Peter Kenny
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Island Madness
Have just started to re-read Tim Binding’s Island Madness, and I will upload a section to the Anthology of Guernsey site shortly. Again, and at the risk of sounding like a one trick donkey, a vastly more rewarding book about Guernsey than the Potato Peel Pie effort. Its first chapter has stayed with me very…
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Compton Mackenzie and D.H. Lawrence
Have been in touch with Stephen Foote of the Guernsey Society. We are going to link swap for the anthology site. Really usefully, Stephen sent me a link to D. H. Lawrence’s “The Man Who Loved Islands“. This story is new to me, and I have just read the introduction by Chris Jennings, who says…
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Re-reading Ebenezer
Have begun re-reading The Book of Ebenezer Le Page by G. B. Edwards. This remains the best book ever written about Guernsey. The book was published posthumously. Edwards’ literary executor, Edward Chaney succeeded where Edwards had failed in finding a publisher. If, when Edwards sent it out, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page was given…
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Collaboration and trust
This this morning I received the sound file from Matthew of the main theme of This concert will fall in love with you… A really exciting moment hearing the first musical ideas taking shape. The piece may be as long as 40 minutes long, with words and music interwoven. Already Matthew has articulated a beautiful…
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Being Brian Eno
A few years ago I read a book by Brian Eno called A Year with Swollen Appendices. This made a big impact on me. Not only do I think he is an interesting man, who makes amazing music, and has a thoughtful approach to culture. He also has fascinating friends, and I envy his ability…
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Mervyn Peake in Sark
I have been looking at some of Mervyn Peake’s work, and there is a great site here, run by his son Sebastian Peake. I emailed Sebastian to ask for permission to use one of the photos on The Anthology of Guernsey site. Sebastian says this picture is of his father “at work writing Gormenghast in…
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Goats and ghosts
Last night added a story to the Anthology of Guernsey website about La Biche, by Freda Wolley which was broadcast in the eighties on BBC Radio Guernsey, about the legend of the giant ghostly goat. La Biche happened to live very close to where I stayed as a child in La rue des Grons, St…
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George Métivier and the Crapauds
Into the Guille-Allès Library at St Peter Port a couple of days ago, to photocopy a few poems by George Métivier. The Guernseyman George Métivier (1790-1881) was apparently known as the “Guernsey Burns”, and was the ‘national poet’ of the island. He also prepared the first Dictionnaire Franco-Normand, the first dictionary of Guernsey French. He…
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Richard Fleming and Jane Mosse
Have just seen Richard and Jane for the second time in a short visit to the island (which co-incided with my birthday). We met for coffee in the afternoon as we seem to drink lots of wine when we meet up. In fact one of our first meetings, which with three poets (and my mother)…
Peter Kenny: a writer's notebook 