Helen Lewis and Henry Oliver on Literary Genius

In Conversation - Helen Lewis and Henry Oliver Thursday 17 July

6pm - 8pm

£20 (booking fee)

Who gets called a genius—and why? Unravel the myths and meanings of this powerful word, from the Enlightenment to the digital age.

One of the ways that Dr Johnson's dictionary defined genius was as 'a man endowed with superiour faculties.' In her new book, The Genius Myth, Helen Lewis takes aim at this idea of a special kind of person - saying that it has been bad for society, and bad for the 'geniuses' themselves. Nonetheless, genius is a word that endures, because it captures something important about the world. Boswell's Life of Johnson is full of debates over who is, and is not, a genius - so let Helen and Henry guide you through the troublesome history of this debatable word.

Ticket includes a welcome drink and a chance to view Dr Johnson's House.

Helen Lewis

Helen Lewis is a staff writer for the Atlantic, and the author of The Genius Myth: The Dangerous Allure of Rebels, Monsters and Rule-Breakers (Vintage, 2025)

Henry Oliver

Henry Oliver writes the literature Substack The Common Reader. He is the author of Second Act: What Late Bloomers Can Tell You About Success and Reinventing Your Life. 

Accessibility

There is regrettably no step-free access to Dr Johnson's House.

There are seven steps to access the entrance (with a handrail).

The building is a four-storey townhouse with a staircase between each floor.

There are handrails on each side of the staircase and visitor seating in every room.

Toilets are located down a steep set of stairs.