Category: WSG Reading Group

Two special online WSG events in October

We have two online events this month, and we hope you can join us for one or both of them.

WSG Informal Get Together

Join fellow WSG members online on 22 October at 7pm for an informal opportunity to meet and greet other WSG members. A zoom link will be circulated to members nearer the time. There is no need to prepare anything in particular in advance, but if you want to, you can use this opportunity to share something about your research, ask for input from members on any project you’re involved in, or discuss new avenues. This meeting will be hosted by Michaela Vance.

WSG Her Stories Reading Group

The next WSG Her Stories Reading Group session, will meet on 27th October 2026, 7-8pm (GMT). We will read and discuss ‘The History of Mary Prince’. If you do not have access to a hard copy, you can access a PDF version here: ‘The History of Mary Prince: By Herself’ (1831) There is also an audiobook on YouTube of the full text, and you can access it here .

 If you have any questions about our reading group, please do not hesitate to contact K.Lipsedge@Kingston.ac.uk

These events are for WSG members only. We hope you’ll consider joining us, if you haven’t done so already. Fees range from £12–£18 per year and details of how to join are here: Membership – Women’s Studies Group 1558 – 1837

WSG ‘Her Stories’ Reading Group: Upcoming session

Reading for WSG reading group session on 28th October, 7–8pm 2025 (GMT)

Frances Brooke’s The History of Emily Montague (Jasmin Bieber’s suggestion).

Please see the WSG October Newsletter for the Zoom link.

All WSG members are welcome to join this session, co-ordinated and facilitated by Karen Lipsedge.

About the reading:

Jasmin Bieber has kindly prepared a PDF of Brooke’s novel, which will be available to participants. If you cannot manage to read the entire novel, Jasmin recommends prioritising the first half, which takes place in Quebec and introduces intriguing, sensible romance plots. Alternatively, you might read from letter 57 to letter 177, which covers the troubled relationship between the main characters.

How the session will be organised:

Jasmin will begin by sharing why she chose Brooke’s novel and discussing the core themes. As with previous sessions, each participant will then share one thing they found noteworthy about the text.

At this meeting, we will also discuss and plan reading group sessions for December 2025 to October 2026, so please bring your suggestions and diaries.

To participate in ‘Her Stories’:

Contact Karen Lipsedge directly: K.Lipsedge@Kingston.ac.uk

Reminder: WSG Reading Group, Her Stories, March 10, 2025, 7–8pm (GMT) via Zoom

The next WSG Reading Group, Her Stories, is on 10th March, 7-8pm 2025 (GMT) 

The Women’s Studies Group (WSG) will host its next “Her Stories” Reading Group meeting on March 10th, 2025, from 7-8pm GMT. All members are welcome to participate in this upcoming session, organized and hosted by Karen Lipsedge.

The group will discuss Louise’s selected text: Jennie Batchelor’s The Lady’s Magazine (1770–1832) and the Making of Literary History (2022, Edinburgh University Press). For those unable to read the entire book, Louise recommends either the Conclusion or Chapter 6, “Achievements and Legacies: The Lady’s Magazine in Literary History.”

Members can access a virtual copy of the book through a provided link, though they should note it’s a large file and check their connection in advance. Thanks go to Louise for providing this link.

Each reading group follows a consistent format: the member who selected the text gives a brief introduction explaining their choice, followed by participants sharing one aspect of the text they wish to discuss—whether it relates to characters, style, readership, or even a single word or phrase.

Anyone interested in joining “Her Stories” can contact Karen Lipsedge directly.