Bookworm week
Really enjoyed some of the events I went to last week at the Cheltenham Literature Festival. Didn't realise before I moved here what a big thing it was.
I went to a see a live virtual Margaret Atwood last Thursday night and she signed a few copies of my books with her controversial Long Pen. I was raging because a few weeks ago I had lent my old hardback edition of Cat's Eye to someone (an ex who came to visit, so will probably not see it again!) as I had no idea this event was on until a week before.
On the Saturday, my pal Jo came up to visit me from Bristol and we went to see a very funny, positive outlook on life Iain Banks. We were a bit naughty and nipped down to the Oxfam charity book shop down the road to buy cheaper books for the signing. The book Jo got for her boyfriend had already been signed 8 years previously at the festival for some lad called Alan. Funny, but I hope her Steve liked it anyway.
On Sunday night, I went to the penultimate event of fellow north-dubliner Roddy Doyle. He had me in hysterics reading out a few chapters from his new book. I do love all his books which are mainly set in Dublin since I can identify with them so well. I got a copy of his recent book, the Deportees, which is 8 short stories based on the huge influx of immigrants into Ireland over the past 10-15years.
Reading his books does bring me back to my hometown and youth as I know exactly where and what he is talking about when he is describing places and things. Down to things like the Artane roundabout, the green sheltered seating areas along the seafront with their round windows we used to peak out of as kids, the wooden bridge going out to Bull Island, the irish attitudes and his ability to accurately describe the nature of irish middle-aged men so well. These men remind me so much of my Dad/pops, who is a true and true Dub from DNS (de northside). Am heading home to Dublin in 2.5 weeks for a few days, so really looking forward to that now. Dad was on his first sun holiday abroad last week in about 20 years or more and seems in great form, so will be great to see him.
I went to a see a live virtual Margaret Atwood last Thursday night and she signed a few copies of my books with her controversial Long Pen. I was raging because a few weeks ago I had lent my old hardback edition of Cat's Eye to someone (an ex who came to visit, so will probably not see it again!) as I had no idea this event was on until a week before.
On the Saturday, my pal Jo came up to visit me from Bristol and we went to see a very funny, positive outlook on life Iain Banks. We were a bit naughty and nipped down to the Oxfam charity book shop down the road to buy cheaper books for the signing. The book Jo got for her boyfriend had already been signed 8 years previously at the festival for some lad called Alan. Funny, but I hope her Steve liked it anyway.
On Sunday night, I went to the penultimate event of fellow north-dubliner Roddy Doyle. He had me in hysterics reading out a few chapters from his new book. I do love all his books which are mainly set in Dublin since I can identify with them so well. I got a copy of his recent book, the Deportees, which is 8 short stories based on the huge influx of immigrants into Ireland over the past 10-15years.
Reading his books does bring me back to my hometown and youth as I know exactly where and what he is talking about when he is describing places and things. Down to things like the Artane roundabout, the green sheltered seating areas along the seafront with their round windows we used to peak out of as kids, the wooden bridge going out to Bull Island, the irish attitudes and his ability to accurately describe the nature of irish middle-aged men so well. These men remind me so much of my Dad/pops, who is a true and true Dub from DNS (de northside). Am heading home to Dublin in 2.5 weeks for a few days, so really looking forward to that now. Dad was on his first sun holiday abroad last week in about 20 years or more and seems in great form, so will be great to see him.