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11 May 2004
8:32 am
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Jonathan Coe Lecture
Jonathan Coe will give the Laurence Sterne Annual Memorial Lecture on Friday June 11th at the King's Manor, York. The lecture will coincide with the publication of Coe's latest book, Like a Fiery Elephant: The Story of B.S.Johnson.
Coe describes his approach;
My strategy will be this. Many of the people picking up this book will not (regrettably) have read anything by B. S. Johnson before. Revered though he is by a few, he is unknown nowadays to most British readers under forty. So I shall begin by explaining, in a little more detail, what it was that he wrote and that I think he achieved. After that, pace Milan Kundera, I shall have to bring myself to knock down the walls of his house and we shall take a wander through the rubble, perhaps shaking our heads in awe and wonderment at the melancholy grandeur of the ruins we find there. Then, by way of interlude, we shall listen to some different people talking about B. S. Johnson, arguing amongst themselves even though these are - in most cases - people who have never actually met each other. And last of all, a short coda. In which I shall attempt to put forward my own, highly personal - and, yes, speculative - thoughts about the forces that may have been driving him in his last few days and hours: a 'transcursion into his mind' - to use Johnsonian language - or even (the phrase is from his fifth novel, House Mother Normal) 'a diagram of certain aspects of the inside of his skull', as he gets ready to compose his final message to the world; to write his very last word.
Before we get that far, however, I hope there will be plenty to enjoy along the way. We're talking about novels, after all, and novels, even gloomy ones, are supposed to cheer us up, to provide recompense, when life isn't all that it should be. Supposed, in short, to give us pleasure.
Aren't they?
In his heyday, during the 1960s and early 1970s, B. S. Johnson was one of the best-known young novelists in Britain. A passionate advocate for the avant-garde in both literature and film, he gained notoriety for his forthright views on the future of the novel and for his idiosyncratic ways of putting them into practice. His innovations included a book with holes cut through the pages, and a novel published in a box so that its unbound chapters could be read in any order. But in November 1973 Johnson's lifelong depression got the better of him, and he was found dead at his north London home. He had taken his own life at the age of forty.
Jonathan Coe was born in Birmingham in 1961. His novels include What a Carve Up!, The House of Sleep and The Rotters' Club. He lives in London.
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27 Apr 2004
8:40 am
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Tom Phillips at Shandy Hall
Tom Phillips writes in the catalogue for his exhibition 'We Are the People' that he sees his exhibition of portrait postcards as 'an alternative National Portrait Gallery'.
At the NPG about 1,000 cards from his collection of over 50,000 are displayed under distinct and delightful categories: 'Fantasy Transport', 'Charabancs', 'Make Believe: Children', 'Prizwinners'. The section entitled 'Aspidistra' shows the sitter and the plant in a variety of predictable and unlikely photographic situations. 'Picnic', records the happy occasion that 'is windless and midge-free' as picnicers wave sandwiches and smile for the camera.
All of the people shown in this exhibition are anonymous and the comments in the visitors book ('wonderful', 'deeply moving', 'hugely enjoyable') record the pleasure the public are deriving from this show at the National Portrait Gallery.
Anglican Clergymen are not represented at the NPG but Tom Phillips has given them a special place in his project by making a selection of anonymous parsons for the exhibition of his works at Shandy Hall, Coxwold.
The connections between Phillips' work and Shandy Hall are reflected in the works chosen
The original drawing for his mural at Preston Church and the beautiful collage and steel crucifixes link Phillips with the sacred; his remarkable skulls made of bronze and glass echo the fate of the jester Yorick, so closely identified with the North Yorkshire parson.
Sterne's playful experiments in non-linear narrative have their counterpoint in Tom's 'Humument' series of reworked texts.
There is much to see and marvel at in this exhibition by Tom Phillips R.A. in the Old Granary Gallery but the exhibition is unusual in that it spills out into the village of Coxwold. The Post Office window and 'The Fauconberg Arms' also have works on view making this a truly 'We Are the People' event.
The exhibition continues until 20 June. Open every day except Saturday
11.00 — 16.30. Telephone for enquiries: 01347 868465. Admission Free.
www.tomphillips.co.uk
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20 Apr 2004
11:07 am
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Moving Stories
As part of plans to develop Shandy Hall as a centre for the study and development of narrative construction, The National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE), in collaboration with Asterisk*, are launching a new creative writing competition as an annual event. The theme or focus will vary in future years but this time we felt it appropriate to link the competition with Moving Stories.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the world's first steam locomotive journey and, as part of its bicentennial celebrations, the National Railway Museum has joined forces with NAWE and KMA to create a special website called Moving Stories. Anyone will be able to add their own writing to the Moving Stories website and it promises to be the the first truly international online writing event with such popular appeal. Everyone has stories to tell about journeys they have made, momentous or merely anecdotal. But this is also the chance to set off on imaginary journeys and see them come alive for other readers on the web. We'll be looking for social history, essays, short stories and poems - anything that expresses the train's impact on people's lives. Travellers' stories from around the world will be collected on the Moving Stories website where they will join forces with a range of historical and literary contributions from Dickens to Paddington Bear.
Starting on 10 May and continuing throughout the following month, Ian McMillan will be writer-in-residence, highlighting new contributions to the site and providing an ongoing editorial. Afterwards, the best contributions will be archived into a permanent collection.
NAWE Patrons Beverley Naidoo and Gillian Clarke are amongst the writers already contributing to the site.
The competition is open to NAWE members, the prize being a one week writer's retreat at Wolfson Cottage in the grounds of Shandy Hall, North Yorkshire.
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