Damien Barr

Award-winning writer, broadcaster and literary champion Damian Barr joins us at Balham Library for an evening of conversation about books, class, culture and the power of storytelling.

Barr is the author of the acclaimed memoir Maggie & Me, which won Stonewall Writer of the Year and Sunday Times Memoir of the Year, and the novel You Will Be Safe Here, shortlisted for six major awards and named a Book of the Year by the Observer, Guardian and Mail. He is a familiar voice on BBC Radio 4, where he has hosted Front Row, as well as his own series Guide Books.

In 2019, Barr brought books back to television with The Big Scottish Book Club, now in its sixth series and syndicated internationally. His broadcasting work also includes Shelf Isolation and the landmark BBC documentary marking Sir Walter Scott’s 250th anniversary. He holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

The conversation will be led by Stuart Eggelton, a writer and playwright whose work explores history, identity and performance. Together, they will discuss Barr’s career across memoir, fiction and broadcasting, as well as his long-standing commitment to widening access to literature.

Barr is a former host of the world-famous Literary Salon, which ran from 2008 to 2023, and a passionate campaigner for libraries. He is a trustee of Gladstone’s Library and lives in Brighton.

In partnership with Balham Library.
Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

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