Hidden Prologues
Let’s start from the beginning
Not that we need to tell you, but a prologue is the opening of a story that’s written to establish the setting, provide background detail and give what follows a sense of place.
So it makes sense that before we tell you about Hidden Prologues, we give you an introduction to the London neighbourhood that couldn’t have a better pedigree for hosting this monthly literary salon at the Radisson Blu Edwardian.
All set for a short story about Bloomsbury?
Of course, this particular corner of the capital can’t be mentioned without the famous Bloomsbury Set springing to mind. These writers, intellectuals, artists and all-round creative types were based in the area during the early 20th century and counted luminaries such as Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes and E. M. Forster amongst their ranks. Along with a host of other intellectuals united in their shared beliefs and attitudes that often conflicted with the established way of doing things in turn-of-the-century London.
Of course, the name Bloomsbury is also synonymous with literature thanks to the publishing giant founded by Nigel Newton in 1986 that’s based in this enclave and was responsible for adding words such as Quidditch and Muggles to the English vernacular via the Harry Potter series. Luckily, they then redeemed themselves by publishing Howard Jacobson’s 2010 Man Booker Prize winner The Finkler Question.
Introducing Hidden Prologues with Sam Leith
All of which combines to create the perfect setting for a literary event that’s fast becoming an unmissable evening on the London literary calendar.
Hosted by the writer and journalist Sam Leith, this modern-day gathering of literary minds in Bloomsbury gives leading authors the chance to explore and share the hidden prologues to their latest books.
In past events, Joanna Trollope has talked about the inspiration behind her new novel, a reworking of Sense and Sensibility, A. L. Kennedy has spoken about her new collection of short stories, All the Rage whilst Jenny Colgan has revealed the catalysts that inspired her Little Beach Street Bakery and Andy Miller’s The Year of Reading Dangerously has been up for discussion.
For those wishing to get up close and personal with the authors that are changing the face of modern writing, Hidden Prologues offers the perfect forum. Make sure you’re in the front row for this monthly event that writes the next chapter in the story of Bloomsbury’s literary heritage.
Sam Leith
Educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, Hidden Prologues host Sam Leith worked at the satirical magazine Punch before his tenure as literary editor at the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph until 2008. He now writes publications including The Spectator, The Wall Street Journal Europe and The Guardian, contributes to the Monday Evening Standard as well as appearing as a panellist on BBC2’s The Review Show.
Not sure if we need this info but here it is anyway…
Next up: Nick Harkaway
10th June from 6.45pm – 8:30pm
Literary fans will have a fantastic chance to delve further into the inspirations behind Tigerman, the latest work of the celebrated novelist Nick Harkaway.
Blog post originally written for the Radisson Blu hotel chain and appeared on their website in 2014.
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