Journey around the world in literary fashion at the next Spoken Ink night.
The Burnaby Writers’ Society’s reading series is continuing on Thursday, May 12 at Wings Pub and Grill, 6879 Kingsway.
This month’s session features authors Farida Somjee and Mallee Stanley.
Somjee was born in Mbeya, Tanzania and grew up in the coastal city of Dar es Salaam. She moved to Canada in her late teens and now lives in Vancouver with her husband and son. Her first novel, The Beggar’s Dance, tells the story of 11-year-old Juma, a boy living on the streets of coastal Africa, set in the years between 1977 and 1992.
Stanley has completed two novels, her first set in India, Sri Lanka and Ireland and her second mainly in Tanzania. She’s currently working on a third, set in Uganda, and a fourth, set in New Zealand and Australia. She has spent years in several of the countries she’s writing about.
“Her novels have a similar thread running through them: how a government policy dramatically changes the lives of an ordinary family living in the country,” a press release notes.
Curious to find out more? Turn out for the free reading night. Readings start at 8 p.m. Check out www.burnabywritersnews.blogspot.com or email
[email protected] for more information.
ARTIST AT HYCROFT
A Burnaby artist is featured in a new exhibition at Vancouver’s Hycroft Gallery. Roxsane K. Tiernan’s work is being shown alongside that of Caroline Scagel.
Tiernan, a familiar face on the Burnaby art scene, studied applied arts at Capilano and is past president of the Burnaby Artists Guild. She’s an experimental artist who works in acrylics, collage, watercolour and chigiri-e, a Japanese torn paper art form.
Hycroft Gallery is in the University Women’s Club of Vancouver’s Hycroft mansion at 1489 McRae Ave. in Vancouver. Call 604-731-4661 to arrange a private viewing.
CLASSICAL CONCERT
They’re marking Asian Heritage Month in musical fashion.
The McGill branch of Burnaby Public Library is offering a concert of Indian classical vocal music on Sunday, May 15 from 2 to 4 p.m.
The concert will feature students of the Pandit Jasraj School of Music Foundation (www.pjsomvancouver.org) – an organization dedicated to fostering the preservation, growth and teaching of Indian classical music in the traditional style of Mewati Gharana.
The Burnaby concert features principal vocal soloist Asha Lohia, accompanied by table player and teacher Monish Chakraborti.
It’s free, but space is limited, so be sure to register online at www.bpl.bc.ca/events or by phone at 604-299-8955. The McGill branch is at 4595 Albert St.
Do you have an arts and entertainment item to share? Send Lively City ideas to Julie, [email protected].
