Centenary Issue: A Party Between Two Covers!, Part 1

Chapman #100/101

by Joy Hendry (Editor), Angus Calder (Contributor), Ron Butlin (Contributor)

Chapman 100-1; A Party Between Two Covers! is the reaching of a milestone for Scotland’s Quality Literary Magazine – 100 issues, and a third of a century in continuous publication. Here are friends of Chapman, old and new, who have cooked up something special for its 100th issue. Angus Calder takes on the concept of Britain and forecasts its imminent demise; Ron Butlin sees Seneca moving into Edinburgh’s Southside; translations of Rilke and Derrida, and a discussion of Chapman’s evolution with revelations about inside arts council thinking past and present. Illustrations from Alasdair Gray, John Bellany and Gerry Mangan.

Jack Vettriano is the Artist of the Issue. Often controversial but he has kindly allowed access to anything of his, including unpublished paintings. The magazine also reprints classic essays first published in Chapman 16; Norman MacCaig, Sorley MacLean, Iain Crichton Smith, George Mackay Brown, Kathleen Raine and Tom Scott all answering three questions: what started you writing, what keeps you writing, and what is your relationship with Poetry and the Muse. Apart from MacLean’s, none of these unique, exceptionally insightful landmark essays have been published anywhere else. But the party doesn’t stop with this issue. There have been so many guests that the party continues with another double issue, (102-3) and the next (104). Collect the set!

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

About the author

Joy Hendry (b. 1953) is a Scottish writer and literary critic. She was educated at Perth Academy, the University of Edinburgh and Moray House College of Education.

While still at university, she became involved in editing and producing the Scottish literary magazine Chapman. "Controversial, influential, outspoken and intelligent", the magazine was founded in 1970 and edited by Hendry from 1976. Under her wing it published fiction, poetry and essays by both established and emerging Scottish writers.

Hendry taught English at Knox Academy in Haddington from 1977 to 1984, then left to become a full-time writer.

Her Gang Doun wi' a Sang, a celebration of the life and work of William Soutar, was staged at Perth Theatre in October 1990. In 1991 she delivered the Neil M. Gunn Centenary lecture in Caithness, which was later published in book form.

Reviews

[Julie Thomason · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult to rate something when it is so varied, both by writer and style of content. This has pottery, fiction and non fiction. Some poetry I really liked, others I would query the selection. Sone of the non fiction pieces were interesting but there was a disproportionate amount of fiction that I found disturbing.