Reviews - London Literary Tours

WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT US

This newly-curated tour is seamlessly crafted by the guides themselves, passionate aficionados of the interwar literary landscape. Not only do they recite and perform excerpts that transport you to the London of that era, in so doing Mike and Cindy offer insight into the socio-political climate of the time.

The warmth and charisma with which Mike and Cindy welcome us into this world nurtures a sense of connection and belonging irrespective of biblio-credentials, and when the tour concluded it felt like bidding adieu to family.

Róisín McGrogan

Never has learning been more fun! Cindy and Mike were amazing guides, their knowledge is extraordinary and the passion they have for their subject is infectious. Not only did they bring these incredible characters to life in the places they lived and worked, but they showed how their lives were interwoven and regaled us with scandalous stories of what they all got up to!

They gave me enough of a taste of the writers' work, at times moving and at others hilarious, to make me want to go out and read, read, read...

Gunna Finnsdottir

More reviews

Roger Steele

2022-09-01

This is a marvellous experience. From New Zealand, I've been to London many times and as a publisher I usually seek out a literary site or two, but this is another level altogether. Sparkling and entrancing hours of fine writing brought to life amid tantalising glimpses into the authors' lives, stuff you might find by months of searching among the biographies ... if you were lucky. Pathos, scandals, funny stories, feuds, poignant moments all presented by two warm and versatile personalities whose acting skills make it so lively. I cannot recommend Mike & Cindy's tours highly enough. They even got us to act out a few exchanges from iconic works – gold! And there's more than literature: historic sites and delights such as London's best shops for wine, cheese, hats & cigars, and of course books all have walk-by parts in the tour.

Andreas Galanos

2022-07-10

This is by far the most interesting, interactive and fun tour I have ever had abroad.Mike and Cindy are wonderful, knowledgeable, talented and very generous. They make you feel comfortable and they make sure you enjoy the tour all the way. They provide you with loads of in-depth information about writers, books, buildings and many more... They have made a thorough research and you can surely tell. As if that was not enough, they set up a show with excerpts from novels, poems, letters and other references they have come across during their research. And on top of this, they are very very talented in acting (and singing)! They made us participate actively as well (but I won't give more information on that so as not to spoil the surprise)! And finally, they care for your well-being and your needs throughout the tour. I consider them to be more that tour operators. They are brilliant, talented and very interesting people one wants to hang around with! Don't miss the chance to experience this tour! I hope they launch new tours like this soon! A reason to keep coming back to London! Trust me your don't want to miss this tour!

Adora Svitak

2022-07-06

I went on the London Literary Tour’s St. James Jaunt with a friend and we both enjoyed it thoroughly. Mike and Cindy provided a tour that was fast-paced, highly comprehensive, enthusiastic, and interactive; they thoughtfully provided a handout with a syllabus of sorts outlining all the authors and works mentioned, engaged us with some opportunities to release our inner thespian, and showed us tucked-away corners of London as we traipsed through alleyways and past grand buildings. Highly enriching - can’t recommend enough!

Claire Boyington

2022-06-29

What a superb way to spend a few hours in London! Cindy and Mike are friendly, fun and impressively knowledgeable. The tour is entertaining and informative throughout; the stories behind the writers are poignant one moment and scandalously cheeky the next. My daughters, who are studying literature at school [A-Level and GCSE], were inspired and intrigued by both the stories of the writers and the performances from our lively, lovely guides. Would totally recommend.

paula mcgrogan

2022-04-18

Delightful and enlightening morning...bringing to life the characters of yesteryear in all their glory and eccentricity.

Tullia Mantella

2022-01-27

I had the pleasure to meet Cindy and Mike during the St. James tour. The experience is so well built and full of interesting details, literary intrigues and love affairs. The way they told us these great stories really brought them to life! A truly outstanding experience!

Kit Harding

2022-01-25

A very creative and entertaining tour! Cindy and Mike take you around the locations in St James that were frequented by some of the poets and writers during the First and Second World Wars. Each setting is associated with a specific and compelling story about the artist, framed within the historical and political context of the time. The author's poems, letters, excerpts from plays and novels are presented and acted out with passion and precision, which gives the sense of being transported back to St James in the early 20th Century. The stories and excerpts were humorous and, at times, sparked with a degree of sadness when they described difficult moments in the artist’s lives. Strongly recommend this tour, especially for Londoners who are not all familiar with some of the history and geography in the very heart of London!

Judy judy

2021-11-09

This is a totally absorbing tour, like nothing I've experienced before - not just history and facts, but dramatised excerpts from novels and poems, juicy gossip, and funny and heartbreaking stories. Cindy and Mike know St James's and their subjects inside out, and you'll be thinking about this tour for a long time afterwards. A wonderful way to spend time in the capital, and incredible value. Recommended for readers, writers, students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to know more about this fascinating part of London.

Mark Woodward

2021-09-20

Simply outstanding! This is not your standard walking tour but rather a moving show worthy of the West End. Couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning in London than with Mike and Cindy bringing the authors of interwar literature to life in St James. Their knowledge and enthusiasm was both towering and infectious as they led us from the horrors of the Great War to the ostentatious frivolity of 20s London and into the clandestine world of WW2 secret service. An intriguing look into the lives, loves and works of Edith Sitwell, Virginia Woolf, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfrid Owen, Robert Graves, Rose Macaulay, Evelyn Waugh, Noel Coward, Aldous Huxley, Graham Greene, Ian Fleming, Ezra Pound and Nancy Cunard - among others!

NIC FRYER

2021-08-21

I did the St James' tour - and what a great morning I had! This was packed full of interesting information, with books I'd read and books I hadn't both coming alive on the tour... made all the more interesting because of the locations that were so central to the books being utilised so well. Mike and Cindy really know so much and want to share it with you - but this is far from a dry lesson. It takes you on a metaphorical and a literal journey as you find out about some painful forgotten stories as well as hearing some hilarious anecdotes! I have come away inspired to read some old favourites again, as well as feeling that I will now see the London that I thought I knew in new ways. Highly recommended.

A spectacular afternoon. We thoroughly enjoyed it - it was great fun, fascinating and completely immersive. I learned such a lot and thought it was brilliantly constructed - weaving the stories and the journey. It flowed brilliantly and time flew! Thanks for a really memorable, inspiring afternoon.

Ella Turner

An unforgettable tour of London (St James's) and its literary haunts with two wonderful guides, Mike and Cindy, whose passion for writers, writing and the city itself is so infectious! I thoroughly recommend it - in fact, my brother and I think it's one of the very best tours in London!

Max Montebello

What a great tour. Time flew as we walked and heard about the rich literary history of the streets of St James’s, London, and how less than six degrees separated some of the country’s most renowned literary figures. Made entertaining with quotes and poetry. Performed from memory with passion, warmth and charm. Excellently researched by Cindy and Mike. Thoroughly recommended.

Rakie Ayola

Thrilling afternoon with Mike and Cindy, threading through St James’s, calling up the ghosts of Woolf, Sassoon, the Sitwells, Waugh, Huxley, Greene, Coward. “Tour” doesn’t do it justice – “promenade performance art” more like.

Stephen Dace

This tour was one of the best things I've ever done in London. I learnt about St James's, its history and importance. It brought to life writers I knew and introduced me to ones I hadn't yet met. All done in an accessible and informative way with plenty of performance and laughter thrown in. Mike and Cindy are great guides to the area and its literary, cultural and political history.

Penny Vivian

A thoroughly unique and enlightening experience. I was educated and entertained by Cindy and Mike's humorous and passionate delivery. An unforgettable afternoon.

Dave Barbarossa

A splendid Saturday morning out! The lives of so many famous authors of the 20th century were woven together into a fascinating tapestry as we ambled about peaceful St James's. Mike and Cindy put on a dazzling performance, breathing life into beautiful passages of both poetry and prose. A lovely walk, a learning experience, and a wonderful show all in one.

Reid and Emily Ashby

I was delighted to be able to join the 'St James's Tour' on a sunny Saturday morning. Right from the start, the novels of Virginia Woolf, Graham Greene, Ian Fleming, Evelyn Waugh, Aldous Huxley and Rose Macaulay were brought vividly to life. Cindy and Mike are founts of knowledge about literary London, the scandalous affairs of London society between the wars, and the spies that were recruited in the St James's gentlemen's clubs.

This tour wasn't like anything I'd experienced before; the level of knowledge and love of books was astounding. We were treated to great performances of novel excerpts and poems at each stop, and we got to see corners of London I would never have found on my own.

I love literature but I don't like it too dry; this was anything but. Lots of laughter and great stories from start to finish. The tour was extremely well organised and amazingly good value. I really can't recommend it too highly!

Amanda Price

I did the St James's tour - and what a great morning I had! This was packed full of interesting information, with books I'd read and books I hadn't both coming alive on the tour... made all the more interesting because of the locations that were so central to the books being utilised so well.

Mike and Cindy really know so much and want to share it with you - but this is far from a dry lesson. It takes you on a metaphorical and a literal journey as you find out about some painful forgotten stories as well as hearing some hilarious anecdotes! I have come away inspired to read some old favourites again, as well as feeling that I will now see the London that I thought I knew in new ways. Highly recommended.

Nic Fryer