Devon Book Club discussion

HI Everyone
Had a great day at Hay yesterday - it was buzzing as usual. I really do recommend it to anyone who has not been - but book acommodation early as it gets very bookd up. We stayed about 30 minutes away in a hotel in the Brecon National Park.

Heard three authors:
Colm Tóibín, Kazuo Ishiguro and Elif Shafak.

All there were entertaining, articulate and very thoughtful. Colm Toibin also talked about the irish referndum, in which he had been a high profile "yes" campaigner. The discssion roamed around a range of his work Nora Webster, The Testament of Mary and many others; plus a fascinating discussion on his work in relation to the poet Elizabeth Bishop. He was humorous and very erudite, but in a genuine, underdstated way. Definitely someone I will read carefully now.

Ishiguru mainly talked about his new book book:The Buried Giant|22522805] and gave robust defence of ogres and pixies - you'll haev to check out the book to underdstand that refernce. Essentially, this book is about subdued memory - in individuals but crucially in nations and what happens when those mremories are surfaced. Fascinating an, again wll worth a read. Ishiguru is a very engagign man, with a wry, self-deprecating humour and, again, very keen intellect.
Elif Shafak was a revelation - someoen I had read a little but I will nw defintiely read more. She is Turkish but lives in in London and writes in both Turkish and English, an internationalist, trilingual, feminist, sufist, political scientist, a radical in so many ways. She was fascingating talking about the dialectic; about creative tension between viewpoints, about the common underpinings to the mysticism of so many religions, in contrast with the dogma nd rigidity of religious orthodoxy. Am inspirational and hugely emotionally intelligent speaker (who spoek movingly about her own experience of post partum depression) -I could have listened to her for hours.

That's enough rabitting from me - but three authors I can wholeheartedly recommend. Any next year - try and get to Hay - you wont regret it.

Hi Ian! You should have come and said hello! I was stewarding the Tata events all day. I am there all week if anyone wants to come and say hi! It's a fabulous event and you should all try to visit if you can! :)

Blast, I would have done if I'd known you were there. We went to the Tata tent twice and I didn't see you. I'd love to steward the event - mind it must be expensive staying there for the duration - or are you just doing a few days?

Oh no, what a shame. Up for the whole festival. Just spent the most wonderful hour with Alan Bennett. I always stay for the half term. Sort of a hard working holiday! Brilliant experience tho. If you can steward the Tata you can cope with most things life sends you. You should try it, it's fun! :).