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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Levy, Andrea

1956 -2019

Small Island (2004) and other titles. The author was born and grew up in Twyford House, Elwood Street.

Levy, Marianne

Ellie May series (2012-) The children’s writer lives in Islington.

Maxwell, Kate

Hush (2018). The author, lives in Tufnell Park.

May, Peter

West Ham: Irons in the Soul (2002) and other titles. The writer, journalist and dedicated West Ham fan lives in north Islington.

Machen, Arthur

1863–1947

The Islington Mystery (1928). Machen wrote in his novel that “There is an odd street, not far from the region which was once called Spa Fields, not far from the Pentonville or Islington Fields, where Grimaldi the clown was once accused of inciting the mob to chase an overdriven ox.”

MacDonald, James Hugh

1927-

Happy Warriors (2018) and other titles. The playwright lives on the top floor of a converted school at Angel.

MacNiece, Louis

1907-1963

Letters from Iceland (1937) and other titles. The poet lived at 52 Canonbury Park South.

Mant, Malcolm

30 Years Behind Bars: My Life & Times Running the British Pub (2018). Landlord of The Compton Arms in Canonbury for seven years.

Malakin, Dan

(1975-)

The Regret (2019) The thriller writer lives in Windsor Road.

Matthias, Sarah

1973-

A Berlin Love Song (2019). The young adults’ writer lives near Highbury Fields.

Mearns, Andrew

1837-1925

The Bitter Cry of Outcast London: An Inquiry into the Condition of the Abject Poor (1883). The account was written while the minister was living in Clerkenwell.

Menzies, Gavin

1937-

1421 The Year China Discovered the World (2002). The author lives in Canonbury.