Join YCW London and poet Anthony Tao for a memorable reading from Anthony’s debut poetry collection We Met in Beijing.
When: 18:30-20:30, Thursday 3 September 2026. The talk will begin at 19:00.
Where: The Electric Elephant Cafe, 186A Crampton St, London SE17 3AE
YCW London is delighted to invite you to a poetry reading and discussion with Beijing-based writer and poet, Anthony Tao.
In his debut collection, We Met in Beijing, Anthony captures the multi-layered landscape of contemporary Beijing. Curated readings will touch on the foreign experience in China, local perspectives on Beijing life, and reflections from the pandemic years. The talk will conclude with a reading of the title poem, examining how Beijing’s physical and cultural identity has evolved through its shifting landscape of bars and clubs.
We look forward to seeing you at what promises to be a memorable and thought-provoking evening.
About the Speaker
Anthony Tao is a Beijing-born, Kansas-raised writer with a journalism degree from Northwestern University who returned to Beijing into cover the 2008 Olympics and stayed. Anthony has previously worked as a writer and editor, managed the Bookworm International Literary Festival, owned a hutong bar, hosted poetry readings for the Spittoon Literary Arts Collective, and coached Ultimate Frisbee. His poetry is published in journals including Rattle and Prairie Schooner, and he is the co-founder of the Poetry x Music Band with Liane Halton. Find out more about Anthony’s work here.
Tickets are available through our Eventbrite here.