Cliff James's Blog - Posts Tagged "life-as-a-kite"
New Book coming out soon...
Coming out in December 2019, my new book - Life As A Kite: a queer, political, philosophical travelogue based on a true story.
Self-imposed exile, a circumnavigation of the world and a search of the ideal society -
Here are some taster readings on Youtube:
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=P...
And here's the back cover blurb:
Life As A Kite
The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever.
Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America.
Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers.
Peace and love,
Cliff James
cliffjames.weebly.com
Self-imposed exile, a circumnavigation of the world and a search of the ideal society -
Here are some taster readings on Youtube:
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=P...
And here's the back cover blurb:
Life As A Kite
The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever.
Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America.
Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers.
Peace and love,
Cliff James
cliffjames.weebly.com
New Book, Life As A Kite - in the news!
Hey there,
There's a lovely big shout-out for Life As A Kite, my new travelogue book, in the latest newsletter from The Freethinker!
The article questions Prince Charle's friendship with the abusive Bishop Peter Ball, which is one of the key themes of Life As A Kite. Here's an excerpt from the article - the link to the piece can be found at the end of this blog:
"Cadiz-based Cliff James, pictured right with his Spanish partner Alvaro Gallegos, contacted me this week to tell me that he has a book coming out next month entitled Life as a Kite. It will contain some details of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Ball; the stressful process of having to relive that abuse when he gave evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), and the compensation he received from the Diocese of Chichester.
The money awarded to Cliff enabled him to travel extensively, but he did not return to the UK because of the rising intolerance and xenophobia unleashed by Brexit. Instead he took out Irish citizenship and settled in the Spanish city of Cadiz, where he met Alvaro, who is also a writer and he settled down to write Life of a Kite.
The back cover of the book says:
"The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever.
"Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America.
"Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit. Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers."
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefree...
There's a lovely big shout-out for Life As A Kite, my new travelogue book, in the latest newsletter from The Freethinker!
The article questions Prince Charle's friendship with the abusive Bishop Peter Ball, which is one of the key themes of Life As A Kite. Here's an excerpt from the article - the link to the piece can be found at the end of this blog:
"Cadiz-based Cliff James, pictured right with his Spanish partner Alvaro Gallegos, contacted me this week to tell me that he has a book coming out next month entitled Life as a Kite. It will contain some details of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Ball; the stressful process of having to relive that abuse when he gave evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), and the compensation he received from the Diocese of Chichester.
The money awarded to Cliff enabled him to travel extensively, but he did not return to the UK because of the rising intolerance and xenophobia unleashed by Brexit. Instead he took out Irish citizenship and settled in the Spanish city of Cadiz, where he met Alvaro, who is also a writer and he settled down to write Life of a Kite.
The back cover of the book says:
"The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever.
"Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America.
"Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit. Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers."
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/thefree...
Life As A Kite- The Playlist!
Compañeros,
There's a playlist of songs that were inspired by the book Life As A Kite, and some of these songs accompanied particular stretches of the journey.
Each week, I'll be uploading a new song - one song for each of the 17 chapters/locations in the travelogue - with an excerpt from that chapter.
This week, for Chapter One - The Crossing (the beginning of the journey) - it's the divine Nina Simone with 'I wish I knew how it would feel to be free'. (YouTube link below).
From Chapter 1 - The Crossing:
"Here, leaving the departure lounge, leaving the port, the shore and those cliffs that the Romans named, it hits you with the existential force of a near-gale off the Kentish coast: that first-day-of-school terror, standing alone on the lonely edge of a lifelong precipice where no one will ever look out for you again, for this is the first day of exile. It is breath-stealing, suffocating, heart-breaking at once. Breathe. Steel yourself, for here ends gravity and there are now no anchors to keep you grounded. Beware, the apeman is not prepared for such leaps of imagination. Life is a kite. Remember to breathe."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoU4Y...
There's a playlist of songs that were inspired by the book Life As A Kite, and some of these songs accompanied particular stretches of the journey.
Each week, I'll be uploading a new song - one song for each of the 17 chapters/locations in the travelogue - with an excerpt from that chapter.
This week, for Chapter One - The Crossing (the beginning of the journey) - it's the divine Nina Simone with 'I wish I knew how it would feel to be free'. (YouTube link below).
From Chapter 1 - The Crossing:
"Here, leaving the departure lounge, leaving the port, the shore and those cliffs that the Romans named, it hits you with the existential force of a near-gale off the Kentish coast: that first-day-of-school terror, standing alone on the lonely edge of a lifelong precipice where no one will ever look out for you again, for this is the first day of exile. It is breath-stealing, suffocating, heart-breaking at once. Breathe. Steel yourself, for here ends gravity and there are now no anchors to keep you grounded. Beware, the apeman is not prepared for such leaps of imagination. Life is a kite. Remember to breathe."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoU4Y...
Life As A Kite is launched today!
Life As A Kite launched today!
The new book, Life As A Kite, is now available now from www.feedaread.com and all good bookshops.
Here's a new youtube video to mark the launch:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IIp1K8-...
ISBN: 9781839451430
Here's the blurb from the back cover: "The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever. Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America. Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit. Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers." More information about Cliff's books and other work at cliffjames.weebly.com
The new book, Life As A Kite, is now available now from www.feedaread.com and all good bookshops.
Here's a new youtube video to mark the launch:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IIp1K8-...
ISBN: 9781839451430
Here's the blurb from the back cover: "The world feels increasingly volatile and polarised. Millions of people are displaced or alienated by abuses of power. Our lives are cluttered, stressful and unsatisfying. Our sense of who we are and where we belong is more fragile than ever. Following political and personal upheaval at home, Cliff James emigrated from his native England and travelled the globe in search of an ideal society. In his quest for Utopia, he sought enlightenment in Himalayan temples, joined ecological and peace projects in Israel and Palestine, and served at refugee camps and organic farms from Europe to Asia, Australia and South America. Against a backdrop of global instability, he depicts the intricacies of daily life around the world, the challenges of social and environmental injustice, and the resilience of the human spirit. Life As A Kite is a philosophical as much as a geographical journey, a personal narrative of loss and hope, and a manifesto for a future without frontiers." More information about Cliff's books and other work at cliffjames.weebly.com
Life As A Kite in the news
Delighted to find a lengthy article in the Brighton Argus newspaper about the new book, Life As A Kite. The article also provides a sensitive write-up about the abuse perpetrated by Bishop Peter Ball, as disclosed in the BBC Two documentary "Exposed: The Church's Dark Secret". The link to the article is below-
Thanks Brighton Argus!
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/18157...
Thanks Brighton Argus!
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/18157...
Cliff James speaking in "Exposed" BBC Two documentary
Decent article in The Guardian today about a main theme of the book Life As A Kite: the abuse of Bishop Peter Ball:
"Cliff James said Ball boasted of his connections. “He kept mentioning his friendship with Prince Charles in a flippant way, [as] anyone would talk about a friend – but he’s talking about Prince Charles,” he said.
“Here he was having a friendship with someone as low down as me … The next minute he’s dropping into the conversation, ‘oh, he’s counsellor to royalty’. It just reinforced his specialness and the idea he was impregnable.”
Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
"Cliff James said Ball boasted of his connections. “He kept mentioning his friendship with Prince Charles in a flippant way, [as] anyone would talk about a friend – but he’s talking about Prince Charles,” he said.
“Here he was having a friendship with someone as low down as me … The next minute he’s dropping into the conversation, ‘oh, he’s counsellor to royalty’. It just reinforced his specialness and the idea he was impregnable.”
Read more at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/202...
