Courses at Gladstone's Library

Except where otherwise stated, all prices include course fee, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, bed and continental breakfast.

Creative Writing Workshop with Stella Duffy

Sunday 27th May 10.30am - 4,30pm

Inspiration for the Application - Stella will teach a writing workshop using improvisation and theatre techniques to inspire, kick-start, open and excite your work. A firm believer in doing rather than talking, in work rather than talking about work, she will offer a day’s worth of tools to get you started, keep you going, and help you get your work out there.

Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Sodom & Other Perplexities from Genesis

Monday 4th - Friday 8th June

Feminist, Old Testament scholar, Lyn Bechtel, returns to continue her popular series looking afresh at the Hebrew Bible. This year Lyn takes a look at some of the more bewildering stories from Genesis. This week of reflection and discussion will help reclaim the perplexities of Genesis for the contemporary reader. More details here.

Cost £290 - £350 residential, £270 non-residential

Making a Scene

Friday 8th - Sunday 10th June

Author Greg Garrett will lead this weekend writing workshop that will focus on three primary elements of successful scenes: dramatic structure, conflict and dialogue. More details here.

Cost £180- £210 residential, £160 non-residential

Paul Re-Visioned

Monday 2nd - Thursday 5th July

Following his acclaimed Sufi-inspired reading of John’s Gospel last year, Kalyan Dey turns his attention to the dominant New Testament figure of Paul. Exploring Pauline key texts Kalyan offers a distinctive, insightful and liberal reading of Paul’s writings that will challenge preconceptions. This short course will help you look at both Paul and his writings with fresh eyes. More details here.

Cost £235 - £280 residential £215 non-residential

The Gladstone Umbrella

Friday 6th - Sunday 8th July

The Library, the National Memorial to the Grand Old Man, provides the perfect setting for the annual colloquium for scholars and Gladstone enthusiasts. Offers of papers on all aspects of Gladstone’s life and times are welcome (please contact David Brooks d.r.brooks@qmul.ac.uk). The weekend includes a trip to Gladstone’s study at Hawarden Castle, the Temple of Peace. There is an opportunity to stay an extra night to listen to David Cannadine deliver the 2012 Gladstone Lecture. More details here.

Cost £180 - £210 residential, £160 non-residential

Still Honest to God?

Monday 16th - Thursday 19th July

Ian Bradley and Peter Francis consider the influence and themes of John Robinson’s Honest to God. Written 50 years ago, it still challenges the Christian world. They outline their ideas for a revived liberal Christian agenda - Ian from a Presbyterian perspective and Peter from an Anglican perspective. More details available here.

Cost £230 - £275 residential, £210 non-residential

Celtic Christianity

Friday 20th - Sunday 22nd July

Author and broadcaster, Ian Bradley explores the myths and realities of Celtic Christianity and ponders its relevance for contemporary Christians. More details here.

Cost £195 - £225 residential, £175 non-residential

Three Sacred Mothers of Wales

Monday 23rd - Friday 27th July

A five day exploration of Christian life in early medieval Wales through the lives of three women. The week will include visits to both Pennant Melangell and Winefride’s Well. Saints Melangell, Nonn and Winefride demonstrated unique faith, courage, and prayerful witness to the presence of Christ in the culture and religious life of early medieval Wales. Their lives offer wisdom and inspiration for living with similar challenges, cultural transitions, in the evolving Christian life of the Twenty-first century. More details here.

Cost £305 -£365 residential, £285 non-residential

Beyond Space and Time

Saturday 4^th August 10am-5pm

This day course is an exploration into Sufism and the 13^th century Persian poet and mystic Jalaluddin Rumi. Topics to be discussed include Rumi and his life, Rumi’s spiritual teaching and its place in Sufism as well as his role in life today. More details here.

Cost £25.00 (includes morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea)

Greek in a Week

Monday 6th - Sunday 12th August

Kalyan Dey explores a selection of texts for those who are seeking an opportunity to learn, revise or extend their knowledge of New Testament Greek. No prior knowledge is assumed or required.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Hebrew in a Week

Monday 13th - Sunday 19th August

This course offers an exciting way to enjoy and understand Biblical Hebrew. Lyn Bechtel leads the week for those who wish to begin to read Biblical Hebrew. It can be enjoyed by those who know a little Hebrew and wish to revise and improve their knowledge or those who have no prior knowledge.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Latin in a Week

Monday 20th - Sunday 26th August

This exciting new course aims to take complete beginners to the point where they can read some short extracts of poetry and prose by Latin authors. Robert Parker leads the week for those who wish to begin to read Latin. It can also be enjoyed by those who know a little Latin and wish to revise and improve their knowledge of it but no prior knowledge is assumed.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

Welsh in a Week

Monday 27th August - Sunday 2nd September

Come with little or no knowledge of the Welsh language – just a desire to learn - and by the end of the week, Julie Brake will have helped you to achieve a basic ability in Welsh.

Cost £400 - £490 residential, £380 non-residential

The Book of Ruth

Monday 10th - Thursday 13th September

Lyn Bechtel helps us to examine the Book of Ruth in Hebrew. Ideal if you are wishing to revise or improve your Hebrew.

Cost £235 - £280 residential, £215 non-residential

Talk & Readings with Nadene Ghouri

Tuesday 11th September

Love, life and family in East/West - Nadene Ghouri has travelled and worked extensively as a journalist in Afghanistan and Pakistan for over a decade. In this talk she will discuss how the people she has met along the way have informed and challenged her pre-conceptions about love, family values, society and individual freedom. She will also talk about the writing of The Favored Daughter (about the life of Afghan presidential candidate Fawzia Koofi) and what it was like working with one of the most-outspoken women in Afghanistan. A woman whom the Taliban try to murder almost every week.

Cost £10 (includes a glass of wine)

Creative Writing Workshop with Nadene Ghouri

Sunday 23rd September 10.30am - 4.30pm

The art of writing memoir. From personal memoir to ghost-writing and biography. What makes a good memoir? Nadene Ghouri guides us through her techniques.

Cost £25 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Faith & Doubt

Friday 28th - Sunday 30th September

Writer and broadcaster Richard Holloway is well known as an outspoken and respected figure of the modern church in Britain. He frequently reminds people that the church should stand for inclusiveness and plurality, not singularity and exclusiveness. More details here .

Cost £245 - £275 residential, £225 non-residential

Latin - Second Steps

Monday 22nd - Friday 26th October

Cost £220 - £280 residential, £200 non-residential

Sign Language in a Week

Monday 29th October - Sunday 4th November

Cost £220 - £280 residential, £200 non-residential

Films of Faith & Doubt

Monday 5th - Thursday 8th November

Tom Aitken and Peter Francis continue their annual series re-viewing classic films of faith and doubt. More details here.

Cost £180 - £225 residential, £160 non-residential

Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks

Thursday 8th November 10.30am - 4.30pm

From Blank Page to Poem: The Writing Process.

Arrive with an empty notebook and go home with a poem. This workshop, by Ian Parks, is aimed at anyone who wants to experience the writing process first-hand. From initiating the first few words to polishing the final poem, this workshop will get beginners started and offer those who write already a different way of approaching poetry.

Cost £25.00 includes brunch and afternoon tea

Creative Writing Workshop with Ian Parks

Thursday 15th November 6-9.30pm

Stories in Verse: Writing Narrative Poetry - What is the difference between a short story and a narrative poem? How do we set about telling a story in verse? This workshop, by Ian Parks, examines the nature of narrative poetry and suggests some practical approaches to writing it.