Daljit Nagra is making a real name for himself in the world of poetry. Read The Bard of Dollis Hill - a feature about him in The Guardian from earlier this year and see The Independent's review of Look We Have Coming to Dover!, as well as another rave review in Tower Poetry, both of which should inspire you to get the book.
Xiaolu Guo has a real buzz about her at the moment. Being on the shortlist for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction certainly gets you noticed! Check out this article in The Independent and another in The Times.
Hisham Matar is famous for his novel In The Country of Men being shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize last year, but what do we know about his background and what has inspired him? Click here to read a fascinating article in The Guardian called 'Love, loss and all points in between'.
BBC Look East Chief Reporter Kim Riley set free hundreds of books into the hands of avid reading groups across the county from the steps of the Forum this week. For the launch of Norfolk Reads and Writes, a two month celebration of international literature for the readers and writers of Norfolk, he was joined by Jan Holden, Principle Librarian of the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library and Chris Gribble, Chief Exec of The New Writing Partnership.
Norfolk Reads and Writes will enable readers to meet new and exciting authors, ask the questions they might never otherwise get an answer to and swap thoughts with readers from all over Norfolk.
Copies of three current prize winning books by exciting young authors will be made available free through the Norfolk Library and Information Service to reading groups in King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth, Diss, Welborne and Norwich. The authors will visit the reading groups in June to discuss what the readers liked (and perhaps didn’t like!) about the books and will return to Norwich as part of New Writing Worlds 2007 to give public readings in the Millennium Library and the Bishop’s Garden.
Those who fancy getting involved in some creative writing of their own will be able to take part in a range of workshops between Monday 25th and Wednesday 27th June at The Garage in Norwich. Whether you’re a beginner or an old hand, if you’ve got a story to tell, there will be a workshop for you!
If reading groups or individual book lovers want to get involved, contact Sarah Bower at sarahbower @ clara.co.uk or call 01603 713390.
Chris Gribble, Chief Executive of The New Writing Partnership, said, “This is a really great chance for reading groups and readers across this book mad county to share an experience, read some great books and get to quiz the authors at their leisure! The readings are free, and if people get inspired and want to have a go at writing themselves, the workshops are the perfect place to start.”
Norfolk Reads and Writes is run by The New Writing Partnership in association with Creative Arts East and Norfolk Library and Information Service. It is supported by the Foyle Foundation.
Authors and Books
Guo, author of Orange Broadband shortlisted novel A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers will visit Gaywood Library in King’s Lynn on 1 June and Norwich Millennium Library on Saturday 23 June.
Hisham Matar, author of Commonwealth First Novel Prize winning In the Country of Men will read in the Bishop’s Garden, Norwich Cathedral on Sunday 24 June and at Great Yarmouth Library on Tuesday 26 June.
Daljit Nagra, prize-winning poet and author of Look We Have Coming to Dover! will read at the Welborne Festival on Sunday 17 June, will visit Diss and Dereham Libraries on Monday 18 June and will read at the Millennium Library on Saturday 23 June.
