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The Woodstock Literature Society was founded in 2009 with the aim of presenting high quality talks on literature to local book lovers, offering time to socialise after the talk with refreshment (a glass of wine at evening talks/tea and cake at afternoon talks). Since then, its reputation and membership have grown and we are pleased to welcome members and visitors from Oxfordshire and beyond.
Topics range from classic and contemporary authors, to drama, poetry, and foreign authors in translation. Our speakers include academic specialists, published authors, and literary journalists. Full details can be seen under Programmes. Please note that changes to the programme can also be found on the programme page.
Please see Membership for payment details.
For general enquiries about The Woodstock Literature Society contact: enquiries@woodstocklitsoc.co.uk
Our next talk will be on
Tuesday 21st April at 8:00pm
in The St Hugh's Centre, Hensington Road
Carolyn Kirby will give a talk entitled: A Georgian Journey
Tales of travel were the bestsellers of the early 18th century, and many successful Georgian writers including Daniel Defoe and Tobias Smollett wrote travelogues alongside their accounts of fictional journeys. In researching her own recent novel Ravenglass, set in Northern England and Scotland at the time of the Jacobite up-rising of 1745, Carolyn Kirby turned to contemporary accounts of journeys by land and sea. This talk will explore the importance of travel writing in the evolution of the novel.
Carolyn Kirby is the author of the award-winning The Conviction of Cora Burns (2019). Her novel Ravenglass was published in 2025.
Details of the May, June, September, October and November talks are available on Programme 2026
OPEN BOOK GROUP
The Summer Open Book Group will meet on
Wednesday 3rd June at 11:30 in Woodstock Town Hall
to discuss We Do not Part by South Korean writer, Hang Kang
- winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2024
There is no need to pre-book, all are welcome.
Admission: £3.00
S A V E T H E D A T E S
The Woodstock Bookshop Festival
1st - 3rd May 2026
For full detail of the exciting programme of talks over the May Bank Holiday contact info@woodstockbookshop.co.uk / www.woodstockbookshop.co.uk
OPEN BOOK GROUP
The informal meetings were launched in August 2022 with a discussion of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. The discussions have proved increasingly popular. A full list of books discussed can be seen on A Good Read.
The group meets two or three times a year in the Town Hall on Wednesday mornings. Anyone, whether a member or not, can drop in to discuss the chosen book (All book group books are available with a generous discount of 15% at the Woodstock Bookshop). There is no booking required and a nominal fee of £3 per person will be requested to cover the room hire.
Attendees are invited to submit suggestions for future discussion, a shortlist is drawn-up and a poll taken to decide the next book.
A selection of images used in publicity posters for previous talks
Whether you are a reader, a writer, or a poet, Woodstock Literature Society welcomes your input and suggestions for future talks.
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