This compelling talk explores the work of two of the finest English writers of the 20th century; DH Lawrence and Philip Larkin. Join Philip Watts for a fascinating look at how each writer’s relationship with his mother influenced their work. Find out how D H Lawrence, regarded as the ‘greatest imaginative novelist of our generation’, affected Larkin’s poetry so many years later. Enjoy readings of several complete poems and see why Larkin’s work was once described as ‘a poetry from…

This entertaining online talk with readings begins with the Gaskells’ acquisition of their house in Plymouth Grove and its reflection in North and South. Writer and guide Philip Watts explores the significance of writers’ domestic places and spaces by stitching together a patchwork quilt of literary extracts from Shakespeare to the present day.  

It is hard to imagine the hard hitting industrial novels written by Elizabeth Gaskell having much in common with the romances of the Middle Ages and early modern England popularised by Walter Scott in the early 19th century. Yet Scott began the transformation of fiction by introducing the public world of political conflict into the private world of individuals. His influence did not end there. Scott’s impact ranged from publication styles to the recording of regional customs and traditions, giving…

Back by popular demand! This sell-out talk by Dr Diane Duffy explores the life and work of Mary Wollstonecraft, a pioneer of feminist thought in the UK, and her influence on Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing. Wollstonecraft is firmly back in public consciousness, due to the head-turning new statue in her honour, by artist Maggi Hambling. Join us for this fascinating online talk, recently reviewed as ‘fascinating, engaging, entertaining and informative’, ‘great talk with really interesting links and parallels’ and ‘very informative,…