This Thursday, the 15th of May, will see Dublin awash in literature as it takes part in Words on the Street – European Literature Night. This night will see eleven celebrities give readings in eleven venues across the city every half-hour while the same happens in ten other cities across Europe. Starting at 6:30pm and ending at 9pm this is a great opportunity to see Dublin’s sites while drinking in its literary atmosphere. One of the guests at this event is author Jon McGregor who will be reading from his 2012 IMPAC award-winning novel ‘Even the Dogs’.
Casting its eye upon a world seldom seen by most ‘Even the Dogs’ is a tale about those who live at the fringe of society or who have fallen through the cracks completely. Beginning with the discovery of our protagonist’s body on a cold December day this book takes us through the world of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness as our hero journeys through the world one last time. We are offered an insight into the hopes and despairs of those figures overlooked by society as they deal with love, loss, addiction, and redemption.
Join Susan as she talks with award-winning author and professor of creative-writing Jon McGregor about Words on the Street, his love of Dublin, and ‘Even the Dogs’. Journey through the world of squats and alleyways painted in this book’s pages and visit with the figures laid out by Jon’s words. See their loves, losses, dreams, and addictions. Find out why Jon decided to write about this harrowing world of shadows and what it was like researching the book.
Bringing this week’s ‘Talking Books’ to a close Susan looks back on a book that predicted the future. In 1984 William Gibson’s debut novel ‘Neuromancer’ was published. Telling the tale of a computer hacker hired by a shadowy ex-military officer this book became one of the most seminal works in science-fiction and the subgenre of cyberpunk. Set in a dystopian future were the world is linked together through a global computer network ‘Neuromancer’ is awash with ideas and concepts that have resonated through the world of science-fiction, including some that seem to have come true.
The story follows ex-hacker Henry Dorsett Case as he traverses the dangerous underworld and cyberspace of the future. Caught stealing from his employer Case’s central nervous system was deliberately damaged, cutting him off from the world’s virtual reality cyberspace. The shadowy figure of Armitage offers to restore Case’s link to the ‘Matrix’ in exchange for his loyalty and hacking skills. Jumping at the opportunity to become a ‘console cowboy’ once again Case agrees and, together with the ‘street samurai’ Molly Millions, begins to complete jobs for Armitage. All is not as clear as it seems, however, and soon Case finds himself spiralling deeper into a dark and dangerous world.
Cyberpsychologist and author Emmet Kelly talks with Susan this Sunday about ‘Neuromancer’ and its lasting legacy on the world. From movies like ‘The Matrix’, to series like ‘Ghost in the Shell’, and games like ‘Watch Dogs’ the impact of Gibson’s seminal work can be seen across many genres and mediums. Join Susan as she delves into Gibson’s sci-fi world. Find out what exactly cyberpunk is, how much influence this book really had on the world, and if it really did predict the future.
Before this, however, ‘Talking Books’ returns to Dublin as Susan talks with artist, illustrator, and philosopher Thomas McNally about James Joyce’s infamous ‘Finnegans Wake’. This month marks the 75th anniversary of the publication of Joyce’s final novel and in celebration Lilliput Press will be publishing ‘The Ondt & the Gracehoper by James Joyce’. Thomas McNally’s first book of illustrations this work will feature Joyce’s retelling of Aesop’s classic fable ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper as well as McNally’s imaginings of the tale.
Widely renowned for its experimental style, as well as being one of the most difficult books to read and possibly a practical joke, ‘Finnegans Wake’ has baffled, intrigued, and inspired readers, critics, and writers since its first publication. Consisting largely of self-referential and idiosyncratic language Joyce’s final work has often been lambasted for its impenetrability. With his book of illustrations Thomas hopes to open the wonderful and humorous world Joyce paints in ‘Finnegans Wake’ to those daunted by the novel’s language and reputation.
In this week's 'Talking Books' Susan talks with Thomas about his book and the massive undertaking of bringing life and accessibility to ‘Finnegans Wake’ through illustration. Join Thomas and Susan as they discuss the philosophy behind Joyce’s use of language and his decision to write such a complex and inaccessible work. Why did Thomas chose to illustrate this section of ‘Finnegans Wake’? How do illustrations improve the work? And should ‘Finnegans Wake’ continue to be dismissed as overly complex or is it in fact Joyce’s greatest work?
