EVENTS

EDINBURGH: Seamus Heaney reads from his new collection of poems The Spirit Level at the Assembly Rooms, 54 George St; Mon 6, 7.30pm, pounds 7/pounds 5. 0131 220 4348

SWINDON: Stroud Football Poets perform in the Supporters' Lounge, Swindon Town FC, Country Rd; Mon 6, 8pm, pounds 2/pounds 1.50. Info: 01793 644510

BRIGHTON: Festival continues. Highlights include science writer Richard Dawkins (Wed 8, 6pm, pounds 5/pounds 4), novelists James Buchan, Piers Paul Read, Louise Doughty (Wed 8, 8pm, pounds 4/pounds 3), and poets Peter Redgrove and Penelope Shuttle (Sat 11, 5pm, pounds 4/pounds 3). All at the Pavilion Theatre, New Rd. Box office: 01273 709709

OXFORD: Richard E Grant reads from With Nails, at the Playhouse, 11-12 Beaumont St; Tue 7, 5pm, pounds 3 (inc pounds 1 off book). 01865 798600

CANTERBURY: John Michell talks about his book Who Wrote Shakespeare? at Waterstone's, 20/21 St Margarets St; Wed 8, 7pm, free. 01227 456343

BRADFORD: Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko reads at the Central Library, Princes' Way; Thur 9, 7.30pm, pounds 5/pounds 3. 01943 601210

LONDON: Giles Smith reads from Lost in Music at Filthy MacNasty's, 68 Amwell St, EC1. Thur 9, 8.30pm, pounds 3. Info: 0171 609 2543

Kazuo Ishiguro reads from The Unconsoled at the Almeida Theatre, N1; Thur 9, 6pm, pounds 6/pounds 4. 0171 359 4404

MANCHESTER: Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar talk about the Norton Anthology of Literature by Women, at Waterstone's, 91 Deansgate; Thur 9, 7pm, pounds 3. 0161 832 1992

NORWICH: Novelist Candia McWilliam reads at the Studio, UEA; Thur 9, 7pm, pounds 3.50/pounds 2. 01603 592810

BIRMINGHAM: Readers' and Writers' Festival begins Fri 10, when the Liverpool Poets (Henri, McGough, Patten) team up with Willy Russell for poems and songs; Town Hall, 7.30pm, pounds 9.75/ pounds 7.75. Festival office: 0121 235 4244

SCARBOROUGH: Alan Bennett reads at the Stephen Joseph Theatre; Sat 11, 5.45pm, pounds 3.50. 01723 370541