UK

The Best of Young British Novelists: Past, Present and Future
17 March, 10 a.m., The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival, Bodleian Convocation House, Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH. £11. Sold Out.

In 1983, Granta’s 20 Best of Young British Novelists defined a generation and helped make Martin Amis, Pat Barker, Salman Rushie, Rose Tremain household names. This April, Granta will announce the fourth edition of this much-anticipated selection. What’s in a list? In the past 30 years, which stories continue to matter at home and on the world stage? What makes us seek out certain voices again and again? What do we want to see from this next generation of British novelists?

Drawing on their experiences as past Best Young British Novelists, Rachel Seiffert (2003) and Ben Okri (1993) join author and judge of the 2013 list Romesh Gunesekera for readings and conversation about British writing, then and now. Chaired by Granta deputy editor Ellah Allfrey.

The Announcement of the Best of Young British Novelists 4 (By Invitation Only)
15 April, 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m., The British Council, Spring Gardens, London, SW1A 2BN.

Granta announces the twenty British novelists under forty who have made the 2013 list, followed by a celebration.

London Book Fair 'Love Learning Seminar': What's in a 'Best of' List?
16 April, 11.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., Thames Room, EC1, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London, UK, SW5 9TA. Free to fair attendees. Please see the London Book Fair programme for details.

The publishing industry and literary critics have the power to shape the canon for a new generation of readers, thinkers and agents of culture. What is the function of a best-of list and what does this mean in a hypercanonical age? Are lists like the Granta Best of Young Novelists lists still relevant in an age where lists are generated by everyone from Flavorpill to Amazon users? Are they still effective tools for soft diplomacy? At what point do lists lose their impact or does good taste never lose its audience?

The day after the announcement of the fourth instalment of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists, Alex Clark (former Granta editor, Best Young British Novelists 2003 judge and critic), Philip Hensher (author and critic), Susie Nicklin (Director, British Council Literature) and Granta editor and Best Young British Novelists 2013 judge John Freeman explore what's in a list.

The London Launch
16 April, 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., Waterstones Piccadilly, 203-206 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HD. Tickets are £5/£3 for Waterstones card holders and Granta subscribers. Call the store to book: 0843 290 8549.

Join the Best of Young British Novelists from the 2013 list and Granta for conversation and readings, followed by a drinks reception.

The Best Young Novelists Soho Litcrawl
17 April, 6 p.m to late. Various venues, Soho, London. Free. RSVP to events@granta.com to ensure entry. Drop-ins are welcome on the night.

Join the Best Young Novelists for a literary crawl around four venues in Soho. At each venue, writers from the 2013 list will read their work and be interviewed by a Granta editor. Each event will last 40 minutes, leaving enough time to walk to the next venue. We'll end the night at the Phoenix Artist Club for drinks and mingling.

• 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Alleycat Bar, 4 Denmark Street, London, WC2H 8LP

• 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Claire de Rouen, 125 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EW

• 8 p.m to 8.45 p.m.: Ray's Jazz at Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB

• 9 p.m. to late: The Phoenix Artist Club, 1 Phoenix Street, London, WC2H 8BU

Cambridge Wordfest: The Cambridge Launch
18 April, 6.30 p.m., Heffer's Bookshop, 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 1TY. £8/£6 concessions. Contact Heffer's for tickets: heffers@heffers.co.uk.

In 1983, Granta devoted an entire issue to new fiction by 20 of the ‘Best of Young British Novelists,’ and did so again 10 years later. From Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie, Kazuo Ishiguro, to Zadie Smith, these lists have offered a revealing snapshot of a generation of writers about to come into their own. Join us for a reading and discussion with three of Britain’s best, including judges of the 2013 series and this year’s newly announced novelists.

The Birmingham Launch
23 April, 6.30 p.m., Waterstones, 128 New St, Birmingham B2 4DB. Ticket details to come.

Join the Best of Young British Novelists for readings and conversation hosted by a Granta editor.

The Bristol Launch

24 April, 7 p.m., Waterstones, 11A Union Street, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3XD. Ticket details to come.

Join the Best of Young British Novelists for readings and conversation hosted by a Granta editor.

The Manchester Launch
25 April, 6.30 p.m., The International Anthony Burgess Foundation, in association with Blackwell’s, Engine House, Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge Street, Manchester, M1 5BY. Free.

Join the Best of Young British Novelists for readings and conversation hosted by Granta online editor Ted Hodgkinson.

The Bath Spa Launch
25 April, 7 p.m., Topping & Company Booksellers, in association with Bath Spa University, The Paragon Bath, Somerset BA1 5LS. Free.

Join the Best of Young British Novelists for readings and conversation hosted by Granta deputy editor Ellah Allfrey.

London Literature Festival: What Is There Left to Write About?
26 May, 4 p.m., Southbank Centre, London.

Details to be announced.

York Festival of Ideas: New Writing Weekend
15 June, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD. Free.

Details to come.

The Leeds Launch
8 May, 6.30 p.m., Waterstones, 93-97 Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5JS.
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Details to be announced.

Worlds Festival: The Norwich Launch
19 June, evening, Norwich.

Details to be announced.

Hendrick's Carnival of Knowledge
7 to 11 August, 12 p.m. to 11.30 p.m., Edinburgh.

Details to be announced.

Edinburgh International Book Festival
10 to 26 August. Edinburgh.

Details to be announced.