Climate change, grime and black masculinity, mobile phones, young adult fiction, short stories and more

The fifth annual Archway With Words runs September 21 to 28 with something for everyone from well known names and faces to emerging literary talent.

The festival opens with The Return of Will Self talking about his latest book, Phone, which looks at the proliferation of mobile phones and the decline of privacy (September 21, 7:30pm).

Two Young Adult fiction authors, Alex Wheatle and Patrice Lawrence, present their latest works. Wheatle, who won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for Crongton Knights, presents the latest in the series, Straight Outta Crongton. Lawrence won the Waterstone’s Children’s book prize for older children with Orangeboy and now talks about her second novel, Indigo Donut (September 22, 5pm).

Celebrated actor Harriet Walter has played nearly all of Shakespeare’s’ heroines and after that, where do you go next? Her solution was to take on the Bard’s male characters: Brutus, Prospero, Henry IV. In her second book, she talks about how she worked on these roles. (September 23, 5pm)

Dr Emily Shuckburgh is a climate scientist from the British Antarctic Survey and a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. Dr Tony Juniper joins her to talk about climate change: the causes and consqaueneces of climate disruption and new clean technologies. (Septmeber 23, 6:30pm)

Jeffrey Boakye takes audiences on a journey through Black Masculinity, Millennials and the Meaning of Grime. He is an education blogger and author of Hold Tight, a book about being black, British and born after 1980, which celebrates 50 key songs that make up Grime and the context that surrounds them. (September 24, 3.15pm)

Five of Arachne Press’s best short story writers come together to talk not-so-tall tales: Katy Darby, Caroluyn Eden, Liam Hogan, Wendy Gill and Arachne Press editor, Cherry Potts. (September 27th, 6:15pm)

Finishing up the festival is professor of genetics, TV and radio broadcaster and writer Steve Jones. Talking on Revolutionary Science In The Age Of The Guillotine, Jones transports us to Paris and considers the unique setting that saw scientists active in politics, often paying a heavy price for their contributions. (Setpmeber 28, 7:30pm)

The festival takes place between Archway Methodist Church, Archway Library, Hargrave Hall and Archway Market.

A full programme is at archwaywithwords.com where you can also buy tickets.