Zadie Smith at Manchester Town Hall

Author Zadie Smith will speak at Manchester Town Hall on 30 August, as a trailblazing event for this year’s Manchester Literature Festival . Smith, whose previous titles include the multi-award winning White Teeth, will launch her new novel NW, a tragi-comedy following four Londoners as they try to make adult lives outside of Caldwell, the council estate of their childhood. The event will be chaired by writer and journalist Anita Sethi. Upcoming MLF events include broadcaster Clare Balding talking about her childhood memoir, My Animals and Other Family, at the Royal Exchange on 14 October, and Science Meets Fiction, a story reading and panel discussion taking place at Mosi on 6 July.

Thu 30 August, Manchester Town Hall, Banqueting Hall, Albert Square, M60 2LA, Tel: 0843 208 0500, 7pm, £8 (£6 conc), www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk