Set up in Balham in October 2022 by former journalist Tom Rowley, Backstory is all about celebrating the story behind each story...the backstory. That’s why there’s a long bar and comfy chairs all along one side of our bookshop in south London. We want to encourage browsers to linger over a coffee or a glass of wine, to share bookish conversation with friends new and old - and to leave not only with books, but with stories of their own to tell.

It’s also why events are at the heart of what we do. We host author talks most weeks, delving deeper into the backstory behind a new release. And why not join us at one of our regular live music nights, where words of a different kind come to life?

If you’re not local to London, you can join our thriving literary community. Our two book clubs - fiction and non-fiction - are held monthly on Zoom, so you can take part from anywhere in the world. Better still, the author of the book joins each discussion. Or we’d be delighted to bring the Backstory experience directly to you with one of our tailored book subscriptions. We have so much fun picking out the perfect books for each of our subscribers.

Head to backstory.london for more info or follow us on Instagram @backstory.london

Backstory

Org chart

Teams

Offices