We went to Beeston’s Middle Street Resource Centre for a Q&A with Graham Caveney, led by Deirdre O’Byrne and Ross Bradshaw of Five Leaves...
Graham established himself as a writer in the nineties for a variety of publications; from widespread nationals like NME and The Independent to acclaimed cult classics including The Face. Following a hiatus which included a spell as an employee at Five Leaves, Graham turned back to writing.
The evening began with a reading from Graham’s latest book The Boy with the Perpetual Nervousness, which was released and received exceptionally back in late August. The Guardian described it as a defiant, important memoir. The reading was followed by the Q&A, orchestrated by O’Byrne and Bradshaw.
“This is a memoir of working-class life, of betrayal, and the effects of that betrayal,” we are reminded. The reading is raw, emotional and considered; the work, deeply personal but presented confidently, as though the text allowed for a sense of catharsis.
As inspiring and consoling as the text is, the Q&A session also proved especially riveting. It helped to trace the spine of the memoirs for the audience in one evening. From the heights of journalistic excellence to the lows of addictions and of course, tainted, unavoidable and confusing pasts.
Caveney is a fantastic person to have located around Beeston as a champion for culture but also mental health and abuse victims. The session was raw, uncensored and full of questions that really allowed us to see the process, reason and response of the book and to get insight into how a person can learn to go through such events.
The location of the event was apt for the evening. Firstly, it’s local to the Beeston-based writer, and secondly, it’s an institution dedicated to supporting people within the community who experience mental health issues.
If you haven’t grabbed a copy of Caveney’s latest book yet, I do recommended popping down to Five Leaves and nabbing a copy. You’ll be given true insight into a charming person with the ability to express even the darkest of memories with startling resonance. If you were at the event, you’ll have had enough to know this is too good a read to miss.
An Evening with Graham Caveney took place at Beeston’s Middle Street Resource Centre on Wednesday 28 February 2018
Read our interview with Graham Caveney
Five Leaves website
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