The Hundred Days

Thanks to Corinne, I was made aware of One Hundred Days To Make Me A Better Person. Well, I guess we could all do with a bit of that, so I wondered what I could sign up for.

I wanted to find something which would give me a challenge, with an element of self improvement, but also something which, if I'm honest, I have a chance of sticking to, even on those days where work takes over.

The other week I had to admit to myself that I've never read the Complete Works of Shakespeare, at least not all of the Sonnets, and the longer poems, (and this was in the face of the fact that I have two friends who have read the whole of the Bible!), so my first thought was that I would challenge myself to read the rest of the poems.

But to be frank, this was a bit too easy. As I'd started thinking about poetry, I then began to think about all the poets and poems I've never read. Romantic poets, modern poets, there are so many out there. And this had the right element of self improvement. I may decide that I like some poets and not others, but I will be expanding my knowledge.

So, my pledge is, from 1 December, for one hundred days, I will read a new poem every day. I am open to suggestions as to what, or who, I should read (otherwise you just know the 20th Century isn't going to get much of a look in, apart from when I decide to read a few poems about cats), just please don't anyone suggest that I read the whole of The Prelude in a day. A couple of pages long please, at most.

I'll let you know what I discover, who I like (and who I don't), and how I get on.

Of actors and authors, with a little bit of food, wine, and walking

Two years ago, we attended a Literary Luncheon at the inaugural Scarborough Literature Festival, and really enjoyed it. Last year, we tried to book too late, and it was full, so this year we got our act together early, and decided to make a couple of days of it.

Despite having to work until after lunch, V and I were heading over to Scarborough by mid afternoon, and just had time to book into the hotel before we were joined by J. As most events were just round the corner at the Library, and the lunch was in our hotel, we were pretty centrally placed.

I rather loved the Concert Hall of the Library, mainly, I guess, because it was the site of the very first Theatre in the Round created by Stephen Joseph.

Our first event was called ‘Re:Invention’, and we’d booked it because it was about performance, and developing a character, and run by an actor. We weren’t quite sure what to expect, as the brochure had suggested that it could be a workshop. Sadly, it wasn’t, as the seats were laid out theatre-style. Still, it was very interesting.

We just had time to pop to the Blue Lounge, our new ‘bar of choice’ in Scarborough, for a drink before the second event, ‘Branwell vs the Brontes’. It sounded quite interestingin the blurb. It wasn’t. It was self indulgent, and very amateur. I was nodding by halfway through. They stopped for an interval, much to the surprise of the organisers, and so we took the opportunity and left, deciding that a curry and wine was a considerably more attractive option than staying for part 2. We found a fab little Indian restaurant that we’d been to a few years ago. Still there, still busy, still good, and they gave us free wine at the end.

The next morning, we made a bright and early start, determined to get a walk in before the literary luncheon. It was a glorious morning, and we walked right along the beach to the Spa, and then round the harbour and onto the Marine Drive, coming back over castle hill. We were back in time to get changed, and get a well earned drink in before lunch.

The author at the lunch was Victoria Glendinning. When I’d seen her advertised, I knew the name, and recognised her face, but couldn’t have said what she’d written. She turned out to be fascinating, and was clearly an experienced speaker, as, unlike others, she didn’t do a reading, just talked about her subjects, and also drew out anecdotes about Scarborough. She’s written biographies of Edith Sitwell, and Leonard Woolf amongst others and her latest book is about an affair between author Elizabeth Bowen and diplomat Charles Ritchie.

Afterwards, we had a quick dash to the shops, for where would our Friday’s be without a little shopping, and then headed back to Library for our last event, Kate Atkinson. Now I’ve never read any of her books, but had at least heard of her, and I did once see ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ on stage at the Theatre Royal. It didn’t make me want to read the book though. Listening to her read from her latest novel, that didn’t make me want to read it either. I just knew as she read that it was not a ‘Val’ book.

So all in all, a lovely break away from the grind. Some good events, one excellent one, and one dire. I think we need to focus on the lunch in future - if the talks not up to much, you still get food – and look more carefully into what other sessions are offering. But then, I think the organisers will probably do that as well.

Literary Ladies

‘She had me at ‘Shakespeare’

At one of our Friday ‘meet-ups’ a few weeks ago, we planned a visit to the Scarborough Literary Festival and booked tickets for a literary luncheon. So it was, that on the first cold day for three weeks (that ‘sea breeze’ can be bitter), we found ourselves at the inaugural event of the first festival.

I’d never been to anything like this before, and did wonder if I’d enjoy it when the speaker was someone I’d never heard of. It turned out to be fantastic. We had a huge (and delicious) lunch, and between courses, the writer, Patricia Duncker, read extracts from her novel, Miss Webster and Cherif, and talked about literature. I guess it also helped that we’d ordered a bottle of champagne.

She didn’t just talk about her work, but also the literary inheritance. She’s a university professor, and spoke of the dark elements in Shakespeare’s comedies, how there is always someone who doesn’t get the happy ending, and the impact of the wilderness in literature.

Over lunch, we spoke to a couple of the organisers, from the Library Service. Apparently, in planning the event they'd visited lots of other festivals to see how it was done, and make contacts - what a fab job is that?!

It was fascinating, so, of course, I bought the book. I have to say it isn’t one I’d have picked up in Borders. I haven’t started it yet. I’ll let you know what I think