Wednesday, November 1st, 2006
Political commentator Richard Calland’s new book, Anatomy of South Africa - Who Holds the Power? was launched last night at Relish, a restauraunt-cum-bar which afforded decent wine, tepid hors d’oeuvres, a great view of the sunset over Lion’s Head, and rather cramped quarters for the 100+ crowd that turned out.
Richard Calland
Keep reading »
No comments »
Wednesday, November 1st, 2006
November, for those who didn’t know, is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, and the people who are responsible for it have set their followers - a burgeoning band - the goal of cranking out 50 000 words in 30 days.
Which brings to mind Wordworth’s classic anti-verbiage sonnet. To wit:
No comments »
Friday, November 3rd, 2006
Henrietta Rose-Innes did me the great favor of introducing The New Suffolk Hymnbook at Julie Aitchison’s fine bookshop on Wednesday evening. She spoke quite eloquently and left me quite flustered; she’s agreed to allow me to publish her notes on Boswestblog - they’ll appear here soon.
Gus Ferguson, Henrietta Rose-Innes and Jeanne Hromnik
The turnout was good, with many friends coming along, and an encouraging number of novels sold and signed. Spotted, inter alia: Mike Cohen, Russel Brownlee, Chris Nicklin, Rodney Trudgeon, Nozuko Mbana, Gus Ferguson and Jeanne Hromnik.
Thanks to all who showed up. Here are a few more snaps (all courtesy my Lovely Assistant):
Keep reading »
No comments »
Tuesday, November 7th, 2006
The next stop on my grand international tour promoting The New Suffolk Hymnbook is the Collected Works bookstore in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Come one, come all - books will most certainly be on sale (directly imported from Africa!), and I will most certainly be happy to sign them after the reading.
Keep reading »
2 comments »
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
As promised, here is the text of the speech introducing The New Suffolk Hymnbook that left me rather flustered last Wednesday. Thanks again, Henrietta.
Notes on The New Suffolk Hymnbook by Henrietta Rose-Innes
Some months ago, Gus Ferguson gave me a copy of he New Suffolk Hymnbook, saying that he thought I would like it. I was a little nervous (what if I didn’t? what would I say to Gus?), and for a long time put it aside unread. But every now and then I would glance at its dreamy, sub-marine cover. Eventually I took it with me to a North Sea island, where, trapped in a heat wave in a suitably otherworldly state of mind, I read it. And was delighted to discover writing as dreamlike and compelling as the angels and sea creatures that float on the cover. I never did tell Gus what I thought of the book, and so I was glad when Ben gave me the chance to do so by asking me to introduce him tonight.
Keep reading »
1 comment »
Friday, November 17th, 2006
Santa Fe’s Lannan Foundation - unspoken motto: “watering minds in the high desert” - brought five members of the black poetry collective Cave Canem to the Lensic Theater last evening for an extended reading. The locals (who don’t get too much in-the-flesh exposure to black American culture, one would hazard) were treated to an undrawing of the curtains in one wing of the house, very much under expansion at present, that is African-American literature.
Toi Dericotte
Keep reading »
1 comment »
Saturday, November 18th, 2006
Last evening’s reading at the Collected Works bookstore in downtown Santa Fe - complete with South African wine - went very well, with quite a good crowd turning out.
TNSH @ Collected Works
Keep reading »
No comments »
