Originally posted by the British Art Show 9 Website
Throughout BAS9, Abigail Reynolds has been developing a regular reading hour held at local libraries in each city of the tour called Elliptical Reading, where each reader shares short sections from their favourite book creating an unruly text or word collage over time. In Wolverhampton, Elliptical Reading is taking place at Whitmore Reans Library.
Below are bookmarks created by each reader, explaining their book choice:
Santosh Kumari …………………………………… Sufi Lyrics by Bulleh Shah (c.1710 pub. 2015)
“Bulleh Shah’s poetry can prove very helpful in dealing with the tremendous change in this world of today where people habitually magnify hatred or difference based on racial prejudices. In Bulleh’s poetry he provides solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him, describing the turbulence in his motherland of Punjab.”
Frank Sharman …………………………………… The Lost Villages of England by Maurice Beresford (1983)
“I was always interested in the English countryside and why it looks the way it does and what was the explanation of all the lumps and bumps I saw in fields. It was this book which provided a lot of the answers and clues for further study. As a lawyer I could see that there was a legal dimension to all this. Researching the interaction between law and landscape has been a hobby of mine ever since, all thanks to this book.”
Kate Gilbert …………………………………… The Allotment Book: A Practical Guide to Creating and Enjoying Your Own Perfect Plot by Andi Clevely (2006)
“It’s 17 years since I got my first allotment, and this book has been with me ever since. The author writes in a way I like – it’s as though you have a more knowledgeable friend with you helping you, but never talking down to you or telling you more than you need to know. I regularly go back to it to refresh my memory, and I’m always delighted by the joyful, colourful illustrations.”
Carishma Patel …………………………………… Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2015)
“This book was given to me by someone who had gone through a lot and it’s helped them. It made realise my own passion for poetry by turning my emotions into art.”
Amarjit Nar …………………………………… Aesop’s Fables told by Michael Rosen (2013)
“Mummy came from India in 1966, she couldn’t read or write but she told me the most exciting stories at bedtime. A few years ago, Daddy visited India and brought me two books, I was amazed to discover Mummy’s stories were Aesop’s Fables. I would like you to ask your mummy or daddy to read these stories to you before you go to bed too, or if you are old enough you might like to read them yourself. Each story has a hidden meaning, will you understand what it is?”
Meenu Bangur ……………………………………The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler (2001)
“I’ll never forget the first time I saw these monologues being performed. I was completely enthralled by how funny, bold, emotive and diverse the stories were. Yet they perfectly captured the shared experiences of women; stories that are often swept under the carpet, ignored and at times outright forbidden. Often cited as a feminist piece of literature but to me it is simply the voices of half the population which should be heard.”
Lisa Johnston …………………………………… Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (2005)
“I was taught to read and introduced to the magical place that is a library by my mother. Shadow of the Wind opens with ‘The Cemetery of Forgotten Books’, with its labyrinth of passageways and the opportunity to chose one book to take with you, it is so reminiscent of being taken to the library as a child and continuing as an adult in the search for that perfect book to take home. My book is in ‘Travel‘ as each book is an opportunity to travel in place and also time.”
Callum Furnival …………………………………… A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin (1971)
“Maintaining stable mental health has been very challenging over the last two years due to the pandemic. In these types of situations, we often look to literature, which allows us to delve deep into worlds far beyond our own. Ged’s story is one that tackles the stereotypes of famous fantasy tropes, whilst also achieving the legendary magic that it and its contemporaries have; helping those when times are unbearable.”
