London's parks have inspired writers for centuries, from Chaucer to Dickens. Now authors including Will Self and Ali Smith have been commissioned to write about these magical urban spaces for a new series called Park Stories. To celebrate its publication the authors are reading their stories in the Royal Parks throughout summer.

Award-Winners
The Royal Parks have commissioned eight highly acclaimed, prize-winning authors to celebrate its eight London Parks. The Park Stories editor Rowan Routh says that this specially commissioned series celebrates the literary heritage of the parks, in particular its inspiration for short fiction. Prolific novelist Will Self has written about Bushy Park while Ali Smith, a Whitbread Novel Award winner, has based her short story in Regent's Park. Nicola Barker, a Booker nominee, has written her story about Greenwich Park and William Boyd, winner of a Costa Book Award, has taken his inspiration from Green Park.

Public Readings
To mark the publication of Park Stories, the Royal Parks is hosting a series of public readings by the authors throughout the summer. William Boyd will do his reading in St James Park, although his story is set in Green Park. It follows a young woman who reinvents her life while, nearby, an old man strives for a kind of immortality. Adam Thorpe, meanwhile, will be reading in Hyde Park at the Ranger's Lodge Garden. The character for his short story, Miss Simkins, has a favourite bench in Hyde Park which has seen her through peacetime and war, but now there's someone else who is competing for its solace. Some authors will only read sections of their stories, while others will read the whole piece as some stories are quite short. All readings will be followed by a question and answer session with the author.

Perfect Picnic Reading
The Park Stories authors have approached the project in different ways, creating a collection which is wide-ranging in style, perspective and even historical setting. However, each are linked inextricably to the London parks and the sights and sounds these public spaces play host to. Each story is published in a separate booklet priced at £2 and these are available online, as well as at points of sale in the parks and in selected book shops across London. The series is also available in a set of eight for £16. Hanan al Shaykh's story, set in Kensington Gardens, is a bi-lingual publication in English and Arabic.

Park Stories readings take place throughout the summer. William Boyd is reading his story at The Bandstand in St James's Park at 1pm on Tuesday, 30th June 2009.

Adam Thorpe is reading his at the Ranger's Lodge Garden in Hyde Park at 1pm on Wednesday, 1 July 2009. Details for the July readings have yet to be confirmed. All readings are free. For more information click on the link below.

Park Stories Official Site