Devils’ Daughters and Colonial Travels

My literary evening began at Blackwell’s with Diana Bretherick‘s launch of The Devil’s Daughters, sequel to her crime debut City of Devils. Fascinating clash between the affable tone of Diana’s entertaining Q & A and the deadly undertones of her writing, as evidenced in the atmospheric first chapter.

I am looking forward to reading it.

On I went to the Square Tower to see Maggie Sawkins introduce Caribbean-British poet John Agard‘s new show, in which he rewrites the glorious history of Christopher Columbus’ voyages. With a thrill for language and mischief, he reminds of that the very word colonialism comes from Columbus. The most engaging parts of the show are probably where Agard’s eyes light up with fun, enacting the mosquito’s impact on humanity or singing in jazz standard style of the exchange of diseases between Old World and New.

Developed with award-winning director, Mark C. Hewitt with musical backing by Thomas Arnold, it is an unusual one-man show and I wish them well. I was also stunned to win a raffle (third prize) for the first time in my life, which saw me going home with these two unlikely bedfellows, wedding the Victorian age’s premier poet laureate with murderous 19 century Turin.