Mark Your Calendar
Bookshop barnie. Eh? I don’t know; that’s what it’s called. Don’t ask me. But anyway – chance of a lifetime.
The next debate, on January 20th 2005, will be held at the London Review of Books bookshop in Bury Place, WC1.Here Jeremy Stangrom, co-founder of The Philosophers’ Magazine, will speak to the themes of his new book, written with Ophelia Benson: The Dictionary of Fashionable Nonsense: A Guide for Edgy People October, 2004. This should ease us into the New Year, with questions whether this sort of book challenges, undermines or reinforces dumbing down. Barnies attract around fifty seated guests for a close up and personal discussion on the themes thrown up by a particular book. You don’t have to have read the book, but you must have a questioning mind… NB: The Bookshop Barnies are invite only. For further information contact: the Future Cities Project.
They don’t say whether there will be food. That’s silly. If they said ‘Tea and chocolate biscuits with nuts in will be served’ I’d be clicking on links like mad to get my invite, but without the chocolate biscuits, I don’t know, I’d be thinking carefully. But maybe that’s just me.
Ah but then they’d get people who just came for the food and weren’t that interested in discussing the book.
Yeah, I know. But it seems like asking so much, to expect people to be interested in a book with no food at all to egg the pudding.
But as I say, maybe that’s just me. I can only go so long (about ten minutes) without chocolate.
Absolutely, OB.
I am utterly humiliated to see my pavlovian response to finding a workplace supplying BISCUITS! How much more would I salivate at the door of your venue if they offered a Tim Tam to each participant.
Plus, if you serve people food they are honour-bound to say at least one nice thing to you even if they hate your work.
A ‘barnie’ is a row or argument – usually of the enjoyable kind.