Margate Welcomes Olivia Laing

Olivia Laing's latest novel, The Silver Book, is a stylish and intricate tale of secrets, lies, and queer love, set against the backdrop of 1970s Italian cinema. The story follows Nicholas, a young English artist who meets iconic cinema designer Danilo Donati in Venice, and becomes embroiled in the world of Cinecittà film studio in Rome.

As a writer, Olivia Laing has built a reputation for their insightful and lyrical prose, with a body of work that includes non-fiction bestsellers such as The Lonely City and Everybody, as well as their lauded first novel, Crudo. Laing's background is as varied as their writing, having trained as a medical herbalist and worked as Deputy Books Editor of The Observer.

On Monday, 2 November 2026, Olivia Laing will be at Where Else? in Margate, discussing The Silver Book in conversation with Robert Diament, Director of Carl Freedman Gallery and co-host of the Talk Art podcast. Tickets are with the button beside the article. This event offers a rare chance to hear Laing talk about their work, and to gain insight into the world of The Silver Book, a novel that has been described as sublime by The New York Times.