The 'Media Studies' Interview
Yesterday I was interviewed by these two young gentlemen at the University of Chester - Sam Walker and Tom Glover. I imagine their ancestors making gloves or walking from town to town. What would they make of how these descendents of theirs pass their time, I wonder - studying the media.
They asked me what I thought of the Chester Literature Festival. A fine thing, I told them, with lots of interest, and listed all I had seen. Then they asked me about the talks I had given and how the Chester Literature Festival had compared to the other Literature Festivals I had attended. I find it an interesting topic. The Chester Festival is small but growing, and this year all the talks were very well attended. It is much smaller than those at places like Cheltenham of course, but for its size I think it does very well. The variety of talks this year were excellent - although there were few novelists. But then unless a novelist is well-known they will not attract an audience in this country. So maybe it is better to concentrate mainly on non-fiction topics which are of interest to many - like global warming and evolutionary theory.
It was supposed to be a 'radio interview' that will not be aired but will be part of their second year course. They were a lot less nerve-wracking than Jenni Murray. It was an enjoyable half hour and I think they did a good job.
They asked me what I thought of the Chester Literature Festival. A fine thing, I told them, with lots of interest, and listed all I had seen. Then they asked me about the talks I had given and how the Chester Literature Festival had compared to the other Literature Festivals I had attended. I find it an interesting topic. The Chester Festival is small but growing, and this year all the talks were very well attended. It is much smaller than those at places like Cheltenham of course, but for its size I think it does very well. The variety of talks this year were excellent - although there were few novelists. But then unless a novelist is well-known they will not attract an audience in this country. So maybe it is better to concentrate mainly on non-fiction topics which are of interest to many - like global warming and evolutionary theory.
It was supposed to be a 'radio interview' that will not be aired but will be part of their second year course. They were a lot less nerve-wracking than Jenni Murray. It was an enjoyable half hour and I think they did a good job.
posted by Clare Dudman at 4:33 pm
5 Comments:
Walking is nice. Making gloves is important. Progress is a confusing idea.
"But then unless a novelist is well-known they will not attract an audience in this country."
That is a toe-stubber line.
Walking is healthy, gloves keep us warm, both aid our physical well-being.
The exchange of ideas by the written word, fictionalised or not, is vital to our mental health and well-being.
People don't walk much anymore, generally wear gloves less, but book sales continue to boom.
In today's celebrity-driven culture, it can be hard to attract an audience for a lesser-known name.
Anyone who's attended any of Clare Dudman's events - a superb and intelligent critically-acclaimed writer who chooses fascinating subjects and brings them dazzlingly alive on the page - must surely have been delighted they made the effort.
Clare has been a guest author around the UK, from Cheltenham to Chester. Anyone interested in supporting such literature festivals should read the programme carefully and have faith in the organisers' choices - an evening with a gem like Clare is definitely a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
Clare deserves to reach celebrity ststus, love her work! But she's a bit famous around her home town ofChester anyway.
Well, such kind people! You make me cry onto my keyboard..and I don't know what to say, really, except it is of course undeserved but thank you for saying it anyway.
I love that red jersey - I may copy the pattern for the jersey I have promised C I'd knit him!
I loved the comment about the ancestors - it's fascinating to try and find a connection between surnames and people ...
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