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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  • Non-fiction

Charlesworth, Kate

Sensible Footware – A Girl’s Guide (2019) The LGBT+ cartoonist and activist lived in Rawstorne Street, Clerkenwell.

Cosh, Mary

1919-

History of Islington (2005) and other titles. The Islington historian, turned 100 this year and lives in Barnsbury.

Davies, Caitlin

1964-

Bad Girls: A History of Rebels and Renegades (2018). Davies lives in Holloway and has written about Holloway Prison.

Eddleston, John J.

1952-

Foul Deeds in Islington (2010). An account of true crime in the borough.

Fiegel, Eddi

John Barry - A Sixties Theme (2012). The journalist and author has written widely on music biography and travel and lives in north Islington.

Gale, Theophilus

1628-1678

The Court of the Gentiles, or a Discourse Touching the Original of Human Nature (1677) The nonconformist teacher and author is buried in Bunhill Fields.

Harvey, William

1796-1873

London Scenes & London People (1863). Doctor, Journalist and Superintendent of the Islington Reformatory. Died at 48 Lonsdale Square.

Hale, Lionel

1909-1977

These Two (1934). The critic, broadcaster and playwright lived at number 76 Noel Road.

Higgins, Charlotte

1972-

Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain (2013) and other titles. The author, journalist and chief culture writer for the Guardian lives in Islington.

Holland, Tom

(1968-)

Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic (2003) and other titles. The writer and historian lived at 47 Loraine Road in 1995.

Holyoake, George Jacob

1817-1906

History of Co-operation in England (1875). The newspaper editor coined the terms “secularism” and “jingoism”. Lived at 62 Pentonville Road.

Hoeben, Cato

1980-

The Lifestyle Entrepreneur: How to Turn Your Interests into Money (2015). Written with his mother and Angela Neustatter. Lived in Highbury Place and now in Cross Street.