Albert Camus ‘The Plague’.

After all that we have been through in the last year and a half, it seemed necessary to re-start our lectures with the wonderful expression of the epidemic experience as explored by the 2nd youngest Nobel Prizewinner, the Algerian Camus.

He had witnessed the ‘lockdown’ of a town in Algeria and he is marvellous at opening out its effects on many different types of people.

Come and be reassured that we are not...and have never been...alone.

Jane Mackay's love of literature is founded in a deep value for the great minds that have arisen throughout the human story. Because of their writings, we today are given profound insight into the universal truths of human life.

In her own words - Dr Jane Mackay

"I love the freedom to talk about the great writers in terms of the essence of time and place. I look at their backgrounds, what they read when they were young, their early writings - for the seed within their earlier work often develops in their later work - and always I'm looking for the configuration of their own particular genius.

Great writers carry an intensity about the place of their birth and the age in which they lived, but what they say is universal - it escapes time and place and applies to us all. I feel privileged to be given access to such great minds though their writings."

Next Talks

Oct.5th. Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. The short  love story of these two poets has overshadowed a balanced  evaluation of their poetry. Let’s explore their actual achievements in that art and their standing now. With the film ‘Sylvia’ at 2.30 p.m.

 

Nov.2nd  Umberto Eco ‘The Name of the Rose’. An Italian medieval murder mystery, with a ‘detective’ Monk based on Sherlock Holmes and an esoteric puzzle at its core. Come and enjoy a different type of Baskerville. This is a hugely satisfying read and a lovely film with Sean Connery as William Baskerville.

 

Dec. 7th . In front of the Shoestring set for ‘A Xmas Carol’ a special lecture on Dickens’ Christmas Books. We have looked at some of these separately in the past, but this is an opportunity to see what they stood for and the effect they had on the Victorian reading public. Followed by a quiet time with Dr Jane in the Gallery with mulled wine and mince pies included in your talk ticket.