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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
SAVE THE DATE
The Autumn Open Book Group
will meet at 11:30 on Tuesday 25th August in Woodstock Town Hall
to discuss Family Lexicon by Natalia Ginsberg
The lecture programme takes a short summer break and will return in the autumn, see details below:
Tuesday, 22nd September at 8:00pm in St Mary Magdalene Church.
Professor Jennifer Yee will give a talk entitled
Proust and the Visual Arts
Proust explores the nature of individual experience and draws pessimistic conclusions; our experience of the world and ourselves is so unstable and fragmentary, so limited by pre-conceived ideas, that we can never fully grasp what we are. And yet, In Search of Lost Time is a profoundly positive even triumphant work: Proust sees art as a medium for transforming reality. Using examples from the visual arts - Monet's paintings, Gothic sculpture and architecture - this talk will suggest ways in which Proust invites us to understand art, ourselves, and our experience of the world.
Professor Jennier Yee is Professor of Literature in French in the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Christ Church.
SAVE THE DATE FOR A SPECIAL EXTRA EVENT
Saturday 5th December at 3:00pm
at St Hugh’s Centre, Hensington Road.
A talk by Dame Hermione Lee
We are delighted to be able to offer members an additional talk. This will be given by the distinguished biographer Dame Hermione Lee whose book on Anita Brookner will be newly published.
We could not resist this exciting opportunity, even though it will be outside our published programme for ’26.
WLS Members will not be charged any extra for this talk.
Visitors may wish to consider an annual subscription (£30) which would cover the Summer Party and the remaining five talks of '26. If coming to all five talks plus the Summer Party as visitors the fees would total £65, so making the annual subscription well worth considering.
Anne Handsley's review of
Professor Seamus Perry's talk W. H. Auden: Early and Late
can now be viewed on Reviews & Gallery
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.
Church Kneeler
St Mary Magdalene Church, Woodstock
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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