About This Event

Legendary publisher, Virago, in memory of their pioneering founder Carmen Callil, bring their lecture series, The Carmen Talks, back to The London Library. The third in a series of five, this talk by Kit de Waal reflects on her own activism as a writer, publisher and reader. She'll discuss what she drew on from her earlier careers in social services and criminal law to bring to her writing and publishing; how it informed her about people and exclusion and about goodness. While applauding the work within publishing to make it more inclusive, she will talk about what still needs to be done and how. She says she has never thought of herself as a rebel, ‘more of a miner, excavating from the bottom, getting the good stuff out so it can see the daylight’. This generosity of spirit underpins all her work – her novels, her memoir, her anthologies and her work with many trusts and charities, among them: BookBanks; the Black Writers Guild, Raising Readers, and her new course, Writing Kit. Kit de Waal was born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and a Caribbean father. Her first novel My Name is Leon was published in 2016 and shortlisted for the Costa Book Award. She has since written seven books, including her memoir, Without Warning and Only Sometimes, edited Common People, an anthology of working-class writers, and won many awards. Her most recent novel, longlisted for the Women’s Prize, is The Best of Everything. Our events programme is presented in partnership with Hakluyt & Company, the global strategic advisory firm for businesses and investors. Books by Kit de Waal will be available to buy at the event and online from our partner bookshop Hatchards. This event will take place in person at The London Library. Doors (and the bar) open at 6.30pm, the talk will run from 7-8pm and the bar will close at 8.30pm. Tickets include a glass of wine. Please see our Event Access Guidelines before you arrive. London Library events are subject to Terms & Conditions

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