Even before being recently voted number 1 in the 2026 Guardian list of the 100 best novels, Middlemarch has consistently been praised particularly by eminent novelists, including Henry James and Martin Amis. Virginia Woolf declared it ‘one of the few English novels written for grown-up people’. In the autumn there will be a two-part adaptation in Stratford so it seems a good time to re-visit this wonderful novel.

Dr Pamela Mason was formerly a Fellow of The Shakespeare Institute and Lecturer in English at The University of Birmingham. She is the co-editor of Shakespeare in Performance (London, 1995) and has published many books on Shakespeare as well as editing the Arden edition of Macbeth (2015). She is a Fellow of the Birmingham and Midland Institute (BMI) where she has delivered study days on literature and opera for many years. 

These days run from 10.15 am to 4 pm. There are four sessions with short breaks in the morning and afternoon and an hour’s break for lunch. The excellent cafe at the BMI offers very good refreshment provision. The cost of the day is £25, payable on the day by cash or card. 

The people who attend these days are from a variety of backgrounds and while some like to do some preparation beforehand others simply come prepared to discover something new. Although there will be opportunities for individuals to contribute to discussion there is no requirement to do so. There is always material provided, both written and film extracts, which facilitates participation in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. 

For further details or to book, please contact Pamela either by phone: 01827 712132 - or email: studydays@deliveringshakespeare.com.