English PEN had the honour of hosting one of the first events in the new literary venue in the centre of London, the London Review Bookshop.

Erica Wagner Photo by Steve Wood

Geoff Dyer Photo by Steve Wood

        

Why Read Classics? celebrated the relaunch of the Penguin Classics series by bringing together a panel of writers including Erica Wagner, Geoff Dyer, Orlando Figes and Salley Vickers, who offered an entertaining and inspiring discussion on what constitutes a classic, and why the classics still appeal to the modern reader. The speakers described a classic as a book that speaks timelessly to all of us and teaches us something of the human condition.

Our thanks go to the panel and to the staff at the London Review Bookshop for all the help in organising this event. 

Report by Cecilie Torjussen

Orlando Figes Photo by Steve Wood

Salley Vickers Photo by Steve Wood

Originally posted with the url: www.englishpen.org/events/reportsonrecentevents/whyreadclassics/