The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith – May 1, 2015

The First Edition of 1892 by Arrowsmith Press

Forced to go off-base as a result of uncertainty we availed of Thommo's hospitality at his home where nine of us and a guest fitted snugly. As a bonus KumKum provided the readers with zesty salmon sandwiches; Pamela brought us Carmelo chocolates and Geetha served nimbu pani.

CJ, Gopa, Priya

The refreshments were necessary to accompany the readings which are full of references to Kinahan, port, champagne, and whiskey, moderately consumed throughout the Cummings and Gowings in the brief novel.

KumKum, Preeti, Pamela

Our anticipation of enjoying the humour was well rewarded. We did not merely 'roar' with laughter at the droll narrations in the book, but enhanced the situations by describing some of our own, supplied by Sunil and Priya in response to the episode of the obstreperous spoiled child, Master Percy.

Thommo, Sunil

It is a wonder, as Thommo pointed out, that a century and a quarter after publication the book remains in print, and its humour about late-Victorian middle-class London is still accessible to us in Kochi (barring some topical references). One reason may be that the archetypes in the novel continue to exist in a different form in modern India. 

The group at the end (Preeti had to leave early):

(standing) Thommo, Sunil, Joe, CJ 

(seated) Priya, Pamela, KumKum, Gopa

Poetry Reading – Apr 16, 2015

It was an exceptionally well-attended reading. From Milton to Bukowski is a wide range in poets and the sheer wonder of articulating their words excited the eleven readers present.

Pamela, Talitha, Sunil, KumKum & Priya

We had a new reader, Govind Sethunath, come by to try out our group. He chose safety and read a couple of well-known poems of Shelley which we enjoyed – one was Ozymandias, the first poem ever that Priya read in our group, as she recalled.

Priya, Govind, Zakia, Thommo, CJ, Ankush, & Pamela

CJ's appearance provoked some wide-eyed amazement. So much has he reduced in girth from constant distance running in Hyderabad (his present posting) around Hussain Sagar lake, that he has had to acquire a new wardrobe. But his impish wit continues to surprise us, as it did in the choice of poem and poet – the incorrigible Charles Bukowski.

KumKum & Priya

We are glad to have Ankush back; he docked at Kochi port only an hour before our meeting and raced here on his bicycle from his present posting aboard INS Kesari (pennant L15), a tank and troop landing ship.

INS Kesari, the vessel on board which Ankush resides

Here we are at the end of the reading, wrapped in Wreathèd Smiles

Joe, KumKum, Talitha, Priya, Thommo, Pamela, Zakia, CJ, Govind, Sunil, Ankush

Light in August by William Faulkner – Mar 27, 2015

First Edition

Faulkner's novel treats many themes of the US South – sex, violence, racism, fanatical religion, and mob-action. Kinder traits are there too, by way of strangers who offer support to a pregnant woman making her way as an outcast in search of the absconding father of her baby.

Zakia, Sunil, Shnaz, Priya, Thommo

One of the less prominent themes is how many of the characters are lonely outsiders, poorly integrated into society, and living out the history of their tortured past.

Shahnaz, Priya, Thommo, KumKum

Faulkner is determined to write about things close to the bone, throwing light (Light in August) on the dark recesses of society in an era when racism was institutionalised, and Emancipation was still a theoretical notion, especially in the states of the Confederacy.

Shahnaz, Priya

Several readers found a resonance between the descriptions of rape in the novel, and the attitudes prevalent in modern India, not just among the lumpen elements (to use a phrase Gopa is fond of). Evil lurks throughout the novel and readers have a sense that nothing good will come of it in the end.

Painting by Willem de Kooning titled 'Light in August'

One of the eloquent statements in the novel stands at the beginning of Chapter 6 when Joe Christmas is a lad of five, yet to undergo his life-changing experiences. Presaging those events the author writes:

Memory believes before knowing remembers. Believes longer than recollects, longer than knowing even wonders. 

Thommo, Priya, KumKum, Pamela, Gopa, Sunil, Joe (Zakia & Shahnaz left early)

Poetry Reading – Feb 11, 2015

Eight readers covered everything from passionate poems of love (only three days for Valentine's) to simple poems of innocent childhood, and poems of the inspirational type. Exceptional feminist poets like Adrienne Rich were part of the mix.

Sunil, Priya, Pamela, Sheila, Gopa, KumKum, Talitha

Angelou has become the most popular poet, no wonder with so many women in the group. Neruda also. Most were modern or contemporary poets, except for Shakespeare and Nashe.

KumKum, Talitha, Preeti, Sunil, Priya

There is not only variety in the poetry, but an even greater variety in the kinds of things these poets did, from writing plays and political pamphlets to dancing and diplomacy.

Priya, Pamela, Sheila, Gopa, KumKum, Talitha, Preeti

We have not run out of new poets to explore, such as Marge Piercy and Anne Sexton. Here we are, happy as could be, at the end of another reading: 

Sheila, Preeti, Gopa, Priya, KumKum, Talitha, Pamela, Sunil, Joe

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain — Jan 23, 2015

First Edition, 1884

Hemingway thought that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was the inauguration of American literature, so highly did he respect the original voice and narrative genius of Mark Twain, displayed in this, his most famous novel.

KumKum, Gopa, Priya

The story is about young Huck Finn escaping the disciplined life of home and the cruelties of his father, to raft down the Mississippi with an escaped slave, Jim, who belonged to his benefactor's sister, Miss Watson. Their adventures on the river are numerous, some hair-raising, many humorous (such as the charlatans who pretend to be King and Duke in order to dupe people at country fairs).

Sunil, KumKum, Gopa

Jim himself provides much entertainment in passages, two of which were read: the 'Sollermun' episode and the Jim's take on good-luck signs. Though he is shown in places as simple-minded and ready to believe in witches, yet Jim has the earthy good-sense of honest working men everywhere. He loves Huck Finn and the love is returned as Huck makes the central decision: whether to turn in Jim as an escaped slave, or let him follow his good-luck to freedom and a family reunion.

A Huck Finn version which removes the N-word

The fun the readers had could be best measured in the laughter ringing out of the CYC library. Adept as KRG readers are to find humour in the darkest of novels by employing side narratives of their own, this novel did not need any external injections of wit whatever. One only had to be open to the abundance of drollery Mark Twain had fashioned, two fathoms deep on every other page.

Here is the group who attended, minus Gopa, Kavita, and Priya who had to leave early. 

Pamela, KumKum, Preeti, Sunil, Joe

Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2nd Edition - 1 - Artist Daniel Connell at Spice Fort Hotel, Dec 13, 2014

The Daniel Connell exhibition of paintings and charcoal drawings of labourers was inaugurated at Spice Fort hotel on Dec 13, 2014 at a function attended by cricketer Ajay Jadeja from Delhi, K.J. Sohan, councillor and Fort Kochi elder, and art aficionado, Diana.

The show is called 'Labour', for the paintings and charcoal drawings are of common folk, the labourers found in and around Fort Kochi. Daniel said, ‘Art is about connecting, connecting people.’ He thanked Selvaraj, one of the many labourers he has depicted in the paintings and drawings decorating the walls of the hotel. He also thanked representatives of the Australian High Commission who came to attend.

K.J. Sohan hailed the second edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB2) for its showcasing of the art and attractions of this area. For 31 years the Carnival in Fort Kochi on New Year’s Day has drawn a wide audience to this 500 year-old city that has seen the rule of three European nations: Portugal, The Netherlands, and Britain. But now India is looking East, a new direction initiated by Prime Minister Modi, and having an Australian artist who is familiar to Cochinites, to exhibit here is not surprising therefore.

Mr Sohan remarked that as we go about our daily business our eyes gaze on labourers, but glaze over. We watch but do not observe, or care to remember these faces. But Daniel does – he noted Achu who operates a wayside eatery and works from 6am to 7pm providing food for local workers and travellers (Rs 10 for breakfast); he was caught in one the pictures by Daniel in KMB1. The artist has brought the common people together, and brought them into the mainstream of art. He thanked Daniel for being a strong force for the solidarity of society. As an aside Mr Sohan said the city has paid for training Achu in culinary arts and provided a stainless steel shell for his thattukada next to the Cochin Aquatic club at the entrance channel of the harbour, next to the Corporation building.

Ajay Jadeja, cricketer of yesteryear and now a commentator seen often on TV, spoke about coming to know Daniel on a visit to Australia. He confessed he is new to art, and Daniel is the only artist he could call a friend. From Daniel he learned the lesson that every human is special and artists like Daniel bring it out in their work. He thanked Daniel for calling on him to be present. It was Daniel’s coming that made Jadeja appreciate art and artists – for his life till now had been spent among his team-mates on the cricketing green. Daniel is special not only for his paintings, but for the people he has touched by his art.

Daniel Connell at the mike with two of his models, Selvaraj left in Sabarimala black & another labourer.

Selvaraj

Here are some observations by Daniel Connell from the brochure brought out on the occasion:

Why charcoal as medium – it is accessible, relatively environmentally friendly. Cheap and democratic for everyone can access it. It keeps the enrgy you put it on with. And it looks temporary and unfinished.

Art is following as truly as possible an inner desire to discover something.

Portrait drawing started by accident when I drew a portrait of an old Muslim man, a patriarch of the area, as we sat on a street. And next minute everyone on the street wanted one and I happily obliged and this was the accelerator pedal to know the whole community.

I wanted to underscore the element of time commitment and care, hence the engagement required in making a drawing as accurate a realist rendition as possible.

In these faces … I am not asking them to tell their story ... in this work I am telling of our meeting and what joy and delight and power it had for me.

Art must be personal, otherwise it is design. Love makes the unique in art.

K.J. Sohan, councillor of Fort Kochi, with KumKum

Our congratulations to Daniel Connell on another great series of works; here is a blog post from the first Biennale, two years ago, with a pic of my grandson, Gael, (and Diana) in front of the mural of Justin Alan Magridge, Daniel's friend from South Australia:

http://kochiread.blogspot.in/2013/01/kochi-muziris-biennale-2.html

If you click on the pic it will unfurl at higher resolution and the anthropological notes accompanying the mural are worth reading.

Dimitri Klein, hotelier, ex-Parisian ad-agency man, now settled in Pondicherry – with KumKum

We salute Daniel Connell on his effort to bridge the gap between peoples, and within societies. May he live a thousand years (through his art!).

Poetry Reading – Dec 9, 2014

This was a subdued gathering of seven readers, but the coverage of poetry was as international as readers have come to expect at a poetry session.

Zakia, KumKum, & Talitha

Ramanujan, Angelou, Graves, Swift, Rice, Syzmborska, and Paz is an unusual combination; one of them may not be a poet at all. All were from the 20th century, except Swift. So short a list, yet count two Nobels.

KumKum, Talitha, Preeti, Pamela, & Zakia (back to camera)

There was not only variety in the poetry, but an even greater variety in the kinds of things these poets did, from writing plays and political pamphlets to dancing and diplomacy.

Preeti & Pamela

Have we run out of new poets to explore? Consider four of the seven have been read at previous sessions. But here we are, happy as could be, at the end of another reading: 

Kavita, Talitha, KumKum, Pamela, Zakia, & Joe

Herzog by Saul Bellow — Nov 14, 2014

Herzog Viking, NY, 1964. First Edition

Heroes in the ancient mould do not figure in modern novels. In this famous novel, Herzog, by one of America’s best-known modern authors, Saul Bellow, the protagonist struggles from the early pages after being thrown out of his own house by a scheming wife of great allure, who declares she never loved him and then makes off with her husband’s house and friend.

Talitha

We see Herzog picking up the pieces and going on with a life given to much philosophical rambling thought on everything under the sun; most important of all – how to live the good life using every wise guide from Spinoza to Nietzsche. His students in class find his lectures growing more strange and his looks more distant and self-absorbed. Is he going crazy? Is he the paranoid, depressive victim, or are his enemies doing him in?

KumKum and son, Reuben (visiting)

Fortunately for him, two endearing women take turns to bless him with their solicitous affection, and as the novel ends he is considering whether he will be third-time lucky if he marries.

Thommo, Gopa, Talitha, & Pamela

Here are the readers at the end of the session:

Zakia, Talitha, Priya, Thommo, KumKum, Shahnaz, Gopa, Joe, Pamela, Ankush, Vijay

More pictures here:

Click below to read the full record of the reading.