At the London Literary Salon we build community around the study of literature and ideas. Our studies stretch across time, from the ancient world to the present day. The term ‘Salon’ is a nod to the European tradition of a regular meeting of a committed group for the exchange and exploration of ideas and opinion. We are serious about the books we read, but our aim is always to enjoy the work. Reading as part of a group – joining an audience to share the same journey – enhances the experience.

If you yearn to appreciate the work of authors such as Marcel Proust and James Joyce but find them challenging, our studies offer motivation, companionship and much more. With us you can read drama and poetry – from T.S. Eliot to Shakespeare – with poets and actors. You can enjoy fiction by a diverse and ever-expanding array of authors including George Eliot, Henry James, Virginia Woolf, Ralph Ellison, William Faulkner, Angela Carter and Toni Morrison. If you want to expand your knowledge of ancient literature, we offer opportunities to read classics from Vergil and Homer to the Norse myths, not to mention studies of ‘The Bible as literature’ which are open to readers of all faiths and none.

If you aren’t yet ready to join one of our studies, you might like to investigate our online LitSalon Challenge which ran throughout 2022 and remains free of charge and open to all.