Despite the puffy face and the sustained pain of the consequences of that wisdom tooth extraction on Monday, I just had to see Andrew Macmillan read from his novel ‘Pity‘. I blogged on his novel soon after it came out [see this link], even though the Bounds Bookshop at Whitley Bay is a long journey and a Tyne tunnel online payment distance away.
He confirmed in this event that the central theme of the novel is surveillance, a theme that spreads from CCTV surveillance, being watched privately or in public, or to feed social gossip. In an aside, Andrew spoke of his own issues about being seen, one that spreads to events like the one I was attending, and I wonder now at my willing complicity in the exposure he must feel, and the possible compounding of those feelings by blogging on them. But Andrew is intelligent about how he is situated as a public figure as someone who, by virtue of his role, is inevitably more visible than others.
I almost wept at his answer to my question on the nuance of ‘visibility’ in the structuring of modern queer lives and sexuality, even in their imagined private retreats, connecting to the evils of Thatcherism [public irresponsibility tied to surveillance and victimisation of the queer in private] during the period he grew up and came out in. This was strong stuff.
I loved the event. But I had to go because it was a long time since I attended a signing and lots of my books of his need that attention. Pandemonium, after all, was a long time ago. Read my blog on that here.
And this was a special event. Well attended and full of people who seemed as much fans as I am. Andrew McMillan is a great author, and our community is blessed to have him as our laureate. He said his next novel would be a zombie novel set in Barnsley. Can’t wait for that! Oh, and he signed my copy of Pity beautifully.
Thank you, hero.
Much love
Steven xxxxxx
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