Literary Road Map of Islington

Celebrate our borough's long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who live or work here

Literary Road Map of Islington celebrates our borough’s long, rich heritage of authors, screenwriters, poets and writers who have lived here, and the literary works which have been inspired by or set here.

Search the list below to see the novels, plays and poems which were written about Islington and the authors, such as Andrea Levy (1956-2019), who were born or lived in the borough, or Charles Dickens (1812-1870, who used various locations around Islington in their novels.

Also, look at our interactive map to see the literary connections to your area of Islington. To do this click on ‘Show Layers’, ‘Recreation & Leisure’ and check the ‘Literary Road Map’ box.

 

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  • Fantasy

Adams, Douglas

1952-2001

Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy (1979) and other titles. Adams lived in Duncan Terrace and used the estate agent Hotblack Desiato’s name as a character. He also lived in a flat on Upper Street and sofa-surfed in a friend’s house in Arlington Avenue.

Gaiman, Neil

1960-

Neverwhere (1996). In the story ‘Islington’ is a fallen angel who lives under London.

Okri, Ben

(1959-)

The Famished Road (1991) and other titles. The Booker Prize winning author lived at 46 Loraine Road in the mid 1990s.

Rowling, J.K.

1965-

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003). The Order’s headquarters are at a fictional address in Islington, at 12 Grimmauld Place.