Something of a departure tonight. If you look closely at my profile you'll see that I'm a big fan of Will Self, and in the spirit of fandom I went to the opening night of his book tour to promote Walking to Hollywood (published yesterday). The thematic link to this blog (superfluous perhaps, but I'll mention it) is that Will Self is an inveterate 'walker' and indeed knows the Sussex Downs extremely well (the local geography features in his classic novel My Idea of Fun). Edit: On opening the first page, I find that the opening line of WtH is set at the side of a dew pond on the Sussex Downs.
From the short extracts we were treated to tonight, elegantly presented, Walking to Hollywood combines savage humour with a surrealist slant on the human condition. It appears a deeply personal book, based on several extended walks undertaken by Self; but to think of it as travelogue or memoir would be to underestimate its power. This is a 'fictive' work (to quote Self) that blurs the borderline between imagination and reality. From tonight's reading fans are in for a treat. Self is on form.
Will read with aplomb, was charming, entertaining and, later, endlessly patient with the lengthy line waiting after the reading for a few moments and signing.
Will Self
A few years ago I wrote that 'Will Self is probably our most valuable – and undervalued – writer right now. What chance a Booker? Uncompromising, selfishly indulgent, and always at the far edge of inventive, challenging and vibrant, original fiction.' His work continues to explore the very essence of our perception, compelling the reader to re-evaluate the commonplace and recognize the absurdity and wonder in the simplest of acts: obsessively, forensically and always, always, with an originality and vision that few authors can even dream to assume.
Thanks Will for saving literature from the mundane and the expected. We need you!
And thanks to City Books and the Ropetackle Arts Centre in Shoreham for an excellent evening.
More readings are scheduled in London (9th), Bristol (13th) and Bath (14th). Will will also be at the Morely Literature festival in October. Details on willself.com.
Walking to Hollywood is published by Bloomsbury.
Camera note: tonight's photo was taken with my Canon S2 IS.
RobinL
8 Sep 2010Thanks for you recommendation. I'll be keeping an eye out for the book.
gdare
8 Sep 2010I hope someone will be translate it and publish next year. Unfortunately, it is too late now for it to appear on Book Fair in Belgrade this year. Maybe in English it could be done…
Mickeyjoe-Irl
8 Sep 2010Definitely less gruesome, as promised. 😀
The book sounds quite interesting, I'll have to check it out. :up:
Words
8 Sep 2010Darko, I've no idea about the bookfair, but I'm sure the publishers have local agents.
Words
8 Sep 2010Mick, Will Self is always interesting… one of the few writers who always manages to surprise me.
Words
8 Sep 2010Robin, I've just started reading it. The book opens on the South Downs, at the side of a dew pond. I'm enjoying it!