Last night, I met up with a friend to check out a Book Slam. She'd been before, but  I didn't quite know what to expect. For a moment, I even worried it could be like a pillow fight with books. Then I realized I have been to poetry slams before, and they were fairly non-violent events.

If you enjoy a night of literature, but wish it had a bit more entertainment,  a book slam is a great compromise. This particular event was hosted at The Grand in Clapham. Since the venue is a night club, the event differed from most book-type events I've attended. The Slam itself was like a literary round robin with a host, three performers and a dj.

The event was advertised to start at 7:30, but the host didn't appear on stage until just after 8. He opened by reading the poem "Invisible Kisses" and was followed by  performances / readings by Inua Ellams (a poet, playwright, and performer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (a novelist), and Nick Mulvey (a singer / songwriter). Performances were interspersed with tunes from a DJ.

All in all, it was a fun night. As a warning, tickets, which are only about £6, have been selling out quickly, since the series received a mention in Stylist.