On Saturday 2 October, from 11am to 5pm at Nottingham City
Council House, Nottingham writers will be celebrating the life and work
of Alan Sillitoe.
NWS members Cathy Grindrod, Jenny Swann, Aly
Stoneman, John Lucas, Nicola Monaghan, James Walker, and Ross Bradshaw will be taking part in the event, with readings, talks, and the launch of a short story competition.
The event has been organised by Five Leaves Press, Nottingham City
Council, Nottingham City Libraries, Nottinghamshire Libraries, Bromley
House Library, Left Lion, Nottingham Writers’
Studio, The Bookcase in Lowdham, University of Nottingham School of
Education,
Nottingham Writers’ Club, Writing East Midlands and Shoestring Press in
co-operation with Alan’s family.
---
“Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not.”
Celebrating the life of Alan Sillitoe
Nottingham City Council House, Market Square, Nottingham
1100am-5.00pm Saturday 2nd October
Alan Sillitoe was, however, without argument, Nottingham’s most famous
contemporary writer. He died on 25th April this year aged 82. He had
been given the Freedom of the City in his 80th year.
Alan left school at 14 to work at Raleigh. Four years later he joined
the RAF, and became a wireless operator in Malaya. He contracted TB and spent
many months in hospital, where he began writing. His best
known works remain The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning,. Both were made into films (and
plays). Alan also wrote short stories, poetry, children’s books, plays, memoirs,
travel books and translated work from other writers. His autobiography -
essential reading about his Nottingham years - is Life Without Armour.
The quote at the head of this leaflet became the title of the first album by the
Arctic Monkeys, none of whom was born when Arthur Seaton first used the phrase.
Alan hated being pigeon-holed but always celebrated his connection to
Nottingham.
There will be a display of photographs of Alan in the foyer of the Council
House throughout the day , open to all.
Day ticket: £5 from The Bookcase in Lowdham (Box Office 0115 9663219) or,
subject to availability, on the door.
Tickets cover all or part of the day.
Proceeds towards future Alan Sillitoe events and to the Alan Sillitoe statue
fund
Advance purchase recommended.
“Alan Sillitoe was almost single handedly responsible for a shift in the way
working class characters found themselves represented in literature”
DJ Taylor
10.00am Doors open
Coffee, stalls, exhibition
11.00am-11.45am
Options: 1) A Poet of His Time - Alan Sillitoe
As well as being Nottingham’s best known modern novelist, Alan wrote
poetry throughout his career including Without Beer or Bread (1957) and
Poems (1971), written with Ted Hughes and Ruth Fainlight. Jane Bluett,
Jeremy Duffield, Cathy Grindrod and Jenny Swann will be reading from Alan’s
poems, together with other poems inspired by Alan’s writing. Introduced by Aly
Stoneman, Poetry Editor at Left Lion.
2) Alan’s books for children, and books for children set in
Nottingham
Gwen Grant
Alan wrote a number of books for children, including the Marmalade Jim
series
Gwen Grant is from a Nottinghamshire mining family, with several of her books
set in that community, including Private - Keep Out! and The
Revolutionary’s Daughter.
3) Alan Sillitoe on film -
A discussion about the four films made of Alan’s work, Loneliness of the
Long Distance Runner, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, The
Ragman’s Daughter and Counterpoint (based on The
General).
12.00-12.45pm
Options 1)
Mapping the Modern City: Alan
Sillitoe's Nottingham Novels
Maps were hugely important to Alan, and he collected them
everywhere he went. In this session Simon Rycroft and Stephen Daniels stick to
his local travels.
2) What about the others? Alan objected to being described as a
working-class writer but he wrote about the Nottingham working class. John Lucas
will read from and discuss others writing about working class Nottinghamshire,
Philip Callow (Hosanna Man). Les Williamson (Joby) and Walter
Brierley (Means Test Man) while Derrick Buttress, a contemporary of
Alan’s, will read from his own memoirs and poetry about his time in the lace
industry and about growing up in these parts.
12.45pm-1.30pm Light refreshments, bookstalls and informal readings
Note: Lunch is not provided
We will be joined by The Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Penny Griggs, and
The Sheriff’s Lady, Laura Griggs
1.30pm-.1.45pm Nottingham, Alan Sillitoe and Me
John Harvey
John Harvey is a crime writer whose series of “Resnick” books is set in
Nottingham, and who drew his inspiration from previous Nottingham writers
including Alan Sillitoe and DH Lawrence (and from American crime movies…)
1.50pm-2.40pm Alan Sillitoe and the regional novel
DJ Taylor
DJ Taylor is chair of the George Orwell Society. His many books include
After the War: the Novel and England since 1945. He has written about
Alan on many occasions, including writing the forward to Alan’s A Start in
Life, recently re-issued as a London Classic
.
2.40pm-3.00pm Tea and biscuits
3.10pm-3.50pm David Sillitoe reading from Alan’s work
David Sillitoe is a photographer, who provided the photographs for Alan
Sillitoe’s Nottinghamshire. He will also be answering questions about his
father.
4.00pm-4.20pm Launch of Alan Sillitoe short story competition: What would
Arthur Seaton be like today?
Nicola Monaghan, Al Needham and James Walker launch a short story competition
with their ideas about the modern day Arthur Seaton. See www.sillitoe.com for details of how to enter.
Nicola Monaghan is the author of The Killing Jar, a novel set on the
modern Broxtowe Estate, where she was brought up. Al Needham and James Walker
are from the Left Lion team.
4.30pm-5.00pm “All I want is a good time. Everything else is
propaganda”
We close the day with a short set by the acoustic roots band Blue Yonder,
including “Propaganda”, a song inspired by Alan Sillitoe
The Exhibition
As a guest on BBC's "Desert Island Discs", he said he would choose to take
along an Edith Piaf record, a copy of the RAF navigation manual, and a
communications receiver (for receiving only). Samples of these, plus Alan’s
writing desk, his typewriter, memorabilia, copies of rare first editions and
translations of his work will be on display
Future plans
The Statue
A separate committee has been set up to raise funds for an Alan Sillitoe
statue to be set up near Alan’s place of birth in Lenton Abbey. Part of today’s
entrance fee will go towards their initial fundraising. The group hope to
commission the statue in 2012 and to inaugurate it in 2013, together with a
local community facility in the area. For further details please contact Peter
Usherwood on 07775 511295.
Also happening….
Watch out for the Castle Rock specially brewed Alan Sillitoe beer!
Friday 1st October 2.00pm-3.30pm
Readings from Alan Sillitoe’s work
West Bridgford Library, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford NG2 6AT
Join Sheelagh Gallagher and friends for some informal readings from Alan’s
work
Free, no ticket required
Tea and biscuits provided