Parade’s End Books

Book Club Meeting 25
2023-06-28 19:00 - 20:00 UTC | Parade’s End Books, 406 Richmond Road, KT2 5QF, United Kingdom
This month we are reading Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson.
1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.
At the heart of this glittering world is notorious Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.
With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson brings together a glittering cast of characters in a truly mesmeric novel that captures the uncertainty and mutability of life; of a world in which nothing is quite as it seems. _____
Everyone is welcome and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.
The book is available to buy in the shop or order online.

Rebels Not Muses: an Illustrated Talk with Rosamund Bartlett
2023-07-01 19:00 - 21:00
The women artists of European Modernism.
Join us for an evening with cultural historian Rosamund Bartlett as she paints a new picture of avant-garde experimentation before and after World War One by showcasing the lives and careers of the many unsung female artists who also contributed to the European Modernist movement.
Rosamund Bartlett is a cultural historian with a background in Russia and Eastern Europe whose current interests focus on modernism, opera and the intersection between politics, history and the arts. She has lectured widely at galleries in the UK, including the V&A and the Ashmolean, written for both The Burlington Magazine and Apollo, and in 2020 contributed an article to the catalogue of Tate Britain’s Aubrey Beardsley exhibition.
Tickets £3. Also available to purchase in shop.

Freedom to Think: Protecting a Fundamental Human Right in the Digital Age with author Susie Alegre
2023-07-14 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for an evening with Kingston author Susie Alegre who will be discussing her book Freedom to Think. CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND THE TELEGRAPH.

Part history and part manifesto, Freedom to Think explores how the powerful have always sought to influence how we think and what we buy. Connecting the dots from Galileo to Alexa, human rights lawyer Susie Alegre charts the history and fragility of our most important human right: freedom of thought.
Filled with shocking case-studies across politics, criminal justice, and everyday life, this ground-breaking book shows how our mental freedom is under threat like never before. Bold and radical, Alegre argues that only by recasting our human rights for the digital age can we safeguard our future.
Tickets can be purchased here or in the shop and price includes 1 glass of beer or wine.

A Night of Live Music @ Parade's End
2023-07-22 19:00 - 21:00
We’re so excited to announce a night of live music!
Get your ticket online here or instore for our next music event on Saturday 22nd July, 7-9pm. We’d recommend booking early as live music events are very popular and tend to sell out quickly!

Book Club Meeting 26
2023-08-02 19:00 - 20:00
This month we are reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This is the story of Sam and Sadie. It’s not a romance, but it is about love.
When Sam catches sight of Sadie at a crowded train station one winter morning he is catapulted back to the brief time they spent playing together as children. Their unique spark is instantly reignited.
What comes next is a story of friendship and rivalry, fame and creativity, betrayal and tragedy, perfect worlds and imperfect ones. And, ultimately, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.
Everyone is welcome and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.

Book Club Meeting 27
2023-09-06 19:00 - 20:00
This month we are reading Best Of Friends by Kamila Shamsie.
** SHORTLISTED FOR THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2023 ** CHOSEN AS A BOOK TO LOOK OUT FOR BY THE GUARDIAN, BBC, OBSERVER, DAILY MAIL, IRISH TIMES AND FINANCIAL TIMES **
Maryam and Zahra.
In 1988 Karachi, two fourteen-year-old girls are a decade into their friendship, sharing in-jokes, secrets and a love for George Michael. As Pakistan’s dictatorship falls and a woman comes to power, the world suddenly seems full of possibilities. Elated by the change in the air, they make a snap decision at a party. That night, everything goes wrong, and the two girls are powerless to change the outcome.
Zahra and Maryam.
In present-day London, two influential women remain bound together by loyalties, disloyalties, and the memory of that night, which echoes through the present in unexpected ways. Now both have power; and both have very different ideas of how to wield it… Their friendship has always felt unbreakable; can it be undone by one decision?

Storytime for Pre-schoolers - CANCELLED
2023-09-24 10:00 - 11:00
Join us at the bookshop for storytime for 3 to 5 year olds!
Pam will be reading 2 books – ‘Oh No, George!’ by Chris Haughton and ‘Neon Leon’ by Jane E. Clarke.
Pam is a historian, gardener and dog lover. A believer in the power of kindness, a follower of nature and explorer of all things she believes are interesting! She has lived on the Tudor Estate for 30 years, is a lover of books and reading and is Chair of the Tudor Library Friends group. She looks forward to continuing to explore Storytime tales with youngsters at Parades End Bookshop.
You can register to attend here. Attendance is £4 or free with purchase of book.

Go back Your message has been sent

Name(required)

Warning

Email(required)

Warning

Website

Warning

Message

Warning

Warning.

Submit

Live Music with The Nelson Brothers
2023-09-29 19:30 - 21:30
Join us for an evening of music at the the bookshop on Friday 29th September.
The Nelson Brothers have travelled the world playing gigs and writing songs; from the Midlands to the Isle of Dogs; the Arizona desert to Sydney, Australia; Amsterdam to Bermuda.
Performing a beguiling blend of roots rock, folk and Americana, the British duo have only released four albums under their own name but to those in the know they’ve been ever-present on the scene, whether writing songs in Nashville or winning international acclaim for their liaison with Oscar-nominated American actress Elizabeth McGovern as Sadie and the Hotheads.
Buy your tickets here or in the shop.

Storytime for Pre-Schoolers
2023-10-01 10:00 - 11:00
Join us at the bookshop for storytime for 3 to 5 year olds!
Courtney will be reading two exciting children’s picture books.
Courtney Cornfield is Canadian actor, comedian, improviser, English teacher & a mum whose been a Kingston local for over 20 years. A lover of cats, bright colours and leopard print. She has a love of reading and bringing stories to life with an injection of creativity and flare. Her teens have outgrown story time so she is very excited to be able to carry on reading stories to children. She can be rather silly at times too.
You can register to attend here. Attendance is £4 or free with purchase of book.

Go back Your message has been sent

Name(required)

Warning

Email(required)

Warning

Website

Warning

Message

Warning

Warning.

Submit

Book Club Meeting 28
2023-10-04 19:00 - 20:00
This month we are reading Tin Man by Sarah Winman.
Tin Man is almost a love story. But it’s not as simple as that. It begins with two boys, Ellis and Michael, who are inseparable. And the boys become men, and then Annie walks into their lives, and it changes nothing and everything.
Everyone is welcome to the book club and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.

An Evening with Sean Lusk
2023-10-06 18:30 - 20:00
Join us for an evening with author of the spellbinding BBC Between the Covers book club pick – The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley.
Sean will be sharing his writing journey of his debut novel and signing copies of books purchased on the evening.
FREE to attend, please register below

Go back Your message has been sent

Name(required)

Warning

Email(required)

Warning

Website

Warning

Message

Warning

Warning.

Submit

[FULLY BOOKED] Secrets, Shenanigans and Jane Austen
2023-10-20 19:00 - 21:00
Join us for an evening with 3 local authors as they discuss their novels.
Tony Malcolm’s memoir Chateau Shenanigans follows the journey of a man determined to salvage a crumbling, semi-derelict wreck, but managing to turn himself into one in the process.
Linda Corbett’s What Would Jane Austen Do is a witty, feel good romance.
Tell Me No Secrets by Danielle Coleman is a gripping thriller set in the Cotswolds.
This event is now fully booked. You can check out our other upcoming events here.

An Evening with The American Songbook
2023-10-28 19:00 - 21:00
Noa and her band will take you back to a bygone era through songs published during the Golden Age of Jazz. Performing popular and enduring tunes from the 1930s to the 1950s
Quartet featuring:
Noa Alvarez on vocals
Meredith White on keys
Tormod Sund on trumpet
TBC on double bass
Purchase your ticket here

An Evening with Jonathan Hollins
2023-11-01 19:00
Jonathan Hollins is a senior vet with over forty years experience. Since the mid-2000s, he has worked in the British Overseas Territories of the South Atlantic and has a home on St Helena. There, he looked after the world’s oldest living land animal, Jonathan the Giant Tortoise.
Join us for a Q&A session with Jonathan and the opportunity to buy his memoir Vet at the End of the Earth.
The role of resident vet in the British Overseas Territories of the Falklands, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Ascension encompasses the complexities of caring for the world’s oldest land animal – a 200-year-old giant tortoise – and MoD mascots at the Falklands airbase; pursuing mystery creatures and invasive microorganisms; relocating herds of reindeer; and rescuing animals in extraordinarily rugged landscapes, from subtropical cloud forests to volcanic cliff faces.
Hugely entertaining and affectionate, Jonathan Hollins’s tales of island vetting are not only full of ingenuity and astounding fauna – they are also steeped in the unique local cultures, history and peoples of the islands, far removed from the hustle of continental life.

​£5 ticket price goes towards purchase of book. Purchase your ticket here.
Dogs are welcome to attend.

Book Club Meeting 29
2023-11-08 19:00 - 20:00
This month we are reading The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph.
Meet Charles Ignatius Sancho: his extraordinary story, hidden for three hundred years, is about to be told.
Everyone is welcome to the book club and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.

Beauty and Books Shopping Evening
2023-11-15 18:30 - 21:00
Join us on Wednesday November 15th for an early Christmas shopping evening.
Catherine from Temple Spa will be bringing along her wonderful beauty products with the new Christmas range and some fabulous special offers.
Along with our range of fabulous books for all the family, this is an evening where you can get lots of gifts ticked off that list!
There will also be bubbles and chocolates for everyone!
No need to book, just turn up!

Kingston Writers Club
2023-11-20 19:00 - 20:30
They say we all have a book in us!
Have you been thinking about writing that first novel? Or maybe you’ve already started and don’t know where to go next.
Whether you are already writing or thinking about starting, getting together with like-minded people is a great way to share ideas, resources and to provide each other with moral support.
Kingston Writers Club is held on the 3rd Monday of each month. We will discuss writing, share tips and even have visits from publishers and authors. The club will be yours to make it what you want.
All welcome.
£5 (includes, tea, coffee or wine).
Register your interest below.

Go back Your message has been sent

Name(required)

Warning

Email(required)

Warning

Website

Warning

Message

Warning

Warning.

Submit

An Evening with Erin Kelly
2023-11-30 18:30 - 20:00
Join us for an evening with Erin Kelly as she discusses her latest novel, The Skeleton Key.
Erin Kelly is a well respected author of several critically acclaimed thrillers, including The Poison Tree which was adapted into an ITV series. She was also chosen to write the novel version of the mega-hit TV series Broadchurch.
The Skeleton Key is a story of one book, two families and a lifetime of obsession, inspired by the author’s love for Masquerade.
Erin will host a Q&A session, followed by signing copies of books purchased on the evening.
Free to attend. book your place here

[SOLD OUT] Wine & Cheese Tasting
2023-12-02 18:00 - 21:00
Join us for an evening of wine tasting presented by local wine merchant Andrew of Taylor’s Wines. There will be a range of 12 wines for you to try, all handpicked by Andrew to inspire your tipples over the festive season.
Drop in any time between 6 and 9pm for your tasting. Each wine will be paired with cheese from The French Comte (Ham Parade Market). Andrew will have special offers for anyone ordering wine from him on the evening.
We are also offering 10% discount on any books purchased on the evening.

Book Club Meeting 30
2023-12-06 19:00 - 20:00
This month we will be reading Fight Night by Miriam Toews.
“You are a small thing, and you must learn to fight.” Swiv has taken this advice too literally. Now she’s suspended from school, in the care of her foul-mouthed, hilarious grandmother.
Mom is busy being pregnant, so Grandma gives Swiv a very different education. Swiv learns maths with Amish jigsaws and How to Dig a Winter Grave. Grandma’s methods may be unorthodox, but she has faced the worst of life with a wild, independent spirit and this is what she hopes to pass on.
Time is running short. Grandma’s health is failing and the baby is on the way – can Grandma inspire this fire in Swiv, and ensure it never goes out?
Everyone is welcome and we encourage newcomers.

Festive Lock-in
2023-12-14 18:00 - 21:00
Join us for a festive lock-in, where you will be treated to mince pies and recommendations for all your Christmas present-buying. We are also offering our free gift-wrapping service for all books purchased that evening.
Our booksellers will be on-hand after hours to give you the best advice in the business, whether you’re buying for your children, your other half, friends, or that tricky uncle who only reads books about fishing. Whatever it is, we have got you covered!

Festive Lock-in
2023-12-19 18:00 - 21:00
Join us for a festive lock-in where you will be treated to mince pies and recommendations for all your Christmas present-buying. We will also be offering our free gift wrapping service.
Our booksellers will be on-hand after hours to give you the best advice in the business, whether you’re buying for your children, your other half, friends, or that tricky uncle who only reads books about fishing. Whatever it is, we have got you covered!

Book Club Meeting 31
2024-01-10 19:00 - 20:00
This month we will be reading Antarctica by Claire Keegan.
A secret one-night tryst in the city. A sister’s revenge. A love-struck doctor. A missing girl. In ‘Antarctica’, an astonishing sequence of stories, one of our most gifted writers illuminates human longing and fallibility in all its variety.
Everyone is welcome and we encourage newcomers.

Poetry, Jazz, Art and Storytelling with Well Books
2024-01-26 19:00 - 22:00
You can purchase your ticket in store or here

Book Club Meeting 32
2024-02-07 19:00 - 20:00
This month we will be reading Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin.
An extraordinary story of the journey of one young family through love, loss and unwavering hope.
Everyone is welcome to the book club and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.

Dog Days!
2024-02-11 12:00 - 16:00
We want to celebrate our doggie customers so pop in to see us with (or without) your pooch for our first Dog Day!
We will have Stephanie Howard who is a renowned pet sketch artist and she will be in the shop from 12.00-16.00 to create amazing sketches of your dog.
We will also have highly acclaimed dog trainer Aftab Ahmed with us from 14.00. Aftab has written a book on training called To Be Frank and you can pop in to ask him about any issues you have with your dog, plus learn more about his book.
All dogs who come to see us will get treats from The Four Legged Foodies.
The event is free but there is a £25 charge for dog sketch which you can order here. We will then contact you to arrange for you to submit a photo to use as the sketch.

Serkan Trio Jazz Evening
2024-02-24 19:30 - 21:30
Some tunes you know and some improvisation you don’t!
Don’t miss this evening of chamber jazz with the Serkan Trio.
Serkan Cakit – keyboard, vocals
Andrew Blake – sax, flute, vocals
Alan Durant – double bass
This is a highly popular event so book your place here to avoid disappointment!

Book Club Meeting 33
2024-03-13 19:00 - 20:00
This month we are reading The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff.
Join us for a darkly humorous feminist revenge thriller. Geeta is believed to have killed her vanished husband – a rumour she hasn’t bothered trying to correct. Life as a widow is more peaceful than life as a wife… until the other women in her village decide they want to be widows, too.
Everyone is welcome to the book club and we encourage newcomers. Just drop us an email to join.

An Evening with Claire Martin
2024-03-14 18:30 - 20:30
Join us for an evening with Claire Martin as she discusses her book Heirs of Ambition – the making of the Boleyns.
This is a free to attend event and you can book your place Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastEmail *Event *Let us know which event you would like to register forSubmit
Heirs of Ambition: The Making of the Boleyns uncovers the story and the family behind England’s most obsessed-over queen, Anne Boleyn.
From the fields of Norfolk to the royal court, via city commerce, local government, liberal education and numerous wedding bells, the Boleyns emerge as just one of many newly prosperous and ambitious families seeking to make the best of a changing world. As they struggle upwards, England is visited by famine, plague, revolt and civil war – but also opportunity.
Struggling peasants in dirt-floored cottages scratch a living on tiny scraps of land. More than half are swept away by plague while revolt soaks the south-east in blood, but hope lies in the teeming, timber-framed streets of London amongst ambitious merchants who speculate and scheme. Meagre rations become venison pasties and straw-filled mattresses, featherbeds, but some things remain the same. Disease has no respect for gold and silver; war takes sons whose lives have barely begun. While the Boleyns’ new-found wealth delivered power and status, they still lived in a violent world and life could be precarious, even for a queen.
From steady climb to bone-breaking fall, the Boleyns’ story is medieval life at its messy, prejudiced and unstable best.

Floored Book Launch
2024-04-04 18:30 - 20:30
Join us for the book launch of “Floored” – the debut romcom from Chrissie Harrison. Browse the bookstore, mingle, and enjoy free fizz!
“In order to expose her sexist boss, sparky but socially anxious Hannah must hope her daring scheme to bug the office lift doesn’t backfire. However, when she accidentally gets talking to lovelorn accountant Drew, she becomes distracted with the impossible dream of romance.
If she can summon the courage to meet him in person, perhaps together they can catch the preying boss without being discovered… and without damaging their fledgling relationship.”
FLOORED is a charming romantic comedy guaranteed to give you a lift.
This wonderful, laugh-out-loud, will-they-won’t-they romcom is perfect for those who loved Beth O’Leary’s “The Flatshare”, Laura Jane Williams’ “Our Stop”, or Sally Thorne’s “The Hating Game”.
This book is the debut of Chrissie Harrison, the pen name of Chris Towndrow who has published a dozen novels over the last decade.
No need to book – just turn up!
