Toni Kan reading last night
The Toni Kan reading was lovely last night. Just under 60 people turned up - not bad considering most people are away on an extended Sallah break.
There was a Jos flavour to the evening, with Christine coming down from Jos to sing three beautiful songs. Toni of course went to UniJos back in the day (with Helon Habila). There were also a number of Josites in the audience.
Perhaps the most exquisite moment was when a serious-looking woman asked whether it was really possible for a dead man to have an erection. You will have to read the book to find out why she asked this.
More tour dates across the country (and overseas) are to be planned in the following weeks..
Photos:
1. Christine and Toni. Christine is a musician/singer from Jos with a magical voice. Her album will be out next year.
2. Toni and myself. Yes I need a haircut.
3. Toni signing a book.
4. A section of the audience.
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11 comments:
Jeremy,
Thanks so much for this posting on the Toni Kan's reading.I really missed being there.But your efforts make it seems as if I was there.
Real thanks
...And to TK-Welldone boy!
I see you are still rocking the Heathcliff sideburns!
Wish I had been there for the reading. Anyways, let us know when the tour gets to Lagos
LOL @ whether it was really possible for a dead man to have an erection!!!!
This book I must read then review for my blog! Good job OluJ.
I didn't get a chance to say thank you to you guys and Bibi (she is so so smart!). It was a lovely lovely evening. I love Toni's responses to some of the silly questions. He handled with Grace. When I got home that evening, I did not put the book down until I finished it at 4am. Fantastic. I love just to hold it. I think one of your previous commentator's said something about how toni's book and Teju's cole book are the kind of books more Nigerian's should be writing about. I cannot agree more.
A word of warning: Nights of the Creaking Bed is not for the faint hearted. This is the reality of our lives, but in a poetic form.
As for that Christine, I can't wait for her album to come out. Asha move over...
I noticed that item 7 was missing on the programme. Why?
Kudos 2u Jeremy and Bibi...
You know as I look back at d 1st time I saw u as one oyinbo JJC at Jazzville in Yaba 4 Beautiful NUbia's poetry shows, little did I know dat 2 ( both of u...like my comedian friend would say) had plans to impact the arts and literary sector in Naija. Out of that small group, Asha don go nuclear oh.Jumoke Verissimo (very small) now writes 4 Guardian...and someothers have moved on...higher notches!
Tony Kan no dey fear controversy and I wanted to ask if working in Zenith, and now Visafone as head of corporate communications have dampened his aluta zeal...but his answers and comments showed that he's still the writer-activists that he is...
And I agree with Tony that d bible actually talked abt sex, and described and in some cases 'unbiblically' like it is in Ezekiel 16:.....
An Allegory of Unfaithful Jerusalem
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices 3 and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5 No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6 " 'Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!" [a] 7 I made you grow like a plant of the field.
You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. [b] Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare.
8 " 'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.
9 " 'I bathed [c] you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10 I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11 I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, 12 and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil.
You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.
14 And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
15 " 'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. [d] 16 You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. 17 You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them..."
Nuggetzman, what is with the long biblical quote. I guess something must have happened at the reading that some of us missed. Well I bought the book yesterday and so far i am loving it. But why so much misery and darkness? I think the editor of this book should have demanded for more lightness. Even the stories that had some humour were mostly dark. I love his use of language.
Since he is among the few honest and serious critic we have in Nigeria, who will review him for True Love? Are you going to do a reading in Ibadan? How come you guys never come to Ibadan?
This is so lovely
Eh! Look at Basil!
Dammit, you beat me to that hair comment. GET IT CUT! It's just baaaaaad!
Anyone ever told u. u kind of look like George Orwell?
I love love the Toni Kan's book. Ok, I admit I was attracted to the cover and title. It is a beautifully made book. He must be really proud of it. Some of the stories are shocking. He really gets inside the feminine voice. Most of the stories are very strong, but one or two could have been left out. I am so so excited about what you guys are doing at Cassava. When is there going to be a Lagos reading? I have so many questions to ask him.
Have you folks consider a virtual tour? that way for people who cannot attend the reading, they can also interact with the author online.
Wel done
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