Last Thursday Renegade Readers met again at Newcastle-under-Lyme Library. There were five of us which although down on the first meeting was pleasing, with one new person and enough apologies to know there is an interest.
Like October there was a real mix of things read out. For those who weren’t able to attend or who are interested this is what was read:
- A passage from A Summer of Drowning by John Burnside (John Burnside reading from the book)
- The poem To An Old Lady Asleep At A Poetry Reading by James Kirkup
- On Holding Your Hand a poem by Margaret Cropper
- A passage from Play with a Tiger a play by Doris Lessing
- What Shall I Wear by Hermione Gingold
- November by Thomas Hood
It is always a pleasure to hear people reading and also finding out! James Kirkup should have been known to me and I have found it fascinating to read his work since Thursday and find that one of his poems, The Love That Dares To Speak Its Name was the one which caused so much furore in the mid 1970’s when Mary Whitehouse took Gay News to court on blasphemy charges (and won) for printing it. I had forgotten about the whole event which filled many miles of newsprint and hours of discussion.
Renegade Readers meets on the last Thursday of each month, at Newcastle-under-Lyme Library starting at 11am until 1pm. In December we are bringing the meeting forward to Thursday December 18th as it clashes with Christmas Day (though I would happily spend time reading!), then in January it will be on January 28th. You are most welcome to attend whether you wish to read or just listen. There is no theme or genre, passages from any book, play, poem can be read out, it is up to those who attend and what they bring. For more information e-mail renegade.readers@gmail.com.
Tim Diggles 