BOOK: WE DID OK, KID
In his long-awaited autobiography, acting giant Sir Anthony Hopkins offers an unflinching look at his life, from a troubled Welsh childhood to global superstardom. This unfinching memoir chronicles his journey through the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, mentorship under Laurence Olivier, and iconic performances in movie classics like The Elephant Man, The Remains Of The Day and - of course - The Silence Of The Lambs. Hopkins also reflects on addiction, loss, and recovery, exposing his inner struggles with isolation and mortality, as he finds peace in his ninth decade (Hodder & Stoughton)
EVENT: DUBLIN GALLERY WEEKEND
Dublin Gallery Weekend 2025 once again transforms the capital into a vibrant canvas for contemporary art, featuring over 100 Irish artists, 60 free events, and 40 galleries; visitors can explore pop-up exhibitions, neighborhood art trails and late-night socials, with artist talks, studio tours, and hands-on workshops to boot, offering a vivid snapshot of contemporary Irish visual art at its finest - find out more here (various venues, Dublin, November 6–9)
FESTIVAL: KILKENOMICS
Merging economic insight with razor-sharp wit, this one-of-a-kind Kilkenny bash brings economists, journalists, and comedians together to explore finance, politics, and global trends in a lively, entertaining - and accessible - fashion. Described as "Davos with jokes," Kilkenomics makes complex economic ideas entertaining - this year’s lineup includes Kyla Scanlon, Fintan O’Toole, Dylan Moran, Katie Martin, Robert Shrimsley, Paschal Donohoe, Pippa Malmgren, Peter Frankopan, Noah Smith, Eleni Yitbarek, Finn McRedmond, Emma Waldron Chen, David McWilliams and more. Feed your brain, and have a laugh while you're at it - find out more here (Various venues, Kilkenny, November 7–9)
EVENT: LEAVES
This Laois-based festival unites authors, musicians, and audiences in a creative dialogue, on a literary journey encompassing a multitude of genres, from crime and memoir to romance and short stories. Highlights include an evening celebrating the life of the incomparable Mary Lavin, focusing on her relationship with the New Yorker magazine, with contributions from her granddaughters (both acclaimed novelists) Alice Ryan and Kathleen McMahon, (Various venues, Laois, November 4–8)
STREAMING: FRANKENSTEIN
Guillermo del Toro’s reimagines Mary Shelley’s classic in his own inimitable fashion, with Oscar Isaac cutting a rug as Victor Frankenstein and Saltburn breakout Jacob Elordi playing The Creature - rather unsurprisingly, coming as it does from the director of Hellboy, Pan's Labrynth and The Weight Of Water, Del Toro's sympathies lie with the monster. Breathing new life into a much-told tale, the real star here is the sumptous production design, a salute to old-school, hand-built movie-making at its finest (Netflix, now streaming)
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