Litbits: Poets dead and living, Leigh Sales and more

August 28: Evie Farrell, author of Backyard to Backpack: A Solo Mum, a Six Year Old and a Life-changing Adventure, will be in conversation with Amanda Whitley at Paperchain Bookstore at 6pm. RSVP info@paperchainbookstore.com.au or phone 6295 6723

August 28: Dead Poets' Dinner (45 places with 35 places for readers) at University House at 6.30pm. $50 at the door. Bookings: gpage40@bigpond.net.au.

August 29: Leigh Sales will provide the keynote address at the Museum of Australian Democracy on collaboration, communication and wellbeing. Registration at 8am, address at 8.30pm. alea.edu.au/events/event/act-leadership-unconference-2019-individual-registration.

August 29: British author David Nicholls will be in conversation with Alex Sloan on Nicholls' new novel, Sweet Sorrow. China in the World Auditorium, 6pm. anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.

September 2: That Poetry Thing: Farah Beaini, Sue Donnelly and Louis Klee read. Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, 7-9pm. Entry $10 waged/ $5 unwaged, includes open mic.

September 5: At 6pm in the Molonglo Theatre, JG Crawford Building, ANU, in a free ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author event, Irish author John Connolly will be in conversation with Jeff Popple on trends in crime fiction, and Connolly's Charlie Parker crime series. anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.

September 7: Toni Hassan will be in conversation with Dr Kate Flaherty at the launch of Hassan's book Families in the Digital Age: Every parent's guide. ANU Drill Hall Gallery at 3pm. dhg.anu.edu.au/events.

September 9: That Poetry Thing: Sydney poet Andy Kissane and Canberra's Asefe Zeinalabedini will read. Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, 7-9pm. Entry $10 waged/ $5 unwaged, includes open mic.

September 10: At 6pm in the Molonglo Theatre, JG Crawford Building ANU, in a free ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author event, globalisation expert Professor Richard Baldwin will be in conversation with Professor Anthea Roberts on Baldwin's latest book, The Globotics Upheaval. Globalisation, Robotics and the Future of Work. anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.

September 10: The Noel Butlin Archives Centre annual lecture, "Archival Secrets and Hidden Histories: Reasserting the Right to Public Access", will be given by Jenny Hocking, biographer of Gough Whitlam and author of The Dismissal Dossier, at the China in the World Auditorium, 6pm. Bookings at archives.anu.edu.au/events or 6125 2219.

September 14: At Muse at 4pm, Jess Hill will discuss her book on domestic violence, See What You Made Me Do. $15. musecanberra.com.au.

September 15: Diana Plater will be in conversation with Jack Waterford about her novel Whale Rock at Muse at 3pm. musecanberra.com.au.

September 16: At the Cinema Theatre, Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU, in a free ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author event, British author Jasper Fforde will be in conversation with Canberra Times reviewer Colin Steele on Fforde's latest comic novel Early Riser. anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.

September 16: Not Very Quite Presents readings by NSW poets Jo Wilson Ridley and Debra Evelyn. Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, 7-9pm. Entry $10 waged/ $5 unwaged, includes open mic.

September 23: That Poetry Thing: Brisbane poets Angela Gardner and Alan Jeffries. Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, 7-9pm. Entry $10 waged/ $5 unwaged, includes open mic.

September 29: Activist Dennis Altman discusses his memoir Unrequited Love with Frank Bongiorno at Muse at 3pm. $15. musecanberra.com.au.

September 30:That Poetry Thing: Lorne Johnson and Amy Bodossian will read. Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga St Civic, 7-9pm. Entry $10 waged/ $5 unwaged, includes open mic.