There is a Read In on Wednesday at 3pm https://fb.me/e/2oRyap3gM

Petition to sign: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-ferryhill-library-aberdeen

And you can read about it here:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/5499943/read-in-aberdeen-library-close/

Due to the Community Centre being unavailable on Mon 13th February the meeting has been postponed till Monday 20th February.

We recently received this invitation from Aga Wlazel at Aberdeen Performing Arts.

Good afternoon,

As a book lovers you probably have heard about Aberdeen Performing Arts Culture Café programme at the Music Hall – we hope to see your group at our upcoming literature talk.

Culture Café lunchtime series of talks and music recitals at the Music Hall is a vehicle for the new literature programme and a stage for young, emerging and new generation classical musicians.

Culture Café guests this season are:

24th September 1pm at the Music Hall

DON PATERSON – one of the finest poets of his generation (and that’s quite a generation!)  He has won all the major poetry prizes. His poetry is lyrical and profound, witty, sensual and spiritual, and he’s a captivating reader of his own work. In addition, he has published books of aphorisms and written radio drama, and he’s Poetry Editor at Picador.

http://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/events/culture-cafe-don-paterson-writer

20th November 1 pm at the Music Hall

SIMON ARMITAGE is one of the most genuinely popular poets writing today, right up there alongside Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, producing work that receives the highest critical acclaim and yet is truly accessible. He was named the Millennium Poet in 1999 and was made a CBE in 2010. He has also written fiction, drama and opera libretti, and is a regular on national radio and TV. In performance he is brilliantly droll and deadpan – wickedly funny.

http://www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/events/culture-cafe-simon-armitage-writer

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU AND TALK TO YOU DURING OUR NEXT CULTURE CAFÉ EVENT.

I was approached by Gordon Burnett & Carole Gray who wanted to attend the last bookgroup meeting to discuss their project called “Making Sense”. They describe themselves as retired educationalists and they are trying to set up workshops aimed at developing creativity.

They gave us some bookmarks with their website which is Making Sense

and, as you will see when you visit it, their ideas are in the early stages. They are very keen for us to let them organise a workshop for us. They will also participate. The workshop would take place in the community centre and pivot round our next book Tender is the Night. We are put into pairs and given some kind of stimulus to get the creative juices going. It could be an object or a quotation and, taken in conjunction with the book we have been discussing, should generate new ideas. I think that is the germ of the workshop. How successful it will be will depend on the participants and the skill of the organisers.

Personally, I thought it sounded OK – a bit of fun, something different and obviously it would be extremely helpful for them. I imagine not everyone will want to take part and we will need more details. They will be coming along to our next meeting and (afterwards) will explain their ideas further with a view to the workshop being held a couple of weeks later. Anyone who wants to join in the workshop would be welcome.

I really hope this won’t make people stay away from the bookgroup meeting just because they feel they would appear rude if they decline to join the subsequent workshop.

Any thoughts?

Ross