF TO LIFE For twelve months, biographer and writing teacher Deborah Shepard kept a journal to help her with a chronic pain condition. Soon she found herself contemplating all of life’s pains and losses, including the devastating earthquakes that shattered her hometown of Christchurch. Searching for a way through, she began observing the natural world on her doorstep and reflecting on family and friendship, flowers, beauty, literature and art. Giving Yourself to Life is the result. Thursday 30 April, 5.30pm – 7pm Knox Church Hall, 28 Bealey Avenue   This will be a special event with music, film and spoken word – ENTRY IS FREE. Please RSVP by Tuesday 28 April to: books@calicopublishing.co.nz.