The London Library and Writers as Real World Heroes

A Library Built by Writers

When we think of heroes, we often picture the characters in books—the wizards, adventurers, and detectives who fill the pages of our favorite stories. But behind every story is a real person who sat down and wrote it.
These real-world heroes—writers—built libraries, shaped history, and created the books, films, and audiobooks we love today. And in one case, they even built a library.

In 1841, a group of authors—including Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Thomas Carlyle—founded The London Library. They wanted a place where writers and readers could access books freely, research new ideas, and create stories that would inspire generations.

Over the years, it has been home to some of the world’s greatest literary minds. Many famous books were written within its walls, including:

📖 Dracula by Bram Stoker – The vampire story that inspired countless films, TV shows, and even Hotel Transylvania!
📖 The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling – Later made into Disney films.
📖 Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle – The world’s most famous detective.
📖 The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot – One of the most influential poems ever written.
📖 A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf – A powerful book about women and writing.

Even today, authors like Kazuo Ishiguro (who wrote Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day) and Stephen Fry (who narrates the Harry Potter audiobooks) are members of The London Library.

Capturing History: The Queen’s Visit to The London Library

Last year, I had the opportunity to photograph The Queen’s visit to The London Library, where she met both emerging and established writers. It was a moment where fiction and reality overlapped—a Queen visiting a library founded by authors, meeting storytellers who will shape the future.
Helena Bonham Carter, known for her roles in Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, and many other book-to-film adaptations, is The London Library’s president. At the event, she spoke about the importance of libraries in keeping stories alive for future generations.
📸 You can see my photo of the event here
📖 Read more about The Queen’s visit here

Why Libraries Matter—Including Yours

The London Library is famous, but every library is important. The books inside them were written by real people who once sat down with an idea and turned it into a story.
That includes your local library, your school library, and even your own bookshelf at home. Every book you pick up was once just an idea in someone’s mind before it became a story that could be read, listened to, or even adapted into a film.
So whether you’re borrowing a book, listening to an audiobook, or watching a film based on a novel, remember:
📚 Writers are real people.
📚 Libraries keep their stories alive.
📚 Maybe one day, your story will be on a library shelf too.