The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline that Listened by Adam Zmith & Tash Walker (published by Faber)

Join us for a special live Q+A with authors Tash Walker and Adam Zmith celebrating The Log Books: Voices of Queer Britain and the Helpline That Listened

You’ll have the chance to hear directly from Tash Walker and Adam Zmith about the powerful stories behind The Log Books. This conversation will be hosted by local celebrity Serena James, “the voice of The Log Books”, who will bring her own unique perspective to the discussion.

About the Book

In a crawlspace at the offices of Switchboard, a queer helpline in operation since 1974, lies dozens of log books kept by volunteers describing the phone calls they had taken: a teenager whose parents had kicked them out of their home for dressing as the wrong gender; a lesbian terrified of having her baby taken away from her; a man arrested for chatting up another man in a public toilet; a young person wanting to know how to come out.

Tash Walker and Adam Zmith came of age in the time of Section 28, a law which banned councils and schools ‘promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’. In recovering these logs, they encountered people grappling with feelings, questions and problems both familiar and different. They set out to learn from – and sometimes speak to – people on both sides of the calls.

‘ESSENTIAL READING, GROUNDED IN THE PAST WHILE ALSO EXPLAINING THE URGENCY OF LGBTQ+ POLITICS TODAY.’

TOM RASMUSSEN, AUTHOR OF DIARY OF A DRAG QUEEN

‘A FANTASTIC JOURNEY THROUGH AN OVERLOOKED ARCHIVE, BURSTING WITH HUMANITY AND REAL LIFE ON EVERY PAGE.’

DAN SNOW

Tickets

• Free entry (booking required)
• Optional add-on: Reserve a copy of the book to purchase on the day

Waterstones will be on-site, selling copies and hosting the signing after the talk.

Before the event begins, we’ll be mingling outside The Forum, offering a chance to meet fellow attendees and soak up the atmosphere before heading into The Gallery together.

This event has level access. Accessible toilets area available at The Forum. If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.