Talks / Ideas / Philosophy

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst in conversation with Natalie Haynes

83 Marylebone High Street

Fri 20 Nov · 19:00 · £7

Talk

About this event

Join us to hear Robert Douglas-Fairhurst in conversation about his book Look Closer , a joyful and enlightening masterclass in how reading attentively can change our lives. In early 2024, Robert joined us for an event on his wonderful book Metamorphosis , and his conversation then with Natalie Haynes has remained a Summertown event highlight for customers and booksellers alike. We are thrilled Natalie can join us again for what is sure to be another brilliant evening, and a very special final event for 2026. Tickets are £7 including a glass of wine or soft drink. Events can sell out, so book ahead to avoid disappointment. About the book: A joyful and enlightening masterclass in how reading attentively can change our lives. For thirty years, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst has shared his passion for reading with students. In Look Closer , he brings fresh life to beloved books, from Wuthering Heights to Normal People , alongside poetry, plays and more. With warmth, wit and clarity, he shows us how to slow down, notice more and enjoy reading on a deeper level. Engaging, illuminating and full of delight, this is a celebration of the simple pleasure of books – and a reminder of how reading can open doors, spark joy and transform the way we see the world. About Robert Douglas-Fairhurst : Robert Douglas-Fairhurst is a Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Magdalen College. His books include Becoming Dickens , which won the Duff Cooper Prize, The Story of Alice , which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award, and Metamorphosis . He writes regularly for publications including The Times , the Literary Review and the Spectator . Radio and television appearances include Start the Week and The Culture Show and he has also acted as the historical consultant on TV adaptations of Jane Eyre , Emma , Great Expectations , the BBC drama series Dickensian and both of the Enola Holmes feature films for Netflix. He has judged the Booker Prize and the Baillie Gifford Prize, and in 2015 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. About Natalie Haynes: Natalie Haynes is a writer and broadcaster. She is the author of The Amber Fury , The Children of Jocasta , A Thousand Ships , which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2020, Stone Blind, and No Friend to This House . Her non-fiction book about women in Greek Myth, Pandora’s Jar , was a bestseller in both the UK and the US, and was followed by Divine Might , about Greek goddesses. She has written and performed eleven series of her BBC Radio 4 show, Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics .