London Literature Festival

Uniting readers of every age to celebrate the written and spoken word, the annual London Literature Festival presents talks, readings, discussions and conversations with prestigious authors, rising literary stars, leading cultural observers and those making waves in written and spoken word.

This year's festival brings an array of famous names to the South Bank presenting their brand-new fiction and non-fiction works. Highlights of the 2025 London Literature Festival include:

KEY CULTURAL VOICES

A stage for the best international writing, acclaimed authors will share new works including:

WED 22 OCT Japanese novelist Sayaka Murata discusses her much-anticipated new dystopia Vanishing World, set in a near-future world where children are solely conceived by artificial insemination and even sex between married couples is viewed as taboo.

THU 23 OCT Chris Kraus, the author of modern classic I Love Dick introduces her unforgettable new novel, The Four Spent the Day Together, a witty, probing journey into a fractured America.

FRI 24 OCT a UK exclusive event from the award-winning storytellers Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben, who mark the publication of their new thriller Gone Before Goodbye.

WED 29 OCT Bestselling author Sebastian Faulks takes to the stage for the London-exclusive launch of his latest book, Fires Which Burned Brightly, a sharply perceptive memoir which traces the trajectory of his writing life.

SUN 2 NOV In her keenly awaited new collection Dead and Alive, Zadie Smith brings her skills as an essayist to bear on subjects including Stormzy, governments and ‘the commons’.

SUN 2 NOV Booker Prize nominee Olga Ravn presents her new book The Wax Child, based on an infamous 17th-century Danish witch trial of noblewoman Christenze Krukow and her friends.

SUN 2 NOV In a London exclusive event, the activist and author Malala Yousafzai presents a story of friendship, love and remarkable courage in the form of her unforgettable new memoir Finding My Way.

POETRY DAY

The National Poetry Library’s annual Poetry Day takes over the festival on SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER with a series of free events including live poetry readings from Rachael Boast, who offers a discussion of disability, deafness, neurodivergence and poetry, and an afternoon with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. The Poet Laureate returns for an expanded version of the monthly Out-Spoken featuring readings from Simon Armitage, Michael Rosen, Jackie Kay and more special guests.

SELF ESTEEM PRESENTS

On SATURDAY 1 NOV, Mercury Prize-nominated musician and songwriter Rebecca Lucy Taylor, a.k.a Self Esteem offers an exclusive opportunity to experience her inimitable prowess as a wordsmith. Marking the publication of her debut book, A Complicated Woman, Taylor will discuss her lyrics, songwriting and personal experience in conversation with Dolly Alderton.

The day concludes with an evening of music and spoken word alongside a host of multi-disciplinary artists including musician Tom Rasmussen, Electronic artist Marged, performance artist Travis Alabanza and poet and comedian Pam Ayres. The programme also includes a variety of free events in the Clore Ballroom throughout the day. Find out more and book.

Mog the Forgetful Cat

WED 29 OCT–SUN 2 NOV Join Mog and the Thomas family as the tale of everyone’s favourite forgetful cat comes to the stage, with adventures and mishaps galore. Playing on the Queen Elizabeth Hall stage, this is perfect school holiday entertainment for kids aged 3+. Find out more and book here.