The Art of the Personal Essay

The Art of the Personal Essay - An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present - selected and with an introduction by Phillip Lopate

This book is a masterpiece in itself - it is a huge thick book spanning 777 pages - the introduction alone is comprehensive and breaks down the elements of a personal essay - The Conversational Element; Honesty, Confession and Privacy; The Contractions and Expansions of the Self; The Role of Contrariety; The Problem of Egotism; Cheek and Irony; The Idler Figure; The Past, the Local, and the Melancholy; Questions of Form and Style; Quotation and the Uses of Learning; The Personal Essay as Mode of Thinking and Being.

I discovered that for more than 400 years the personal essay has been one of the richest and most vibrant of all literary forms and this anthology celebrates this lively genre. The Art of the Personal Essay includes 75 essays, beginning with influential forerunners from ancient Rome (Seneca, Plutarch) and the Far East to the mastering of the form by its sixteenth-century founder, Michel de Montaigne; through the golden age of the English essay (from Addison & Steele and Samuel Johnson through Orwell and Woolf) to its variegated outcroppings in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa, and its efforescence in the US.

Since reading this excellent resource, I have written a few personal essays - the freedom of the genre makes this my favourite way of expressing myself as well as writing poetry.

White-Washing of Black Books

In PRIDE Magazine, September 2009, I was outraged when I read an article, 'Judging a Book by its Cover' by Cynthia Lawrence. The novel LIAR, by Australian novelist Justine Larbalestier, is about a young African-American girl. The author was astonished to see a white face on the book cover, instead of the protagonist Micah, who has short, "nappy" hair.

This saga became the subject of a blazing race row with Bloomsbury Children's Books, the book's US publishers. After alot of fuss made from critics, bloggers and internet commentators, who blasted the evident "white-washing", Bloomsbury was forced to change the cover. However, the revised cover depicts a mixed-race girl with curly hair as opposed to the character of the black girl with nappy hair.

It seems that publishers still deem it as not financially viable to market book covers using black people, and many black books do not receive the same vigorous marketing. Although I was aware of the widely held assumption that white readers won't buy the book with a black face on the cover, I really thought the US of all places wasn't in this same ignorant league.

PRIDE magazine asks 'Have you ever come across a book cover that appeared to be "white-washed"? If so, they would like to hear from you. Email your comments to: info@pridemagazine.com

New African Woman

I have to give thanks to my writing buddy Christine Collymore for informing me about the New African Woman Magazine she had seen in her local newsagents in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, especially as its first issue included two articles of particular interest to my current work on my Shangwe Hair & Skin Anthology, 'The politics of Black Women's hair' and 'What is the ideal Black Beauty? (the cover story). Those two pieces alone inspired me to rush to my local newsagents to track down a copy. However, this proved an almost impossible mission and I was at a loss as to why, in London of all places, I couldn't see this magazine in the shops!

Being a woman of substance I wasn't going to give up easily. Eventually, I ordered a copy from IC Publications and discovered that it may be easier to just subscribe rather than all this chasing around. I received my copy of New African Woman yesterday and all I can say is it was well worth the wait and little hassle getting hold of a copy. Yes, indeed, this first issue is very impressive. The Editor, Regina Jere-Malanda states her decision to launch the magazine as:

"We passionately believe that even though the publishing world is swamped with all sorts of women's publications, African women still have difficulty finding magazines that seriously tackle issues pertaining to their lifestyle, beauty, fashion and cultural needs. Where available, most women's publications target either the Caucasian, African-American or Caribbean markets, and give little coverage - or no coverage at all - to issues that pertain to the indigenous African woman and those in its Diaspora."

Now having read the magazine, Regina is spot on. I loved browsing the beautifully laid out pages full of colourful fashion & design, celebrity interviews, a special focus on Africa's women of influence, and a man's viewpoint on 'Say No to Sexual Objectification Full Stop! was particularly insightful reading. There is much more so I recommend you rush out and pick up a copy.

New African Woman Magazine is £4.00 per back issue and £16.00 for a one year subscription. However, it's £2.00 in the shops!

Contact: IC Publications on: 020 8950 9117

or email: icpubs@alliance-media.co.uk

http://www.africasia.com/

Rasta in the White House

Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley and family visit the Obamas...

When I first set eyes upon the above photos, I just smiled - it was such a lovely image and I knew that this image could never have existed during the Bush years. Only in Obama's time...

I think the images speak for so many of us and it makes me realise how important it is to see ourselves in different and unique settings that are usually not accessible by us as African-Caribbeans.

Small Publishers' Fair

On 24th October 2008, I attended a Small Publishers Fair; an international artists’ book fair now in its seventh year. The event was held at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London and featured over fifty publishers of books by contemporary artists, poets, writers and composers.

I spent two hours browsing and did lots of networking. Admission was free and included wine. Highlights were: inspiring and insightful dialogue with two students on the Poetic Practice MA programme – which explores contemporary experimental practices in poetry in relation to contemporary theory and new media. To view their blogs:

http://www.myrevelationnation.blogspot.com/

http://www.digressionsandhiccups.blogspot.com/

The Small Publishers Fair is on 24th and 25th October from 11am to 7pm and organised by the Research Group for Artists Publications (RGAP), http://www.rgap.co.uk/

Other links made:

www.cornerhouse.org/books

http://www.crisap.org/

http://www.postjournal.org/

http://www.atlanticpressbooks.com/

http://cuneiformpress.com

Above image Shepard's dilemma Collage, mixed media courtesy of Bernd Reichert of Brussels.

Shangwe Poetry Event - Feedback

I received this email yesterday, and thought it needed sharing:

Dear Nicole Moore,

I am writing to thank you for organising the poetry night Shangwe. I attended on the last Thursday of August and I am pleased to say I got my money's worth. I was doing an extended project at college on poems based on the views of young black people living in Britain and whether they viewed themselves as British.

The poetry night helped a lot as although I had the views I did not have the poems. The event showcased to me what poetry is, a way of expression, and that is why I wanted to write poetry. The poetry night also exposed me to poems about identity, which is what I was looking for, in particular Akuba's The Awakening of Elmina and the first poem performed by Devon "the Split" Jones.

I am pleased to say that I have completed my own poems and project as a whole. Also I wanted to add that I noticed you in my local paper discussing our hair and black history month. If time permits I may be contributing my own story as well.

Regards,

Caroline Sabiiti.

Caroline also sent me a couple of poems, which I will be posting in the future.

Exploring Black Sexuality

Today I received a copy of Trespass Magazine, NOIR edition, October/November 2008, which published a five page feature I wrote called, ‘Exploring Black Sexuality’. This is the sixth issue of Trespass and final one for this year. In this NOIR issue, the magazine includes features, poetry, art, short stories and an interview.

My feature discusses Black British women’s sexuality using personal perspectives and drawing reference to those contributions within my anthology Sexual Attraction Revealed: a selection of creative expressions by black and mixed-race women (2007). I was particularly pleased to see my feature published with images from Adelaide Damoah, best known for her 2006 exhibition Black Brits. http://www.damoaharts.com/

It always feels good to see your work in print and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, from sounding out my ideas with the magazine’s editor, Sara-Mae Tuson, whose editing expertise was extremely helpful and enlightening, to discussing my ideas with my writing colleagues.

For more information about Trespass Magazine visit:

http://www.trespassmagazine.co.uk/

TRESPASS 'NOIR' LAUNCH!
Trespass magazine is launching its 6 and final issue of the year at the marvellous Cross Kings. With poets, performance artists and a bit of musical madness as well - you'll not want to miss it.

Date: Wednesday 5th November

Time: 7.30pm
Venue: The Cross Kings, 126 York Way
London, N1 OAX
Entry fee: £3
Contact: Sara-Mae admin@trespassmagazine.co.uk