Friday, 11 July 2025

London Literature Festival

With thanks to Southbank Centre:

Hot off the press

Grab your diaries and tell your friends: London Literature Festival is back with huge names and inspiring events from authors including Malala and Reese Witherspoon. Co-curated by Rebecca Lucy Taylor – aka musician Self Esteem – this is not one to miss.


Meet the co-curator

A woman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes poses for the camera, wearing a black coat against a plain background.

Self Esteem: A Complicated Woman

SAT 1 NOV

Discover the debut book from this year’s London Literature Festival co-curator Rebecca Lucy Taylor – aka Self Esteem – in conversation with Dolly Alderton.

A person with blonde hair and wearing a blue outfit sitting on stacked chairs in a blue/grey room.

Self Esteem Presents

SAT 1 NOV

Join the musician for an evening of music and spoken word from artists including Travis Alabanza, Pam Ayres, Marged, Tom Rasmussen and Seraphina Simone.


Taking back the story

Malala wearing pink against a watercolour backdrop.

Malala Yousafzai: Finding My Way

SUN 2 NOV

Discover a story of friendship and first love, of mental health and self-discovery, and trying to stay true to yourself while everyone else tries to define you.

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT) and British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).


Eagerly awaited

Wearing a bright red shirt, a woman with braided hair and freckles stands looking towards her side.

Zadie Smith: Dead and Alive

SUN 2 NOV

In her new collection, the author brings her skills as an essayist to bear on subjects including Stormzy, governments and ‘the commons’.

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT).


In conversation with

Two people posing for a photo, one with blonde hair and wearing a pantsuit, the other is bald wearing a suit and leaning against a table

An Evening with Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

FRI 24 OCT

Join two titans of storytelling for a special event to celebrate the publication of their gripping new thriller, Gone Before Goodbye.

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT) and British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).

In front of a bookshelf, a man with a red pattered shirt stares into the camera with an mild expression

An Afternoon with Simon Armitage

SAT 25 OCT

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT).

A man with glasses and a beard sits on a wooden bench, smiling in front of a brick wall and vintage poster

Adam Buxton: I Love You, Byeee

SUN 26 OCT

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT) and British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).

A woman with glasses and a red scarf sits on stone steps surrounded by greenery, smiling into camera.

Alexis Wright in Conversation

SUN 26 OCT

Sebastian Faulks, wearing a black blazer and shirt, looks directorly into the camera with short curly hair.

Sebastian Faulks: Fires Which Burned Brightly

WED 29 OCT

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT).

A man smiles and claps his hands together, wearing a light blue shirt against a plain background.

Jimi Famuwera: Picky

WED 29 OCT

Woman with hand on her jaw looking and facing directly at the camera with a black background behind her.

Nikita Gill: Hekate

SAT 1 NOV


Fictional worlds

A woman wearing a white dress against a white background, she has short dark hair

Sayaka Murata: Vanishing World 

WED 22 OCT

The Convenience Store Woman author discusses her radical new book set in a near-future world where children are solely conceived by artificial insemination.

This event is Speech-to-Text transcribed (STT).

A woman sits at a table with her head in her hand, staring into the camera with a warm smile.

Chris Kraus: The Four Spent the Day Together

THU 23 OCT

Nicola Sturgeon wearing a beige top leaning on the back of a chair.

Bora Chung: The Midnight Timetable

THU 23 OCT

Side profile of a woman looking off camera with green trees behind her

Claire-Louise Bennett: Big Kiss, Bye-Bye

FRI 31 OCT

A woman with shoulder length curly hair wearing a white shirt against a black background.

Olga Ravn: The Wax Child

SUN 2 NOV


For the family

Drawing of Mog the Forgetful Cat, a friendly cat with an inquisitive expression, drawn on a blue background

Mog the Forgetful Cat

WED 29 OCT – SUN 2 NOV

The performance at 11am on Tuesday 30 October is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).

Girl playing with the Alphabet Soup installation at Southbank Centre.

Alphabet Soup

SAT 25 – THU 30 OCT

Roaming British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation is available at the event on Thursday 30 October. This is a Relaxed event.


Image of the book hidden libraries on a green background. The front page shows idyllic outdoor library settings.

Read between the lines

For book lovers, curious minds or that hard-to-buy-for friend – discover 50 of the world’s most unusual libraries, each with a unique story.


Southbank Centre logo


Southbank Centre is a charity registered in England and Wales No.298909. Registered office: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX


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