The Manchester Writing School at MMU and the Burgess Foundation present Rachel Lichtenstein in conversation with David Cooper, the latest in a series of free events looking “under the bonnet” to examine the mechanics of outstanding contemporary literature. Rachel Lichtenstein’s first book, Rodinsky’s Room (1999, co-written with Iain Sinclair), began as a personal quest and evolved into a compelling psycho-geographical adventure and is now considered a classic of its genre. Diamond Street: The Hidden World of Hatton Garden, was published to critical acclaim in 2012 and is the second in a trilogy of non-fiction works exploring different London streets. The first book in the street series, On Brick Lane (2007), was short-listed for the Ondaatje prize. Estuary: a deep exploration of place will be published in 2015. Rachel will be talking about her work in conversation with MMU’s David Cooper, and answering questions from the audience. Dr David Cooper’s academic publications include the collections Poetry & Geography: Space & Place in Post-war Poetry (Liverpool University Press, 2013) and Literary Mapping in the Digital Age (Ashgate, 2015). He is also a co-editor of the international journal Literary Geographies. Drinks will be available to purchase from the bar and there’ll be a Blackwell’s bookstall, with signing after the event. Contact events@anthonyburgess.org to book your place. Supported by the MMU Institute of Humanities and Social Science Research and Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.