Esteemed music writer and occasional FACT contributor Simon Reynolds is in the UK this week and next to publicise his new book, Retromania.

An erudite examination of “pop culture’s addiction to its own past”, it considers such phenomena as the hauntology of Ghost Box and The Caretaker, Ariel Pink and James Ferraro’s hypnagogic pop, the trad jazz revival, the return of the cassette, record collecting, sample culture and the vintage fashion boom, and is a ruddy good read to boot, as you’d expect from the author of the seminal Energy Flash and Rip It Up & Start Again.

The book is officially published by Faber & Faber on June 2, and at 6.45pm that evening California-based Reynolds will appear at London’s ICA for a panel discussion of Retromania‘s themes with Cosey Fanni Tutti (of Throbbing Gristle and Chris & Cosey), fashion historian Caroline Evans and artists Iain Forsythe and Jane Pollard, chaired by Rob Young (Wire scribe and author of Electric Eden: unearthing Britain’s visionary music).

On June 5 at 4pm, Reynolds appears at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival for a panel discussion about music journalism hosted by New Hormones founder Richard Boon and featuring Paul Morley, Charles Shaar Murray and Lucy O’Brien, wherein each panel member will play, and talk about, the song that made them want to be a music journalist.

Completing his trio of London appearances, Reynolds is guest at the inaugural Faber Social at The Social bar on June 6. He’ll be spinning tunes and talking about Retromania with Saint Etienne member and renowned pop pundit Bob Stanley; the other guests are novelists David Peace and Richard T. Kelly.

Then, before heading back to the States, Reynolds will discuss his work with John Robb at the Deansgate branch of Waterstones in Manchester, on June 7 at 7pm.

For more information on all of the above events, including ticket prices and booking details, click here.