'Larkin's evocation of the icy, claustrophobic, wartime town is heightened by flashbacks to the glowing summer ... Both seasons are vividly evoked.' (Carol Rumens' review of A Girl In Winter, The Guardian 2011). Our online Book Club choice for 11 May meeting. All PLS members very welcome.

The London Magazine Nov 1964 featured an article by Martin Dodsworth called Pain and Recent Poetry. It locates the pain of World Wsr Two in writers such as Thom Gunn, Peter Redgrove and Larkin, saying that Larkin's poems are, 'moving to the point of desolation.'

A lovely comment about our recent conference; 'I had so many energising and illuminating conversations...it feels like a real community is building around these events.' Please put 16-17th March 2028 in your diaries and do get in touch if you have any ideas for speakers or topics.

Do come along and enjoy a fantastic evening celebrating Hull legend Maurice Rutherford.

Probably crossing Cemetery Road... @plsoc.bsky.social

youtu.be/Iv34q25EGng?... We put together a mean conference! Here’s some visual impressions from last week.

Hedgehogs seem to have a way of getting to us! www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

There was some talk of Venn diagrams at this year's conference, partly because John Venn was born in Hull. Here is a pie chart of the conference that also might give some idea of what we spent our two days discussing.

It was a fine blend of the Academic and the Entertaining. The Venn diagram would have Entertainingly Academic or Academically Entertaining at the core. Or both. No one expected the Larkin-Williams Inquisition. Wonderful set dressing too.

For World Poetry Day here's At Grass. One of my favourite Larkin poems read by @plsoc.bsky.social trustee, Julian Wilds. youtu.be/hc0UNcGVLIg?...

The PLS @plsoc.bsky.social again delivers a full two-days to remember at the University of Hull. Thanks to all involved in organising, presenting and attending. Roll on 2028...

Our President Rosie Millard introducing Day Two of the PLS conference at The University of Hull. It’s been a stunningly successful event. Two days of brilliant Larkin focused presentations and discussions attracting an international audience.

The PLS 2026 Conference begins tomorrow at The University of Hull. Here’s a look back at our previous conference in 2024 youtu.be/mo0ElYLxL7g?...

A Girl In Winter translated into Spanish.

The conference starts this Thursday and there are still a few places available for registration. PLS Trustee Dr Anna Stevenson will be discussing the influence of Oxbridge on Larkin and fellow poet Ted Hughes- this will be a fascinating talk.

Oh, this made me laugh. @plsoc.bsky.social

The superb Grayson Perry ‘Aspects of Myself’ Exhibition is at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum until May 3. Themes bring back memories of his outstanding talk to PLS members in Hull in 2017

Really looking forward to leading this poetry workshop in the beautiful Beverley Minster. Taking as it's inspiration the spectacular Threads textiles exhibition. More info at www.beverleyminster.org and workshop tickets at www.trybooking.com/uk/events/la...

MEMBERSHIP OFFER!! Join the Philip Larkin Society now and not only will you get your membership benefits for 2025-6, but you will remain a member until the end of the next membership year, 30th June 2027. Digital and hard copy membership rates available. philiplarkin.com/membership/

Larkin and Egerton shared many postcards of art work. This print by Peploe is part of the University of Hull art collection and was sent as a Christmas card in 1980

On International Women's Day we would like to celebrate the remarkable Judy Egerton who first met Larkin in Belfast in the 1950s and kept up a friendship for the rest of his life, via letters and visits. Judy was an eminent curator and art historian at the Tate and the National Gallery.

We're getting ready to present the first meeting of the Philip Larkin Record Club at our conference next week.

Larkin well represented in the excellent Topping Books in Bath

The PLS Book Group will meet up in May online to discuss our next choice- Larkin's second and last published novel, which tells the story of Katherine Lindt, a European refugee, living in an unforgiving (and unnamed) northern English town through the freezing winter of 1941-42. Open to all members.

Thank you to everyone that came along to our first bookclub meeting last night to discuss Larkin's novel Jill (1946). It was a very enjoyable hour of chat about this fascinating and infuriarating book. One of our members shared the link to a radio production of Jill www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ3L...

The PLS hold regular Zoom get togethers so members from across the world can meet and chat, along with the trustees. This Monday we will be launching our PLS Book Club and discussing Larkin's novel JILL. All members welcome, even if you haven't read Jill and would just like to know more about it.

The article quotes biographer ROGER LEWIS who will be speaking at our conference next month, and KENNETH WILLIAMS (and his links to Larkin) will be the topic of a talk by Adam Lomax and Dave Lewis. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/fe...

Perfect preparation for our book club meeting on Monday!

youtu.be/ThOJ4GjhWYk?... The fantastic ‘in conversation’ with David Remfrey, recorded at Beverley Art Gallery in June 2025. David was a friend of Larkin’s publishers, Jean and George Hartley, and once asked Larkin to sit for him. Discussed in the Q&A at the end.

Thank you to @chriswriting.bsky.social and @stage4beverley.bsky.social for a great event that celebrated the work of Philip Larkin and the Philip Larkin Society, and the role that poetry in general plays in telling stories about our lives.

It's 25 years since the death of Monica Jones. Here is Rachel Cooke's insightful review of John Sutherland's book about Monica from 2021. www.theguardian.com/books/2021/a...

No photos of Simon Armitage (as requested) but a fantastic talk, ably supported by Festival Poet @chriswriting.bsky.social @stage4beverley.bsky.social

Looking forward to seeing Simon Armitage and @chriswriting.bsky.social today, supported by the PLS at @stage4beverley.bsky.social . We know the spirit of Philip Larkin will not be far away!

This is our favourite statue in Hull too!

A rather dour account of Philip Larkin in this 1991 book about Hull.

Thank you all at Philip Larkin Society.

Our podcast is taking a break while Lyn is co-organising this year's conference. But there are over 50 episodes to enjoy so please have a listen. Also available on our YouTube channel. No subscription or membership needed. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...

Withernsea poet Dean Wilson will be joining us at the PLS conference next month. Who knows what wonderful stories he will tell us? www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-3h...

We are delighted to be supporting Festival Poet, and PLS member, Chris Sewart, at this year’s Stage4Beverley Festival. youtu.be/-kAVkqb88M0?...

It was my extreme honour to step in for Philip Larkin, who was unavailable, and speak a key line from This Be The Verse on the GREAT new single from @simonloverules.bsky.social. Preorder his new album safe in the knowledge that I appear only on one track. @backlisted.bsky.social

The Poems on The Underground project began in 1986. It's nice to see Larkin opposite Stevie Smith, who was born in Hull, and whose archives were acquired by Larkin for the University.

At next month's conference we will be exploring the surprising links between Philip Larkin and two of the UK's most loved writers and performers - Carry On's Kenneth Williams and Ray Davies of The Kinks

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1727992314... There is a great programme of speakers and topics at this year's conference 19-20 March in Hull. Open to all, please register for a place and come along.

#TheArchers Today's episode of The Archers is brought to you by Philip Larkin...

Friend of the PLS Jeremy Wikeley is starting a new poetry press. jwikeley.substack.com/p/why-im-sta...

Here's Chris Sewart's final festival poem as we get closer to this year's @stage4beverley.bsky.social event. We are looking forward to seeing Chris and all the other poets and musicians who will be bringing their fantastic energy to Beverley. Thanks Chris!

Our President Rosie Millard will be talking about the society's ambition to reach the next generation of Larkin readers and the #nationalyearofreading at the PLS Conference 19-20th March at the University of Hull. All welcome. Register on Eventbrite at the Earlybird rate.

The opening lines to Ros Barber's wonderful poem Material, that explores memory and loss through the every day objects around us. Ros will be one of our key notes speakers at next month's conference, discussing Aubade, Jill and much more. We are open for registration for attendees on Eventbrite now.