History, culture & writing

Explore History, Culture & Writing

Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.

Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.

Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.

Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.

Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. The Book of Love: great novels of love and passion
    Course start date:  Mon 23 Sep 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Julian Birkett
    Many of the world's greatest books – as well as many of the worst - have taken romantic love as their theme. Take this opportunity to read some of the very best - novels which explore the complexity, heartbreak and frustration as well as the ecstasy of this most powerful human emotion.
    Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
  2. Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £120.00
  3. Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £125.00
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  4. Great European Short Stories
    Course start date:  Tue 24 Sep 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Julian Birkett
    The short story in Europe has characteristics all of its own. While British, Irish and American stories are rooted in psychological realism, many European writers have tended towards a more philosophical approach, reflecting the concerns of the modern age as experienced by the sensibilities of individual writers. Authors such as Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka and Albert Camus are masters of the kinds of tale which ask profound question about the nature of our existence. They are also supreme stylists capable of sustaining a gripping narrative.
    Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
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  5. Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00
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  6. Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £125.00
    Rating:
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  7. From Nonsense to the Surreal: Edward Lear to Angela Carter
    Course start date:  Wed 25 Sep 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Laurie Smith
    Surrealism is one of the great developments of 20th century literature. It’s different from the fantasies of previous centuries (fairy and folk tales, imaginative stories set in remote parts of the world, satires, science fiction) because it expresses complex bizarre experiences that many people recognise as possibly part of themselves. It may reflect desires which are difficult to admit but are sometimes expressed with wit and humour. We explore how surrealism developed from the apparent nonsense of three 19th century English writers.
    Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
  8. Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £209.00 Concession £105.00
    Rating:
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  9. City Lit reading group 1
    Course start date:  Fri 29 Sep 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Kate Wilkinson
    Share thoughts and ideas about what you are reading, with books chosen by the group. Please come to the first session on Friday 29 September with suggestions (English-language contemporary fiction in paperback) and having read 'Unsettled Ground', by Clare Fuller. Meetings take place on 29 September, 10 November, 2 February, 1 March, 10 May and 14 June.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
  10. Africa and the Classics - the role Africa played in shaping the Classical world and our modern understanding of it
    Course start date:  Wed 2 Oct 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Szerdi Nagy
    This course aims to explore the multifaceted relationship between Africa and the Classical



    world, highlighting Africa's significant contributions to the Classical world.
    Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
  11. Philosophy and the self
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 23 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ariel Kernberg
    Who am I? Is there such a thing as “my true self”? These and related questions will be looked at from various philosophical perspectives.



    NB There will be no class on 28/05/24.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £155.00
  12. Tales from everywhere: international fictions from the 20th century
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Aamer Hussein
    Join us to read and discuss a selection of novels from the 1950s and 1960, in English and in translation, some of which, like Stan Barstow’s powerful story of upward mobility A Kind of Loving and Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s poignant portrait of unrest in Kenya Weep Not, My Child, have rarely been out of print. Some are recent rediscoveries, such as Han Suyin’s story of forbidden romance in wartime London, Winter Love, and Chingiz Aitmatov’s delicate Kyrgyz fable, Jamilia. Fresh translations of Magda Szabo’s Iza’s Ballad and Tove Ditlevsen’s autobiographical coming of age story,Youth, are also included.



    NB. This course will have a break week on Wednesday 29 May.
    Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
  13. Art of the Northern Renaissance
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Elizabeth Eyres
    Discover the exquisite art of the Northern Renaissance through the work of its most innovative artists, including Albrecht Dürer, Rogier van der Weyden, Jan van Eyck, Grünewald, Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
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