There is news, dear readers. The first is, of course, that Doris Lessing has won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The news itself has has been bettered by darling Doris’s reaction to it. She climbs out of a taxi outside her London home and an enthusiastic hack who has been camping there asks her if she knows. “What?” says Doris, all long grey hair coming down and slouchy blue cardigan. “You’ve won the Nobel Prize for Literature,” the hack tells her. “Oh Christ,” says Doris, putting down her shopping and looking very irritable as if she’d just had a rough time down at Tesco’s.
Watch it here:
We felt almost as irritable as Doris this week when we heard that poor poppet Sting had laryngitis and had to cancel his Mannheim tour date, meaning that I’m having to watch him on YouTube instead of live.
Another essential piece of news is that next week is Chocolate Week. From Monday to Sunday, chocolatiers and choc-fans will be attending tastings, talks, demonstrations and launches of new chocolates, while admiring chocolate fountains and chocolate sculptures. Shops will be featuring exquisite artisanal chocolates. People will be gathering to taste them and buy them and take them home and eat them, or put them on specially-made chocolate shrines, if that’s what they do. And this is all happening in London. Where I am not. I am not remotely bitter.
However, I am extremely well-placed for visiting the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is where I am going on Sunday. Me and 35 000 sausages. If I’m really lucky, maybe Doris will be there.
yay for doris lessing! she is one of my favorite writers. when i saw that clip on the news yesterday i didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. she has been waiting for this prize for 30 years, she must have given up hope.
chocolate week …. ooooh that sounds so good. i’m trying to remember when i had my last piece of real chocolate. i must get some tomorrow. maybe make chocolate-covered bananas. hmmm …
have fun at the book fair! i have done it once and found it incredibly exhausting. give doris a hug if you see her!
Oooh, enjoy that book fair! And thanks for posting the video — it was fun seeing her reaction!
Charlotte, I’d previously left you a reply re:Bob Dylan, agreeing that he was barely live in concert.
On the other hand..Sting was fabulous and YouTube can’t compare, I cried when I saw him!!
That video is priceless! Love it!
Bine, I read that she’s said they would only give her Nobel Prize because she’s old. Either way, I’m really pleased. And I’ll send your Doris your regards when I see her at the Book Fair.
Dorothy, I will enjoy it. It’s a first for me, despite living ridiculously close to Frankfurt.
Tanya, I’m very sour that Sting cancelled on me. His songs have been the soundtrack to my life. Maybe one day I’ll get to see him live.
Gill, isn’t she hilarious?
Thank you for telling me about Chocolate Week because I had no idea….and boy am I going to participate now that I do know!
And golly! Another Sting fan…not that I am, but Martin is…..quite frankly, I’ve never enjoyed his music, which makes a bit ‘persona non grata’ in this household!
Oh, lucky, lucky you at the Frankfurt Bookfair. Bob got to go when he worked in publishing, but I have yet to get to do so.
And now I have a great excuse to go in search of the best chocolate in Lancaster County (I think it may be Wilbur’s Chocolate Factory. Hershey’s is located here, too, but we all know that’s not really chocolate).
oh that’s hilarious. And so cool.
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I love Doris Lessing, but I hate that The Grass is Singing has been edited in the latest edition. Idiots.
Seeing Doris Lessing on the news made my day. She has inspired me to finish this current ms!!
That is tooo funny. Thanks for sharing. Found you on nablopomo, and I’m looking forward to exploring your blog.
wha-what? a chocolate fair? here? do tell–I’ve never been a huge chocolate fan, actually, but my god, my husband brought me a box from Belgium last week and I think they might be onto something over there. In the chocolate-making department, I mean. Growing up on Hershey’s kisses and Russell Stovers I’d never really understood all the hubbub, but these Europeans do chocolate right. (off to google “london chocolate fair”)
for texasgurl: http://www.chocolate-week.co.uk/