Woodstock Literature Society
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.
Our next talk will be on Thursday 18th April at 8.00pm
in Woodstock Town Hall when Simon Mason will give a talk entitled:
Anti-heroes and Why We Love Them
The talk will explore the topic of crime and punishment in the context of the readers' habitual attraction to the flawed anti-heroes who make us both shudder and applaud.
Simon Mason is an acclaimed Oxford-based writer of both adult crime and juvenile fiction. The latest book in his Oxford-based crime series Lost and Never Found will be published in April 2024.
Visitors are welcome - Entry £8.00 (free admission to under 18s)
Cash or cheques please
Membership cards for this year are coloured purple
Please see Membership for payment details.
SAVE THE DATES
Open Book Group: Summer Meetings in The Town Hall at 11.30am
We are pleased to announce two meetings have been scheduled for this summer:
Wednesday, 12th June – Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry
Wednesday, 28th August – A House for Mr Biswas by V S Naipaul
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.
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. There is no need to pre-book and all are welcome. A modest charge of £3.00 (cash/cheque) is made to cover the cost of 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.
We hope you will enjoy the reviews submitted to A Good Read by members and friends as part of our conversations about literature. Details of how to submit a piece can be found on the page itself.