What’s happening in the literary world
BIRMINGHAM Reni Eddo-Lodge discusses her new book, Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, at Waterstones, High Street, June 7, 6.30pm, free (0121 633 4353)
BRADFORD Bradford Literature Festival, June 30–July 9: with Christopher de Bellaigue, Germaine Greer, Min Kym, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Joanna Trollope and Jeanette Winterson. For details, visit bradfordlitfest.co.uk
BRISTOL An evening with Paul Beatty, at Waterstones, Broadmead, June 5, 7pm, £6/£4 (0117 925 2274)
LONDON Balham Literary Festival, June 8–11: includes Jonathan Dean, Edward Docx, Henry Marsh and Thomasina Miers. Details at balhamliteraryfestival.co.uk
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MELROSE Borders Book Festival, June 15–18: talks and discussions with authors including Melvyn Bragg, James Fergusson, Misha Glenny, Louise Gray, Natalie Haynes, Judy Murray and Arabella Weir. For more information, visit bordersbookfestival.org
Our choice of the best recent books
Missing Fay by Adam Thorpe (Cape £16.99): this superb new novel marks the writer’s return to his best form
Mona Lisa by Martin Kemp and Giuseppe Pallanti (OUP £25): a revelatory study of Leonardo Da Vinci and his most famous painting
The Matter of the Heart by Thomas Morris (Bodley Head £20): history of heart surgery reveals how horrifyingly improvised early operations were
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Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (Faber £14.99): an addictive debut novel with nods to Tender is the Night