Press Release Date: Tuesday 8 May 2018, 00.01 ​ Contacts: Louise Gilbert [email protected] / 020 7921 0780 ​ ​ Naomi French [email protected] / 020 7921 0678 ​ ​ Southbank Centre announces its 2018 Literature Season Featuring Gordon Brown, Lee Child, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Reni ​ Eddo-Lodge, Nawal El Saadawi, Roxane Gay, Bryony Gordon, Matt Haig, Tony Harrison, Philip Hensher, A.M. Homes, Anthony Horowitz, Khaled Hosseini, Isabelle ​ ​ ​ Huppert, Razia Iqbal, Margo Jefferson, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Judith Kerr, Barbara Kingsolver, Sabrina Mahfouz, Momtaza Mehri, Caitlin Moran, Ian Rankin, Jeet Thayil ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and more. Also Man Booker 50 Festival in partnership with Southbank Centre featuring Pat Barker, ​ ​ ​ Julian Barnes, Paul Beatty, Peter Carey, Eleanor Catton, Anita Desai, Kiran Desai, Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, David Grossman, Alan Hollinghurst, Kazuo Ishiguro, Howard Jacobson, Marlon James, Deborah Levy, Penelope Lively, Graeme Macrae Burnet, Hilary Mantel, Andrew O’Hagan, Ben Okri, Michael Ondaatje, DBC Pierre, Kamila Shamsie, Cólm Toibín and more. ​ Roxane Gay © Jay Grabiec, Khaled Hosseini © UNHCR / Brian Sokol, Barbara Kingsolver © David Wood, Kazuo Ishiguro © Jeff Cottenden ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Southbank Centre today announces its 2018 literature season, featuring a packed programme of more than 120 speakers and 50 events running from May to December. With the recent reopening in April 2018 of its newly refurbished iconic cultural venues the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room, Southbank Centre’s literature programme once again takes place across the whole 17-acre site including the Royal Festival Hall and the National Poetry Library. 1 Featuring a star-studded line-up of award-winning literary greats, poets, emerging writers, political and social commentators and artists, the season celebrates the best of British and international writing with talks, workshops, exhibitions, festivals, live readings, performances, award ceremonies, family events, book signings and more. Highlights include: ● Exclusive UK and Southbank Centre debut appearances from American essayist, ​ commentator and author of the bestselling book Bad Feminist Roxane Gay who ​ ​ ​ makes her first ever UK appearance in an in-conversation event (10 Dec) and ​ ​ Afghan-born bestselling author of The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini who presents ​ ​ ​ his new book Sea Prayer (4 Sep); ​ ​ ● Exclusive London appearances from leading international authors including ​ heavyweights of American literature Margo Jefferson (1 Jul), Barbara Kingsolver ​ ​ ​ (12 Nov) and A.M. Homes (5 Jul), and Indian poet and novelist c (28 Aug) who each ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ present and discuss their new books; ● Leading British voices including writers and journalists Caitlin Moran (26 Jun) and ​ ​ Matt Haig (3 Jul), former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (5 Jun) and British novelist ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Anthony Horowitz (1 Jun) presenting new books; ​ ● Bestselling British crime writers Lee Child and Ian Rankin making their Southbank ​ ​ ​ ​ Centre debuts in an exclusive London event where they are in conversation ​ ​ ​ ​ together for the first time (15 Nov); ● (B)old - a new festival celebrating age and creativity showcasing writers and artists ​ ​ ​ ​ over the age of 65 including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Tony Harrison, Nawal El ​ Saadawi and Judith Kerr (14 – 20 May); ​ ​ ​ ● Man Booker 50 Festival - a one-off weekend festival of literary debates, readings ​ ​ and masterclasses bringing together more than 60 speakers, including 17 Man Booker winners, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the prestigious literary prize. Speakers include Pat Barker, Julian Barnes, Paul Beatty, Peter Carey, Eleanor ​ Catton, Kiran Desai, Roddy Doyle, Anne Enright, Alan Hollinghurst, Kazuo Ishiguro, Howard Jacobson, Marlon James, Penelope Lively, Hilary Mantel, Ben Okri, Michael Ondaatje and DBC Pierre (6 – 8 Jul); ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The world’s first Instagram Poetry exhibition, showcasing the best of over 1,000 ​ ​ ​ Instapoetry submissions to the National Poetry Library (26 Apr – 1 Jul); ● Awards including the 2018 Forward Prizes for Poetry (18 Sep) and the 2018 Man ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Booker Prize Shortlist Readings (14 Oct); ​ ● Family and education events including a festive show with children’s books duo Julia ​ Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (2 Dec) and a free showcase of poetry reading for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ secondary school students as part of National Poetry Day Live (4 Oct); ​ ​ ● A live reading of Marquis de Sade’s Justine and Juliet by 2017 Golden Globe ​ ​ ​ ​ Award-winning actress Isabelle Huppert (9 Jun); ​ ​ ● The return of London’s award-winning LGBT literary salon, Polari, featuring leading ​ ​ ​ ​ authors from the LGBT community including Philip Hensher (26 Jun). ​ ​ Ted Hodgkinson, Senior Programmer, Literature and Spoken Word, Southbank ​ ​ Centre, said: “We’re thrilled to announce Southbank Centre’s 2018 literature season today ​ ​ which features an extensive and truly exceptional array of award-winning authors, poets and 2 cultural commentators, from a host of Man Booker winners and luminaries distilled from several decades of the prize, to exclusive appearances from world-renowned writers including Barbara Kingsolver and Khaled Hosseini, as well as Roxane Gay in her debut UK event. For the first time in two years our literature season will make full use of Southbank Centre’s entire 17 acre site following the reopening of the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room; we’re excited about the opportunity the reintroduction of these spaces bring, with even more possibilities to spotlight emerging and established writers, as well as present performances and readings that bring literature to life in innovative ways." Tickets for Gordon Brown, Caitlin Moran, Anthony Horowitz, Isabelle Huppert reads Marquis de Sade, (B)old Festival and Man Booker 50 Festival are already on sale. Remaining tickets ​ ​ ​ ​ go on sale to Southbank Centre members on Wednesday 9 May and to the general public on Friday 11 May. For further information and to buy tickets please visit the following websites: www.southbankcentre.co.uk www.nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk Please find further event detail below and a link to full event listings in date order HERE TALKS / IN CONVERSATION EVENTS Southbank Centre is proud to present the first ever UK appearance of celebrated cultural ​ ​ critic and American novelist Roxane Gay who takes to the stage in an exclusive UK event ​ ​ ​ to discusses her career including her most recent book Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body as ​ ​ well as her New York Times bestseller Bad Feminist in the Royal Festival Hall (10 Dec, ​ ​ ​ ​ RFH). Also making his Southbank Centre debut in an exclusive UK event, is the bestselling ​ ​ author of The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and And The Mountains Echoed ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Khaled Hosseini who will discuss his new illustrated story Sea Prayer with journalist Razia ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Iqbal which charts the dangerous voyage made by a father and son away from their war-torn ​ homeland in Syria (4 Sep, RFH). The 2018 literature season features a number of exclusive London appearances from a ​ ​ variety of leading international writers including three female heavyweights of American literature. Winner of a Pulitzer Prize and author of the 2016 Baillie Gifford shortlisted Negroland, Margo Jefferson will be discussing her new book On Michael Jackson, which ​ ​ ​ ​ charts the rise and fall of the pivotal cultural icon, with Jhalak Prize-winning and bestselling author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race Reni Eddo-Lodge (1 Jul, ​ ​ ​ ​ QEH). Author of the Women’s Prize-winning May We Be Forgiven AM Homes will discuss ​ ​ ​ ​ her new book Days of Awe, exploring the aspirations and anxieties of contemporary ​ ​ ​ ​ American life (5 Jul, QEH). Fellow award-winning American author of critically-acclaimed novels including The Lacuna, Flight Behaviour and The Poisonwood Bible Barbara ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Kingsolver presents her much-anticipated new novel Unsheltered which explores the ​ ​ ​ human capacity for resilience and compassion in times of great upheaval in an in 3 conversation event (12 Nov, RFH). And Indian writer, poet and author of the Man Booker Prize shortlisted Narcopolis Jeet Thayil presents his new work The Book of Chocolate ​ ​ ​ ​ Saints which examines the changing social and cultural landscapes of contemporary Indian ​ life (28 Aug, RFH Level 5 Function Room). The season also features leading contemporary British voices. Bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive Matt Haig will be in conversation with journalist and bestselling writer ​ ​ Bryony Gordon to discuss his new book Notes on a Nervous Planet - a personal look at ​ ​ ​ ​ how to stay happy in an age of anxiety (3 Jul, QEH). Comedian and journalist Caitlin Moran ​ ​ returns to Southbank Centre to present her new book How to Be Famous which examines ​ ​ everything from fame and how to deal with it, to why ‘bad boys’ have had their day and why we’re on the verge of a Lady Revolution (26 Jun, RFH). Former Prime Minister Gordon ​ Brown discusses his recent memoir My Life, Our Times which reflects on four decades on ​ ​ ​ the frontline of British politics as well as a look to what happens next (5 Jun, QEH). British novelist and author of over 40 books including the bestselling Alex Rider series Anthony ​ Horowitz discusses his prolific career and what it’s like to write a James Bond novel as he ​ publishes his second book Forever and a Day about the world’s most famous spy