What a fascinating, absorbing and varied day long-time Programme Directors Murray Gray and Naomi McCleary had put together, ably assisted Project Manager Anna Fomison and her small team.
Poetry readings from Dinah Hawken,David Eggleton, and Stuart Devenie reading Allen Curnow); author interviews, among them Natalie Oldfield (Gran's Family Table), Owen Marshall (The Larnachs), Martin Edmond (Dark Night:Walking with McCahon), Anna Sandiford (Expert Witness), Bruce Hayward & Gordon Maitland (Volcanoes of Auckland); columnists talking about writing columns (Steve Braunias, Deborah Hill-Cone,Jane Bowron), illustrator Anna Crichton demonstrating her art, Stanley Palmer talking about creating landscapes of places mentioned in John Mulgan's Man Alone with Stuart Devenie reading relevant excerpts, and other contributions too from the likes of Wendy Harrex, Ian Wedde, Serie Barford, Wystan Curnow and Peter Simpson.
A great day out West topped off by an old fashioned cocktail party for the 250+ festival goers featuring 1950's cocktails and food and the exciting announcement That Auckland City is placing a category 2 heritage listing on the late Maurice Shadbolts's home in Titirangi where he lived and wrote for more than 40 years and that the Going West Trust intends to establish a writers' residency programme base there. Hooray!
Footnote:
Hats off to Auckland City for continuing sponsorship of this terrific festival previously supported by Waitakere City.
Further footnote:
A couple of highlights for me were the conversation between Peter Simpson & Martin Edmond, and the "volcanic" presentation of Bruce Hayward, a man who clearly loves his subject, "Volcanoes of Auckalnd". And of course David Eggleton's poetic delivery. Took me back to the 1980's!
1 comment:
Yes, a terrific day and wonderful to know it is being supported by Auckland Council. I went home on Saturday a weary but stimulated booklover- ditto to comments about David Eggleton and the Auckland volcanoes - also gained new insight into forensic investigations of crime. Does anyone think the festival could be moved and therefore attract larger numbers - or would that spoil the atmosphere?
Bookbrainz
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