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Or, Nolite Converti Ad Idola

Reader,

Yesterday, I left the house (yaaay!) to go to a reading group meeting that was organised by Kathy-Ann Tan and Nathalie Anguezomo Mba Bikoro, the current residents at Nairobi Contemporary Art Institute. It was at Cheche Books, a place I’d only read and heard about and whose location, at least for me, doesn’t lend itself to popping in for a short browse. So it was a lot to experience (my first in-person reading group meeting since the pandemic began, my first time at Cheche, seeing some people for the first time in ages) at the same time. The group is reading from bell hooks’ Art on my Mind and the conversations we had as we discussed the week’s chapters were generative and great fun. Later, there was a conversation between the bookshop’s manager, Ndegwa, and Alexis Teyie who is, among many other things, the current Down River Road Managing Editor. 

Because the room had such a mixed group of people, and because some of us have been…shall we say around… for a while, it showed up in the conversations in myriad ways. During breaks, during one on ones, in the group, it was apparent that we all have some idols that we adore in the way we think of art (visual, literary etc) and that none of us is immune.

Let me talk about myself here: there was a moment in which Paul Preciado came up and I was excited and then my bubble was burst and you could almost hear the womp womp sound in the room from my end.

Have no idols, I had to remind myself. And that can be hard in a world in which we want to feel like certain people or institutions are aspirational. And maybe this is the result of my Protestant upbringing coming up against the disappointment of *waves hands about* life but I am amazed at how many reminders I still need that we don’t need another hero. Throw in the parasocial relationships that the internet particularly engenders and idols abound.

Starting to sound like your relative who revels in admonishing the youth so— onwards.

Today, Ada Limón was named new U.S. poet laureate today and it has my corner of (majority US-based) literary Twitter abuzz. While I’d seen her work on the internet before the became the host of The Slowdown (a wonderful poetry podcast whose first host was Tracy K. Smith, who served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019) it’s been something to see her profile rise in certain quarters and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes of it. As with libraries (I discuss my relationship with them in my latest video; watch it here), I feel a certain jealousy about places that have such state-funded positions. We all need art and the beauty that is literature shouldn’t be tied to where one was born or happens to live. But anyway, Third World Problems, amirite?

We’re having another reading this month for Gatwiri’s birthday and we’ll be reading Idza Luhumyo award-winning short story that’s been shortlisted for the Caine Prize this year. As always, it’ll happen on Jitsi and the reading and collaborative playlist link will be sent in advance. If you’re keen, sign up here.

I have a lot of reading obligations this week. Here’s hoping they’re enjoyable (the audiobooks I have lined up for my walks especially) and whizz by as this year seems to be determined to do. Please write back to me and tell me what books you’re reading or looking forward to reading this week— it’s always a great time talking books.

Enjoy the rest of the week and have a lovely time reading. Talk to you soon!