An evening with Vanessa Kisuule

Join us on Tuesday 26 November, 7pm, when we'll be joined by the award-winning poet and writer, Vanessa Kisuule, to celebrate the publication of her debut non-fiction book, NEVERLAND: The Pleasures and Perils of Fandom.

Vanessa will be in conversation, before answering questions from the audience and signing copies of NEVERLAND.

Tickets are £6/ £20 (inc. a copy of the book) and complimentary drinks will be provided. Tickets are non-refundable and if you can't make the event and would like a signed & dedicated copy of NEVERLAND, email [email protected] and we'll sort that for you.
About NEVERLAND:
'One of the most interesting writers at work in this country today. An exhilarating stylist and a beautiful thinker.' --- Max Porter

'This book doesn’t just tell a story – it grips you, challenging you to confront the complexities of hero worship and the deep, often conflicting emotions that come with it – and absolute must-read.' --- Caleb Femi

'With unflinching precision, Kisuule examines how cultural icons shape and sometimes distort our moral landscapes. She is a remarkable thinker who seeks to understand rather than judge.' --- Nathan Filer

'Neverland is a brutal, brave and beautifully written book that asks uncomfortable questions and exposes uncomfortable truths.' --- Yomi Adegoke

The debut work of non-fiction by award-winning slam poet Vanessa Kisuule, this is a love letter to the musicians we adore and an unflinching look at the costs of hero worship

Vanessa Kisuule is a big Michael Jackson fan. This fixation once gave her great joy, but now it keeps her up at night. In her bracingly honest, energetic and lively book she explores the fall-out from that fandom and how, or if, we can hold people to account whilst loving them at the same time.
Why do famous musicians mean so much to us? How does the pop culture machine both mirror and magnify the worst aspects of human nature? Why is it so hard to accept that the people we love, famous or not, are capable of doing terrible things?
As debates rage on about abusive public figures, Kisuule asks not just if we should separate the art from the artist, but how this moral conundrum informs the way we shape our relationships, families and notions of social justice. Witty, poetic and with references to R. Kelly, Britney Spears and a host of other famous faces, Neverland is both an ardent love letter to the music we love and an unflinching look at the costs of hero worship.
About VANESSA KISUULE:

Vanessa Kisuule is a writer, performer and facilitator based in Bristol. She has won over ten poetry slam titles and performed nationally and internationally. She has worked with the BBC, British Library, Tate, Royal Academy of Arts, Bristol Old Vic and Glastonbury Festival. She was the Bristol City Poet for 2018–2020, wrote and presented The Poetry Detective for Radio 4 and has two poetry collections with Burning Eye Books. She is the co-tutor for the Southbank New Poets Collective alongside Will Harris. Neverland is her debut non-fiction book.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The West Kirby Bookshop, 6 Grange Road, Birkenhead, United Kingdom