February Events At Backstory
Who doesn't love bookish chats over a glass of wine?
February might be the shortest month (and one of the coldest), but that’s no reason not to enjoy yourself. Luckily for you, we have a fantastic line-up of authors at Backstory with five events spread across the month. Why not brave the cold and join us?
If you’ve never been to one of our events, they’re wonderful and cosy evenings where you can buy a glass of wine, take a seat, and hear from award-winning authors. For February, we have quite the range of topics from poetry to modern dating to Keir Starmer’s Labour. Take a look at the full line up below.
-Darby
The 2025 Backstory Reading Challenge
Back by popular demand, we’re reintroducing our annual reading challenge, though this time with a twist. The 2025 Backstory Reading Challenge Cards have a spot for every month. At the start of each month, we’ll give you a new challenge to complete, and you can fill it in as you go along. Once you’ve finished the whole card, pop into Backstory for a free hot drink!
Our January challenge is: Stories Set in Winter.
Pick up a card at Backstory or download one here to get started.
Our kids’ reading challenge has the same prompt for this month. Download a kids’ card here.
February Events Line-up
Pádraig Ó Tuama at Backstory - Wednesday 5 February, 7:30pm
We’re thrilled to welcome to Backstory Pádraig Ó Tuama to talk about his newest Unbound poetry collection, which presents us with poetry all about human connection. With an observant eye, Pádraig Ó Tuama shares an enlightening meditation on each poem, revealing the ways we relate to each other, the world around us and ourselves. There will be a short reading and a chat about all things poetry.
Marianna Spring at Backstory - Wednesday 12 February, 7:30pm
Mariana Spring, BBC’s first disinformation and social media correspondent, will be joining us to discuss her book Conspiracyland. Highly relevant and urgent, Conspiracyland explores online trolls, misinformation, social media, and conspiracy theories to ask what drives people to threaten others online? And what does this phenomenon mean for society?
Rachel Thompson at Backstory - Tuesday 18 February, 7:30pm
Just after Valentine’s Day, we’re excited to welcome sex and dating journalist Rachel Thompson to Backstory. Her book The Love Fix discusses modern dating, interweaving research, interviews, and her own anecdotes.
Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund at Backstory - Wednesday 19 February, 7:30pm
Political journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire will be joining us at Backstory to discuss their book, Get In. A behind-the-scenes account of Labour under Starmer, Get In is richly peopled with the major figures of Labour present and past, as well as those who were pulling the strings of power out of sight.
Sophie Elmhirst at Backstory - Wednesday 26 February, 7:30pm
What a treat to bring to Backstory award-winning journalist Sophie Elmhirst, author of our 2024 non-fiction book of the year. Maurice and Maralyn is a gripping true story about a couple who leaves everything behind to set sail for New Zealand. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive – not just at sea, but in life.
Join our club
Want to have more Backstory in your life? Why not:
Join our fiction or non-fiction book clubs, which meet every month on Zoom with each book’s author. We’ve heard from winners of the Pulitzer, Nobel and Women’s prizes, and big names like Patrick Radden Keefe, Caleb Azumah Nelson and Christina Lamb. Join for £15 a month or come to a one-off session for £16.
Take out a Backstory book subscription, tailored to each individual recipient. These start from £60 for three months (or £45 for kids) and make brilliant presents.
I'll try to join your Backstory reading group once I clear up this mess on my January calendar! Finding new reads and being able to talk about them with others is always a pleasure.