Nov 16 - Lit Fest First Day Highlights: Meades And Sanchez
The fifth edition of the Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival started today.
Among the highlights today was a talk by the writer, food journalist, and film-maker Jonathan Meades at the Convent.
Mr Meades read excerpts from his latest book “The Plagiarist in the Kitchen” and spoke about his French and Jewish heritage.
Another highlight was Gibraltarian author M.G. Sanchez who gave a talk this afternoon in a packed Garrison Library.
Dr Sanchez spoke about the gap that existed between the way Gibraltarianness is imagined and perceived by others and the complex, multi-layered reality of Gibraltarian culture and identity.
He said that politically-driven accounts of Gibraltarians often regarded locals as flag-waving colonials and ignored our hybrid and multicultural nature. He added that local writers were essential if Gibraltar was to tell its own story to counteract such misrepresentations.
Speaking about his journey as a writer, Dr Sanchez said that, despite spending some years in the “wilderness”, his novels were now attracting academic interest.
He ended by arguing that literature is not as valued as other forms of culture and self-expression on the Rock and that it was time to let local writers “sing”.
The Literary Festival continues tomorrow. Check http://www.gibraltarliteraryfestival.com for event listings and other info.
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