Book Events

Duet Author Book Event
VG Lee - 'Always You, Edina'
& Will Davis - 'The Trapeze Artist'
Thursday, May 17th, 7pm

Join us for a book reading, Q&A and signing with two great British novelists: VG Lee and Will Davis. Because two authors is twice as much fun!

VG Lee reads from her latest novel Always You, Edina & Will Davis reads from his latest novel The Trapeze Artist

VG Lee - Always You, Edina

'Lee writes with unfailing warmth and wisdom about the comedy and complexity of childhood and family life. A real treat of a novel. I loved it.' --Sarah Waters

An often funny, at times bittersweet novel, Always You, Edina tells the story of endlessly good-natured child narrator Bonnie as she negotiates family and school life in 1960's Britain. Most memorable is her crush on popular classmate Joanna Bayliss, who is alternately encouraging and dismissive, and Bonnie's love for the Edina of the title, her darling, glamorous aunt, whose relationship with other family members proves to be far from simple.

Through Bonnie, VG Lee beautifully explores the inner life of a clever but naive pre-teen, and is particularly perceptive about the nature of burgeoning romantic love during childhood, and a child's growing understanding of the complexities of adult relationships.

As you'd expect from Lee, this is a warm-hearted novel, and at the centre of its warm heart is Bonnie's relationship with her cantankerous raisin-eyed Gran, whom, in the present day, 50 year-old Bonnie visits in a residential home. There are revelations and surprises to come from these meetings, and one in particular had me cheering out loud for Bonnie. Thoroughly enjoyable. --Diva Magazine Will Davis - The Trapeze Artist

A man will endlessly torture his muscles until they shriek and complain. But he will not give in. He will take a hammer to his ceiling until neighbors begin to watch from the window and journalists knock at the door. He will continue to train and hack away at the house until it is finished and the trapeze is in place. Although his parents thought he was nice and kind-hearted and teachers saw him as a good boy, secretly he hated his drab, ordered world and longed for more.

Then, when he was fourteen, a new boy arrived at his school. Edward exuded the coolness of a latter-day Oscar Wilde. Edward listened to Patti Smith, watched Fassbinder films and knew the writings of Gore Vidal, and one evening, would kiss him in the moonlight.

Forty years old and fleeing from a life he can no longer handle, he stumbles upon the circus. Not knowing why, only that he must, he gets in his car and follows after it, refusing to listen to the doubts that plague him, determined to build a new home and family.

The Trapeze Artist draws together the past, present and future of one life to create a work of startling dexterity and vision - a haunting and heartbreaking account of a child, a boy, a man, desperate to free himself from the suffocating weight of his desires, his family and his grief. It speaks of what it is to grow up gay in a straight world, to be unable to communicate with those you love, of the sweat, passions and tempers of circus life, and above all, the longing to break free, and to swing higher and higher...

FREE - ALL WELCOME - Refreshments Available - RSVP on GTW's Facebook (or just show-up)

Further enquiries 0207 278 7654 / sales@gaystheword.co.uk