Other Events
2010 Other Events
22 January
Jasper Fforde, Reading from his new book, Shades of Grey
Many adjectives have been used to describe Jasper's work - 'inventive, witty, complex, erudite, unexpected and original'. And these fairly well sum up the sort of session this was. His new book, Shades of Grey, took us to a world of colours and transported us all away from a grey/black Dundee evening and any work-time blues into the rosy hue of his wonderfully well-written novel. A very different, very evocative salon was this.
22 March
Hotchpotch
This free event added another dimension to the array of opportunities in the burgeoning Literary scene in Dundee. The heavily atmospheric Braes' Basement saw the launch of this excellent concept which allows local talents to perform some of their work before their peers. Novel extracts, poems, parodies, factual pieces and playlets were all unveiled on this opening evening, and the result was electrifying. Hotchpotch will take place at monthly intervals, and after this opening night, it promises to run and run.
For more info contact: hotchpotch.dundee@gmail.com.
24 March
Jacqueline Wilson
This event sold out within days, and little wonder. A hugely attentive full-house, most of whom seemed to be carrying books to be signed, listened in awe as Jacqueline read from her latest work, Little Darlings. Its the story of two girls who are worlds apart, but who, surpirisingly, find in each other something they've been missing all their lives . . .The main auditorium of the Dalhousie Building provided the perfect setting for an inspired evening with a writer who is a living legend to her youthful audiences; it disappointed no-one..except those who didn't get there.
25 March
Susan Fletcher
The Guardian described Susan Flether as 'a seriously talented young author, and one of the most poetic and original voices working now' , and it wasn't hard to understand why. In Corrag, her latest book, Susan tells a story centred round the Glencoe Massacre, and showed how the most unexpected but profound relationships can come from the most unlikely places.
Susan read beautifully, and with a lyrical rhythm which heightened the effect of this quite dramatic piece of writing. All in all this was a greatly enjoyable evening.
17 April
Graduates' Council 'Discovery' Lecture
Sebastian Conran and Mike Galloway presented this important lecture focussing on the major V&A development in Dundee. This free event was well-attended and provided a wonderful opportunity to hear about another excellent cultural development set to enliven Dundee.
24 April
Sir Christopher Frayling: From Brunel to Wallace and Gromit - The changing public image of the engineer
Sir Christopher Frayling: From Brunel to Wallace and Gromit - The changing public image of the engineer
This was one of the most fascinating lectures ever delivered in Dundee. Sir Christopher Frayling, writer, TV presenter and interviewer to the famous, talked on the stereotyping of the 'engineer' in recent history. It proved to be a most entertaining and thought-provoking evening unveiled by a consummate presenter.
26 April
Hotchpotch #2
This was the second incarnation of Hotchpotch, and the content is proving a winner. Several surprisingly good renditions were lapped up by the impressive number of attenders in a wonderfully atmospheric venue. For more info contact hotchpotch.dundee@googlemail.com.
1 May
Lewis Wolpert : The Development of Pattern and Form
The D'Arcy Thomson Commemorative Lecture
D'Arcy Thomson's groundbreaking book, 'Growth and Form', published in 1917, provided Lewis Wolpert, Emeritus Professor of Biology as applied to Medicine in the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at University College London, Fellow of the Royal Society and Vice-President of the British Humanist Association, with a subject which has strong connections to the University of Dundee. Lewis Wolpert's lecture elaborated on subsequent crucial and intriguing developments in a manner which was both comprehensible and of great interest to those fortunate enough to have attended.
3 May
Notes from the Museum
Kirsty Gunn, professor of creative writing, introduced an evening of poetry and prose inspired by D'Arcy and his museum, performed by students from the University's creative writing programme.The evening, which also featured the premiere performance of a new epic D'Arcy poem by tutor and poet Jim Stewart, was certainly enjoyed as much by the audience as by the gifted performers.
15 May
Lynn Abrams and Callum Brown : Troubled transition to modernity: Scottish everyday life in the 20th century
Callum, Professor of Religious and Cultural History at Dundee, and Lynn, Professor of Gender History at Glasgow, combined to provide an intensely engaging lecture on Scottish everyday life in the 20th Century, with a special emphasis on the period from the seminal 1960s. This husband and wife pairing have each written numerous books, but this year they combined pens to produce the important publication, The History of Everyday Life in Twentieth Century Scotland. The evening provided highly interesting and very informative facts about the past century, and many of the audience were both surprised and delighted to be reminded of many of the happenings they'd lived through and partly forgotten.
9 June
Yann Martel
photo credit - Macarena Yanez
Canada's Yann Martel arrived at the University of Dundee to discover a pleasingly full and attentive audience hell-bent on enjoying his evening. Martel did not disappoint. He read two short pieces from his long-awaited book, Beatrice and Virgil; not enough to give much of the essence away, but enough to whet ready appetites. Martel is personable, clever, and witty, and hugely gifted, and a great night was enjoyed, many books were bought and signed, and Yann Martel has now been added to the burgeoning list of literary luminaries brought to the city by Mesdames Gunn and Day of Literary Dundee. Success breeds success and the growing reputation of Dundee as a centre of Literary excellence apparently makes the enticement of quality writers somewhat easier. These are heady days for the University and the town.
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Creative Conflicts - University of Dundee Postgraduate Conference
The Eighth Annual Postgraduate Conference held by the English Programme of the University of Dundee invited students to address the role that conflict plays in the creative process, and to explore the productive conflicts that arise between writers, editors, artists, and film-makers during the process of collaboration. Keynote speaker, Dr Alan Marcus, Reader in Film and Visual Culture, University of Aberdeen, was one of an impressive list of academics who presented papers of varied, yet stimulating content.
1 July
Writers Anonymous
A most-welcome new initiative for aspiring local writers was unveiled in the University's Baxter Suite. A healthy, and varied, group listened to the ideas put forward about starting a group or forum of peers to read and assess each other's work, but with an element of anonymity built in for those who prefer it. It was hoped that the regular meetings would allow the easy transfer of written work, both poetry and prose, and give writers the kind of encouragement and support that can often make the difference.
The prodigious amount of preparation and sheer hard-work by the co-founders, Beth Shackley and Sam Longden, was readily apparent, and they deserve unstinted congratulations in identifying and addressing a real literary need. 'Hopscotch' has recently provided a platform for writers to perform their work, and very successfully too, and I fully anticipate that Writers Anonymous will reach the same heights in supporting those who prefer the written word to do the talking.
26 July
Hotchpotch #4
This was another enjoyable evening of the unique fare provided by this reading and listening initiative. It was good to see new faces amongst the regulars, and much credit deserves to be heaped on organiser Jen Cosgrove.
