Saturday, February 25, 2006

 

the meeting at telgte

Many years ago I read gunther grass’ s novella meeting at telgte about a group of writers and intellectuals in the 17th century coming from all over germany to a small town (telgte) to discuss the state of german language, poetry literature and hopefully to give their inputs to the peace negotiation that was going on at that time … a very noble aim…but (the meeting) ultimately ended up with general debauchery and mayhem and finally the burning down of the barn where the group held the meeting. Sounds like a normal UN sitting (minus the burning of the barn of course)

… the idea of groups of writers and book lovers meeting together fascinate me….a couple of hundred years ago literary salons were common fixtures in European upper class society which these days have degenerated into ubiquitous book reading clubs where mostly ladies of literary pretensions but suspect merits sit over bowls of peanuts and potato chips and discuss their book of the day….it is a harmless enough pass time and quite likely a much better alternative than poring over mahjong and gossiping about jacky chan and the like I suppose…but the idea of these ladies trying to impress each other by deconstructing a literary work to me is not exactly something very joyful….

…reading, very much like writing is a solitary effort and I prefer to read and keep my opinion about books to myself and I like nothing better than to be in my own library with my books and a glass of iced tea perhaps and let my mind roam away far and wide….
But I read one interesting piece by julian barnes in a vol of GRANTA …my memory about this was not too trustful... but I think it was about an invitation to join a meeting of writers somewhere in france ( but for this francophile ..where else ?)… no agenda no nothing…just be there…and he went but some how lost his way and arrived after the time of the meeting has passed… I kind of like this kind of meetings and I suppose I wouldn’t mind joining a group of book lovers which meet but with no agenda…just be there and just talk about anything…if you have any group like this do call me… I might want to attend..preferably if it has a promise of possible debauchery...

Comments:
me too ... let's talk books over teh tarik one day soon ... are you bangsarable?
 
oh...i'm ten minutes hop away from bangsar...

yeah that would be a great idea...
 
just call me then

012-6848835
 
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