AB's B'day

 Today is the birthday of Anthony Burgess, my favourite writer. I try to commemorate every year. The big anniversary was in 2017, when he would have turned a hundred. be that as it may, I will try to do something special about him, like read passages of some of his best novels. One day, I hope to do another pilgrimage in Manchester, where he was born, and visit the Anthony Burgess Foundation there. It's been long overdue. Otherwise, it's also Vraie Fiction's blogging anniversary, which is entireyl accidental, yet very fitting.

Blue Caribou Snack Bar

The great things you learn sometimes wasting time on social media: there is an authentic Québécois snack bar in Manchester, of all places. It's called the Blue Caribou Snack Bar and they serve authentic poutine. Now, I'm not an expert on poutine, it's not my favourite québécois dish, but I do like it from time to time, it tastes like home. Be that as it may, I now have another reason to go back to Manchester, whenever it will be possible again.

Christopher Eccleston and Anthony Burgess (again!)

I got some great news from the Anthony Burgess Foundation. Well, great news for fans of my favourite writer: Christopher Eccleston will play in Burgess' screenplay Schreber on BBC Radio 3. Based on the nervous breakdown of Daniel Paul Schreber, which interested Sigmund Freud. Eccleston is not foreign to the work of Anthony Burgess, as he played in another radio adaptation of his work, which was absolutely brilliant. Both actor and writer being from Manchester, it makes perfect sense to have them work "together" again. Also, Christopher Eccleston knew first hand about mental illnesses, having unfortunately suffered from it himself. As sad as it is, his own experience should bring authenticity to his performance. So it is on BBC Radio 3 on Sunday at 19:30.

A real horrorshow loyalty card!

As you may know, the Anthony Burgess Foundation has its own café. I learned yesterday that it now has loyalty cards! And not just any loyalty cards. Viddy well the image on the card. If it isn't little o' Alex. It is a shame that I live so far away from Manchester, where the Foundation is. That said, I will most certainly stop at the café during my next pilgrimage in the city of my favourite writer and I will get myself one of these horrorshow loyalty cards. It will take a while for me to get my free drink, but it will be an excuse to go there more often.

Two Hoots

I know I should not do it and should definitely not admit it, but sometimes I choose my poison according to its label. This was the case when I bought (and then drank) Two Hoots, by Joseph Holt Brewery. Because of the two owls (I love owls), which are supposed to represent malts and hops, from what I understand. That and the fact that it is a brewery based in Manchester, which is always a plus in my book. The beer was a bit too golden for the dreary day I drank it, something darker might have fitted better, but it was a darker kind of gold, as you can see on the picture, and it was actually delicious. The kind of blonde that has taste and character. Like its colour, it doesn't taste too blonde.

Gin Cocktail Tasting Evening

Nice piece of news from the International Anthony Burgess Foundation: in association with Tanqueray, they are organising a night of gin-based cocktail drinking. You can read the details here. My favourite writer was not only an avid gin drinker, he also created his own cocktails. All three cocktails in the event are based on Burgess' recipes. Sounds like a lot of fun. I have never been much of a gin drinker, except for the odd gin and tonic provided by my former housemate back when I lived in Liverpool. Experiencing a night of consuming spirits would be a nice call back if nothing else, and of course literature will be involved, as well apparently as information about the history of gin. It will be on the first of March, not so far off then, but I just can't go to Manchester with my family life. And I can't really drag my wife and Wolfie there. It's all right, I'll live and my liver will be grateful, although I do have a pang of regret as this is the kind of special event I'd love to experience.

"Let's hear the tale of Mad King Macbeth..."

There are some interesting things happening this week in Manchester for the theatre lover like myself, and those who love Shakespeare especially.The Anthony Burgess Foundation is hosting a retelling of Macbeth by the Cream-Faced Loons Company. I don't know the Loons, but I know the Foundation and this should be extremely interesting. For the visitors and the residents, you can find the calendar here. Their workshop is already sold out (now that's something I would love to attend). Unfortunately I cannot be there, not on such short notice, but here is the teaser:

A job opportunity in Manchester

No, no, not for me. I don't need a job and sadly I never had a job opportunity in Manchester. So anyway, the Anthony Burgess Foundation needs a café/bar worker. Well I say is looking, but the application process ended about two weeks ago. I have been to the café and it is a lovely place for a drink and a read, it must be a lovely place to work when you are in that kind of business. And the future staff will be working on a daily basis in the spiritual home of a great writer, attending special events in the honour of his work, participating to them. If I had been unemployed and desperate of an income and living in Manchester, I would have applied, just for being there.

And now Manchester...

I am sick and tired of this! I hesitated before writing about it, I wanted to avoid clichés, commonplaces, the avalanche of empty words you probably all heard and read. But this is Manchester we are talking about and Manchester has a special place in my heart. I have only been to the city a few times, but for me it is a place of pilgrimage. My favourite writer is from Manchester. So are many English actors I admire. Some of my favourite TV series are set in Manchester. Intellectually and culturally, Manchester is for me the epitome of what is right and good about England. And there are the people. Northern, warm, friendly like they are up there. I am a Northerner from another shore, so I always felt a certain kinship with Mancunians. I have made friends with many of them through the years. And now Manchester, like many cities in the West, has fallen victim of Islamism. You know the excuses you will hear: Western decadence, the carefree appetites for life of the Brits, in this particular case young girls and teenage girls committing the unforgivable sin of going to a pop concert in a desegregated society. So to Hell with the sick, twisted pig who did this cowardly act of devotion. There is nothing else I can do but to say that I stand with all my heart with my Northern friends. This may not bring anyone solace, but if you were attacked, it is also because you are an admirable, lovable lot.

Rome in the Rain

"Rome's just a city like anywhere else. A vastly overrated city, I'd say. It trades on belief just as Statford trades on Shakespeare."

Anthony Burgess

I was recently plugging an upcoming exhibition held in Manchester by the Anthony Burgess Foundation, about Rome as seen through the eyes of Burgess and expressed in his writing.The above quote is just one aspect of the Eternal city he depicted. The exhibition is called "Rome in the Rain". As I mentioned in my previous post, it is the French title of Beard's Roman Women, one of my favourite novels of Burgess. I have recently learned (from Andrew Biswell) that Rome in the Rain was the title Burgess wanted for the book, but that the American publisher imposed another one. I never liked the official title. Anyway, I feel kind of vindicated that the upcoming exhibition will have the right title. So I am plugging the event again and its lovely evocative name.

Rome in Manchester

I received an invitation from the Anthony Burgess Society for the preview of an upcoming exhibition in their headquarters in Manchester. The exhibition is called Rome in the Rain, which is the translation of the French title of his novel Beard's Roman Women, one of his lesser known works, yet a brilliant novel. So it will be about Burgess' Rome, as well as the one depicted in the above mentioned novel and in Abba Abba, another great piece. And I guess his other books when the city is featured (as it is featured a lot). I have never been to Rome, I have only experienced it through fiction, in particular the fiction of my favourite writer. It is a shame I cannot go to Manchester any time soon, neither for the preview, nor for the exhibition itself. Too much to do here, what with the new home and all. I would have loved to visit Rome through Manchester.

Des livres et des bibliothèques

Photo prise à la Fondation Anthony Burgess, il y a plus de deux ans. À part l'appui-livres, qui est pas mal plus impressionnant que la plupart de ceux que j'ai eus (un lion, c'est l'animal parfait pour orner les appui-livres), ça ressemble pas mal à ce que ma bibliothèque a l'air dans la maison familiale à Chicoutimi ou dans mon ancien appart à Montréal. Ca leur ressemble d'autant plus que j'avais (je les ai encore) des Anthony Burgess qui n'étaient pas dans la langue originale. Je regarde la bibliothèque bordélique que j'ai ici et j'ai franchement honte, avec ses rayons surchargés. Les meubles de l'appart sont fournis, alors la bibliothèque venait avec. Les locataires ici ne lisent peut-être pas assez. Bon, c'était bordélique dans mes bibliothèques avant, mais pas autant que ça et il y avait de la place. Assez de place pour des appui-livres, notamment. Je me suis déjà demandé avec nostalgie ce que mes bibliothèques étaient devenues. Je me le demande encore. Et en regardant ce que j'ai maintenant, il me prend des envies de me procurer une bibliothèque digne de ce nom. Avec des appui-livres qui ont de la classe.

Orange (la photo du mois)

C'est le moment de la photo du mois. Le thème du mois de juin, choisi par Xoliv, m'a rendu la tâche facile. J'ai pensé dans un premier temps à Mr Orange, mais je me suis dit que ce serait trop facile. Puis j'ai décidé de le mettre dans la photo juste parce que c'est Mr Orange et qu'il faut mettre un peu d'orange dans la photo. Sauf qu'au centre de la photo se trouve un sac célébrant les 50 ans d'A Clockwork Orange, le roman d'Anthony Burgess, mon écrivain préféré. Je l'ai achetée à la Fondation Anthony Burgess à Manchester en 2013. Le sac s'est donc imposé d'emblée.

Allez voir l'utilisation de la couleur orange dans les autres blogues:

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The Italian Connection

Oh how I wish I could be in Manchester sometimes! It would be a nice time for a pilgrimage there. Anyway, the Anthony Burgess Foundation and the Societa Dante Alighieri are exploring these days the connection between my favourite writer (Burgess, not Dante) and Italy. They will, among other things, talk about his friendship with Sophia Loren, who inspired the character of Beatrice Joanna in The Wanting Seed and also one hagiographic article in Homage to Qwert Yuiop. Burgess also lived in Italy for an extensive part of his adult life and  of course married an Italian, Liana, his second wife. And also, incidentally, someone I met personally. So Anthony Burgess had a very special relationship with Italy and Italian culture.

A relationship which in my own life, especially my youth (well, in my twenties), I semi-voluntarily tried to emulate. I made many Italian friends and acquaintances at university and later and tried to learn the language. I am still struggling with the latter, but thankfully I still have Italian friends, with whom I created strong bonds. I cannot visit Italy any time soon and beside I want to know the language more, enough to get by. Until then, a pilgrimage in Manchester at the ABF would calm my longing for Italy.

Holy and Blasphemous fiction

First, an announcement for my readers who live in or near Manchester, if there are any: there is a film festival organized with the collaboration of the Anthony Burgess Foundation: Christianity, Controversy, Cinema. I learned it from their blog. I don't like the title much, I think it should have been called Holy and Blasphemous Cinema, or something of the sort. When one speaks about religion and gathers controversy, it is either because it is devout or blasphemous. The first movie is of course Jesus of Nazareth. Not a controversial cinematic account of the Gospels in any way, but a beautiful movie all the same, and with plenty of Burgess' witticism. That said, I tend to put my favorite writer among the iconoclasts and the blasphemers. Because his Jesus was more Zeffirelli's Jesus, for one, and because what I would call his "Biblical trilogy" (the three novels and films he wrote about the Exodus, the life of Jesus and the early days of Christianity) question, of not completely challenges, the claims at the heart of Christianity. In Man of Nazareth, the novel he wrote alongside the movie, the sacred mixes with profane details and Rabelaisian vulgarity. I recently rewatched Moses the Lawgiver, a brilliant, underrated movie, far superior to the bombastic but far more famous Cecil B de Mille's movie. While the latter was a devout Biblical spectacle, Moses is a complete deconstruction/demythification of the Exodus, where God could merely be a manifestation of Moses' madness. Read a full review on this blog. It surprised me to read online devout Christians praising it: the movie is everything but a piece of Christian propaganda. But Burgess was blasphemous in other ways. Literature, as it is said at the beginning of The Kingdom of the Wicked for instance, has no interest in moral. It does, however, has interest in truth, and in this novel, Christian claims to truth, whether it is historical or spiritual, are smashed to pieces. The promises of eternal life is crushed by the certainty of death. Fiction has little value if it is not blasphemous.

One Hand Clapping (replay)

I have blogged about One Hand Clapping, the novel by Anthony Burgess and and the play adaptation by Lucia Cox and House of Orphans often before. I was enthusiastic about it, so much so that Lucia Cox wrote on Facebook: "We should make you head of marketing." This is good enough to be a great unknown line. Well, anyway, they are showing it again at The Lowry, on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of January, so if you are either living in Manchester, or near Manchester, or if you are nearby around these dates, I encourage you, no I urge you to go and watch it. The story is about the disintegration of culture and education in consumerism. I am leaving you here two videos, the first one is the monologue at the beginning of the play, told by Eve Burley who plays Janet. And the second one is an interview with Lucia Cox about the play itself. As a failed thespian, I envy the actors who participated in this one.

Felicini in Manchester

This is a new post plugging a restaurant or a pub (or something on the menu of said pub or restaurant), a tradition which I had started last June. I usually do it on Friday evenings. I have mentioned the restaurant before. If you ever spend time in Manchester, try Felicini. It's an Italian restaurant and Italian gastronomy is my favorite. I ate there only once. It might not be the greatest restaurant, but I enjoyed the pasta dish I had enough to be inspired to make something similar at home. And it's really close to the International Anthony Burgess Foundation. These are enough reasons to plug it... Again.

Next time, I might plug something from Montreal.

Pseudo Italian pasta and sausages

This picture at the top left was taken at Felicini in Manchester, an Italian restaurant which was recommended to me by one of the people of the ABF. It was my meal, penne pasta in a sausages and olives sauce. Buried in Parmesan, as you can see, I always bury pasta with cheese, unless it is macaroni and cheese, in which case I just have it like that. Before I go further, I wanted to quickly plug Felicini: they were professional and very efficient, serving me within and hour because I had to see a play. And the meal was delicious. It was quite nice and it inspired me to cook my own variation of this dish, which I did last weekend.

You can see the picture of said dish at the bottom right. I used British sausages, heavily garlic flavored.I bought them in a local artisanal food shop. The owner gave me a few advices about making the sauce: no more garlic as the sausages already had plenty, and a bit of balsamic vinegar. I cut the sausages in small bits, fried them, then added a tin of tomatoes. I added a tea spoon of sugar to get rid of the acidity of the tomatoes and poured a generous drop of balsamic vinegar. No olives, no onions or anything like this. Only tomatoes, sausages and of course the Parmesan on top of it all. I drank a Sicilian red wine with it. It was not authentic Italian gastronomy, but it was fairly close.

An image of Manchester

This is a picture of Manchester I took from my hotel room with the camera of my cellphone, during my last trip to the city. You can see on it The Palace Hotel in the background. Which is way more prestigious than the Holiday Inn I was in, but hey, I was not there to lodge in luxury hotels, but to do a long overdue pilgrimage. I have only been to Manchester three time: once to visit the first Anthony Burgess Foundation, the second time I literally walked through its train station to catch a train connection to and then from Liverpool (that really counts as one trip), and the last time. Many people told me that there was nothing to see there, that it was a gloomy industrial city. I have seen little of it each time, but the little I saw, I loved it. I am biased of course, since it is the birthplace of Anthony Burgess. Nevertheless, likes and dislikes are a question of subjective perspectives, and I loved its heart. As another kind of Northerner coming from a city that has the reputation to be ugly, I guess I do feel affinities with Manchester, even though it is a bigger city than the one I grew up in (and full of English people). Whatever the reasons were, I felt an affinity with it.

The Creative Process

This is another picture from the Anthony Burgess Foundation, one of the typewriters of Anthony Burgess. Not a very good one I'm afraid, I took it using my phone. I am shamelessly using the pictures I took on my last trip in Manchester. Once upon a time, writers used typewriters like this one. I could have used a picture of a computer, but the typewriter has some kind of romantic, old fashioned charm. I was re-watching the vlog of Lucia Cox about her way to work, and it made me think of the creative process. I am looking for certain methods and rituals to get the juice running, whether it is to blog or to write ''real'' fiction (I am trying my hand at crime fiction, but very sporadically).

What struck me in Lucia Cox's blog is how much creativity is a question of comfort: you need a nice seat and warm clothes (or light ones in summer). I avoid alcohol in general, except in very moderate quantities. Writing for me involves tea to stay awake during daytime and rooibos in the evening. I do often have a movie, a TV series (guess which one) or music in the background. Music is often Mozart or some old rock, or some movie soundtrack. I end up not watching/listening, but it gives some good vibes. I think the creative process should involve chocolates, or cakes, or chocolate cakes, for a boost of energy and endorphin. Something I probably need to work on.