Culchavulching
Having a neighbourhood bookshop will always add a few points in the “feel-good” column in the balance sheet of life. City Books is located just a short stroll from my front door. As well as stocking a remarkable amount of signed books, they also put on regular events at The Old Market—also a short stroll from my front door.
A couple of weeks ago Jessica and I saw Rick Stein there, cooking some recipes from his latest book. Tonight we saw Nick Cave reading from The Death of Bunny Munro—his first novel since And the Ass Saw the Angel twenty years ago. It was a thoroughly enjoyable event, mostly thanks to the rapport between Cave and the host for the evening, Will Self.
It’s certainly nice having all this so close to home. Usually I’d have to travel up to the big smoke, as I did for Michael Moorcock and Alan Moore at the British Library—and as I’m sorely tempted to do again for Seamus Heaney on Beowulf.
The next Brighton-based chat I’m planning to attend will be more filmic than literary. The Duke of York’s cinema—yes, the same place that will be hosting Full Frontal—will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of Alien on October 25th with a screening of the film followed by an interview with Terry Rawlings (of Bladerunner fame) and John Mollo (of designing-Darth-Vader’s-costume-yes-really fame).
If you are a fellow Brightonian geek, grab your ticket now. If you’re a non-Brightonian geek, you might want to consider a trip to Brighton for this.