Jan 4, 2011 | Latest
Finished third re-reading of ‘The Art of Fiction’ by David Lodge, an excellent guide. Finished ‘The Case For Literature’ by Gao Xinghian, an unremitting critic of totalitarianism, nationalism and ideology and who argues that the artist has to be an individual and...
Dec 7, 2010 | Latest
Finished ‘The Drinker’ by Hans Fallada, a first-person narrative and semi-autobiographical portrait of an alcoholic who ends up in asylum with his life (a bit like Germany itself) in bits. The obsessiveness of the main character, Erwin Sommer, somehow reminded me of...
Nov 19, 2010 | Latest
Heard the sad news that publisher Steve McDonogh died a few days after suffering a massive brain haemorrhage. I had worked with Steve on the essay book on the hunger strike, published in 2006, and first met him about 1982. Presented prizes at Belfast Royal Academy...
Nov 11, 2010 | Latest
Interviewed on BBC’s ‘Talkback’ and UTV television re the non-wearing of the poppy by nationalists though SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie has now sprouted one, fully-formed. Wednesday 10th November. Along with others as guests I represented Féile an Phobail at East...
Oct 12, 2010 | Latest
We were in Bath last weekend for the wedding of my niece Sharon to Chris. Had time to do some touring in the city and surrounding Somerset, including visiting the Roman Baths, Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral (across the road from which is the late Ted Heath’s...
Oct 5, 2010 | Latest
On Sunday we went to see an excellent film, ‘Made In Dagenham’ about the Ford factory women’s strike in 1968. The dramatization was very evocative of the period, was funny and at times very moving: a little gem. The strike was initially called by the women sewing...
