23rd June, 7.30pm - Helen Lewis in conversation with Rachel Parris, The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea

Backstory, 71 Balham High Rd, SW12 9AP

Comedian, actress and author Rachel Parris talks to journalist Helen Lewis around the paperback publication of The Genius Myth: A Curious History of a Dangerous Idea.

About the book:

The tech disruptor. The tortured poet. The rebellious scientist.  The monstrous artist. You can tell what a society values by who it labels as a genius. You can also tell who it excludes, who it enables, and what it is prepared to tolerate.

Taking us from the Renaissance Florence of Leonardo da Vinci to the Floridian rocket launches of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Helen Lewis unravels a word that we all use — without really questioning what it means — and asks if the modern idea of genius is distorting our view of the world. 'Brilliant, timely and compulsively readable' OLIVER BURKEMAN  ‘A provocative, witty book’ TLS

Tickets Available:

Ticket only - £15 (This ticket does not include a copy of the book. You can decide to buy a copy on the night, but this will be charged in addition, at the full price of the book.)

Ticket & book  (RRP £12.99)- £22 (To collect on the night.)