Frontline Letters - An evening of war poems and creative writing for Cityread London

Frontline Letters - An evening of war poems and creative writing from our writers' groups for @CityreadLondon will take place on Wednesday  30 April from 6-8pm at Deptford Lounge.

This is Lewisham's closing event for @CityreadLondon 2014. Using the theme from the Cityread book, ‘My Dear I Wanted To Tell You’ by Louisa Young, writers in Lewisham's groups have created their own responses to First World War letters. Headlining the event will be author, Carol Harris, who will talk about her new book, ‘Women in the War’ and will also be selling copies.

All are welcome.

Cityread London 2014 - "My dear I wanted to tell you" and "Private Peaceful"

Every year Cityread London gets the whole of London reading the same book. In commemoration of the Centenary this year the title is 'My Dear I Wanted to Tell You' by Louisa Young.

"A letter, two lovers, a terrible lie. In war, truth is only the first casualty. While Riley Purefoy and Peter Locke fight for their country, their survival and their sanity in the trenches of Flanders, Nadine Waveney, Julia Locke and Rose Locke do what they can at home. Moving between London, Ypres and Paris, My Dear I Wanted to Tell You is a deeply affecting and brilliant novel of love and war, telling the story of those who fought, and those who were left behind."

In 2014, for the first time, there is a separate book for younger Cityreaders. Suitable for children of ten and over, Michael Morpurgo's 'Private Peaceful' is a moving account of one young soldier's life on the battlefields of the First World War, and his memories of life at home.

As well as reading the book, a series of events from quiz nights to film showings, readings to animation workshops will take place in libraries around the borough all designed to encourage readers to share their thoughts of the book.

Letters sent from the Front sourced from Lewisham's Archives have been given to all the borough’s creative writing groups so they can write their own response. The finished pieces will be performed at Deptford Lounge on Wednesday 30 April from 6pm along with a talk from author, Carol Harris, about the role of women in World War One. She will also be selling copies of her new book .

Cityread London is working in partnership with HarperCollins Publishers and all 33 London library services. The books are supported by an extensive programme of book groups, film screenings, live performances and workshops taking place across the capital. You can find out more on Twitter and Facebook. Events in Lewisham are listed on our website at http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/news/Pages/Get-Lewisham-reading-this-April.aspx