Image: a woman holds a sign demanding a woman's right to abortion while protesting the closure of an abortion clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, 1971.

Raven Smith – British Vogue columnist, cultural commentator, and critically acclaimed author – was recently dubbed “the funniest person on Instagram” by Sonder and Tell. It’s fair praise. From the get-go, the evening’s discussion, lead by UEA professor Dr Sarah Godfrey, was thoroughly entertaining. After Sarah’s introduction to the book, Raven Smith’s Men, Raven humbly teased “Good to know you enjoyed it”. The comedic tone never let up. I was sat at the very back of the lecture theatre, and Rave...

Monica Ali’s latest novel Love Marriage comes after a decade long break from releases, and it shoots Ali back into the limelight with a story full of heart. In conversation at UEA Live with Ali, Professor Alison Donnell deemed it “serious and funny, generous and probing”, a balance that the award-winning writer has been known for since her Booker Shortlisted 2003 debut Brick Lane. The evening’s conversation took off naturally with – where else – the title; Ali explains that it’s not all that mee...