Gladstone’s Library, named after William Gladstone, houses the former UK politician’s personal collection of 150,000 books. Before his death, Gladstone wished that his collection of books be made available to the public, and that the library he proudly owned be transformed into a haven for writers and thinkers to engage in intelligent and stimulating discussion.
One-hundred and thirty years later, the library has fulfilled the goal set out by Gladstone and is a place where thinkers can both stay and learn. The library has 26 boutique style rooms, and each comes with its own collection of books. Guests can stay at the library for one short night, or months at a time!
It wouldn’t be hard to stay at Gladstone’s for months with their incredible array of activities. The library is famous for their ‘Writers in Residence’ program, in which Gladstone’s hosts prestigious writers for several months to teach courses. These course offerings include workshops like ‘The Art of The Short Story’ and ‘Writing Animals’. Courses proffer attendees the chance to learn from – and write alongside – authors while gaining invaluable feedback about their work. The best part? Courses are open to anyone at any skill level!
If you find yourself lucky enough to be at Gladstone’s in either November or February not only will you be able to go to an amazing class, but you’ll also be able to attend Hearth. Hearth is a daylong, biannual event where attendees sit around the library’s cozy fire with four distinguished authors. Authors share tips and tricks of the trade, like how to get your work published. Then, together, the group writes, reads, and critiques one another’s pieces.
I WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS! WHO IS IN?
Lynn Hammond 