Greetings!
You’re invited to join the Peasant! reading group at The Writers’ Room this June-July.
During 4 sessions (+ 1 bonus film screening), we’ll meet to discuss fiction, nonfiction, and other creative texts responding to the questions: Who are peasants and how do they relate to 21st-century life?
Over the course of the series, we’ll read the entirety of John Berger’s Pig Earth, the first novel (also feat. poetry and political reflections) from his acclaimed Into Their Labours trilogy, which tenderly chronicles European peasant life. We’ll also read excerpts from The Age of Insecurity by Astra Taylor, writer, documentary filmmaker, and co-founder of the Debt Collective; Property Journal by artist, writer, and organizer, Amy Ching-Yan Lam; Finding Albion by Zakia Sewell, writer and NTS and BBC radio host; as well as work from other artists, writers, and thinkers, including Alicia Nauta (Toronto-based artist) and Amanny Ahmad (Palestinian-American artist, foodmaker, and activist)!
As Patrick Joyce (author of Remembering Peasants) writes: “In an age of climate crisis, and the almost untrammelled capitalism and political self-interest driving it, something is to be learned from peasants’ connection to the cosmos”!
We’ll try our best with four sessions that respond to the following topics:
•1) Tues, June 23: Survival & (In)security
•2) Tues, June 30: Homes & Villages
•3) Tues, July 7: Labour & Revolt
•4) Tues, July 21: Stories & (Self) Portraits
•*Public film screening* Tues, July 28: The Gleaners and I, directed by Agnès Varda, with an introduction and short film programme curated by Rita Conry, Co-director of the Offbeat Folk Film Club
•Location + timing: The reading group will meet from 6:30-8:30PM at The Writers’ Room (35 Britannia Row, Essex Road, Islington, N1 8QH)
•Reading expectations: Pig Earth (the Berger novel)is quite a smooth read and we’ll cover approx 50 pages per week + approx 30-50 additional pages of other texts; some weeks, this will include a podcast option and/or visual materials. The hope is to come together and discuss ideas together in an open, friendly way without pressure, academic or otherwise!
•Commitment: There are a limited number of slots, so please reply at your soonest convenience if you’re interested in participating!
Note: we know summer is busy (!) so we understand if you can’t confirm attendance to every session, but please let us know if you anticipate being able to attend all, most, or otherwise
•Cost: Free :)
If you have any questions, please reach out, & please feel free to fwd on to pals or colleagues!
Warmly,
Esmé
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E. Hogeveen
Writer | Editor
esmehogeveen.com