Fresh this Week: Two hundred years ago, in 1807, the British turned their backs on the Atlantic slave trade, though for 150 years they had grown fat on its proceeds. Why did they change their minds about it? And what significance should we attach to this, two centuries later? James Walvin, until recently Professor of History at the University of York and winner of the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize for Black and White joins David Dabydeen, critic, writer, novelist, poet and Director of the Centre for Caribbean Studies at the University of Warwick to discuss in The Slave Trade Remembered. 7pm, Monday 26th, Royal Society for Literature, Kenneth Clarke Lecture Theatre, Somerset House, The Strand. 020 7845 4676. Recommended donation £5 non-members.
Givin’ ‘em away: Pandemonium in the Portacabin is a free variety night with featured performers and open mic session so you can trial out your poems, short stories, monologues, dramatic pieces, songs and anecdotes. Tuesday 27th March, 8pm, Upstairs at the Old Crown Pub, 33 New Oxford St, WC1A 1BH, phone 077 54844847 for details.
Try a Bit of This:
"pronoun n word, such as she or it, used to replace a noun. First week in language school, I speaking like this:
'Who is her name?'
'It costing I three pounds buying this disgusting sandwich.'
'Sally telling I that her just having coffee.'
'Me having fried rice today.'
'Me watching TV when me in China.'
'Our should do things together with the people.'
Always the same, the people laughing as long as I open my mouth."
A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo, one of the finalists on the Orange Broadband Prize Longlist.
Two for a Pound:
1. Book + Blog = Blook
2. Dovegreyreader chews over the The Orange Broadband Prize Longlist.
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