Welcome to The Living Literature Society
Visitors from overseas are welcome as temporary members and
UK guests are welcome to attend their first event at members' rate

Forthcoming Events

Sunday August 11th

Walk among the Victorians
A Literary Walk from Westminster to The Embankment, to include a visit to Poets Corner at Westminster Abbey. Famous literary figures such as Wilde, Browning, Dickens, Kipling, Tennyson, Trollope, Thackeray, Shaw and many more. Starting with the little-known villagey streets around Smith Square, then looking at some of the most famous streets in London to include early light supper.
Read more

Sunday September 22nd

Take Desire Away
Actor Mansel David presents an insight into the life and work of the poet and classicist, A.E.Housman.
Housman (1859-1936) best known for 'A Shropshire Lad', a cycle of over 60 poems which contains lines since appropriated for famous titles such as 'Blue Remembered Hills' (Dennis Potter), 'A Taste for Death' (PD James) and Ian Fleming's 'Die Another Day' In this brilliant reading in character, Mansel David's wry delivery brings Housman's acerbic wit to life and his self importance tempered by irony and humour. Venue: London (to be decided). Drinks reception and canapés as usual.

Our events

All events are personally hosted and whether you are a member or a guest a warm welcome always awaits you.

Over a glass of wine and canapés you will be meeting others who share you’re appreciation of literature, theatre and the arts.

Sunday October 20th

Careless People - The Story Behind The Great Gatsby

Sarah Churchwell, Professor of American Literature, explains what was in F. Scott Fitzgerald's mind when he wrote The Great Gatsby.

Gatsby, the likeable, lovelorn boot legger seems to be an amalgam of several well known crooks. Churchwell concludes that Fitzgerald then fills the character with elements of his own emotional life.' Venue: London (to be confirmed)

Every month we will be
suggesting a current
book by a top author who
has appeared or will
be appearing at one of
our literary events.

Take a look at our events diary to see what’s coming up. The picture gallery shows a selection of past events. There’s something there to appeal to all tastes.

Bringing Literature to Life

Have you ever finished a book and wanted the experience to continue - to find out more about the author and delve into the history behind its pages?

At The Living Literature Society we aim to do exactly this – to bring the literary greats to life through theatrical performances and special literary talks.

We believe that we have created a new way of looking at literature. We try to get under the skin of the authors we cover, explore what inspired them to write, their struggles and their triumphs. You will also meet many of the characters from their novels.

Professional actors research and study what made them tick, pen their own theatrical pieces and present them exclusively for The Living Literature Society.

We also offer the opportunity to meet celebrated writers of today. Some of our guest authors are themselves descendants of great British literary figures. These have included Virginia Nicholson, great niece of Virginia Woolf and author of 'Among the Bohemians’ and Lucinda Dickens Hawksley direct descendant and author of ‘Charles Dickens’ and ‘ Katey’.

But you certainly don’t need to be a literary buff - enjoying a good read and lots of enthusiasm goes a long way.

Receive a superb cloth bound Folio
Society book with our compliments
when you join Living Literature

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