Monthly Archives: July 2009
A lively past
Penelope Lively is interviewed by the Guardian today and talks about her work and its use of the persistence of the past. Coming from that coterie of writers who came up to Oxford after the Second World War (including Alan … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews
Leave a comment
The celluloid yellow brick road turns 70
Emma Brockes has an article on the Guardian’s film section about the film of the Wizard of Oz which turns 70 this year. I’ve got to admit that the film has always slightly concerned me so I’ve sort of avoided … Continue reading
Michael Chabon worries about the world for children
The New York Review of Books (July 16th issue) has an essay on childhood by Michael Chabon which is currently online for free. I don’t know if it will be published in the forthcoming Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and … Continue reading
Unstable castles and possible worlds
The final day of the DWJ conference saw a great paper from Jenni Tyynela which applied David Lewis‘s theory of modal worlds applied to the worlds of Chrestomanci. She explored the idea of them questioning possibility and determinism and how … Continue reading
Re-organising the community
Day two of the conference was the main one with two strands in two rooms. It was also the first time that I’ve given a paper at a conference but this was fortunately done at 9am so I could kick … Continue reading
Diana Wynne Jones writes for smart people
Day one of the Diana Wynne Jones conference, held at the University of West England at Bristol, had two papers and the first keynote speech given by Nicholas Tucker, who grew up with the DWJ’s family. Deborah Kaplan presented a … Continue reading
Margo Lanagan’s Tender Morsels…
The Observer has a piece on Margo Lanagan‘s new novel, Tender Morsels, which is outraged at sexual scenes in the book. Lanagan is a writer who demands the reader pays attention and is fiercely “in your face” and up fornt … Continue reading