The evening takes the form of a pop-up ‘Care Café’ – an inclusive space where people come together to meet, talk and participate in activities – which will be hosted by its founder, artist, activist and performer Lois Weaver. Following a conversation between Tiffany and Lois on friendship, which will be interspersed with readings from the book, participants will have the opportunity to mingle; share their own reflections, concerns and experiences of friendship; and participate in some craft activities devised by Lois. The evening will end with drinks and more opportunity for conversation and socialising – and perhaps making new friends, good or bad. Bad Friend: A Century of Revolutionary Friendships will be available to purchase and Tiffany will be signing copies.
Lois Weaver is an artist, activist and Professor Emerita of Contemporary Performance Practice at Queen Mary, University of London, whose work uses performance as a means of public engagement. She conceived the idea of the Care Café in the wake of the 2016 U.S. election and Brexit, as a place – a real or virtual, public or domestic – for people to gather their wits, thoughts and comrades in action.
- This event is taking place at Faber’s premises at The Bindery, 51 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8HN. Please use the door with 'Faber' marked above it.
- The nearest underground stations are Chancery Lane Station (Central line) and Farringdon Station (Circle, Elizabeth, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines).
- Age guidance: this event is suitable for ages 18+.
- Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
- There will be a bookshop open with signed books available by card payment only.
- This is a ticketless event - there will be a guest list with your name and the number of tickets you have bought.
Tiffany Watt Smith is the author of The Book of Human Emotions and Schadenfreude. She has been a recipient of multiple awards and prizes including from the Wellcome Trust and the British Academy and in 2019 was awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize for her work. She is regularly invited to speak as an expert contributor on BBC Radio and to give public talks. Her TED talk, ‘The History of Human Emotions’ has been viewed more than 4.6 million times. She is Reader (Emerita) in Cultural History at Queen Mary University of London, where she ran the Centre for the History of Emotions. In 2024, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
A rebellious new history of female friendship and timely reclamation of the ‘bad friend’.