Reading in the Air

Last night I attended the most unconventional book event ever. Seriously, I doubt anyine can beat this. Organised by the folks at Literary Miscellany, Ian Sansom launched The Bad Book Affair at Belfast City Hall’s exhibition space and the Belfast Wheel.

I kid you not, folks.

Attendees were treated to free wine and nibbles as Mister Sansom took the time to schmooze with the crowd. Then Glen Patterson, a Belfast literary giant, introduced Belfast’s lord mayor, Naomi Long, who praised the Northern Irish literary scene then handed the microphone back to Mister Patterson. Following a glowing introduction from said Belfast literary giant, the general theme being Ian Sansom is just great, the man of the moment, the author of The Bad Book Affair, made a wonderful and funny speech about his miserable early years in Belfast, his application to Belfast City Council for a job as a gravedigger and his journey to becoming a writer. He ended the brief talk with a toast and the audience was then led to the Belfast Wheel.

I attended the event alone as my wife, also a Sansom fan, couldn’t make it. Fortunately, my lonely spirits were lifted when I ended up in Ian Sansom’s big wheel carriage. We listened to a pre-recorded reading from The Bad Book Affair as the wheel raised us upwards for a lovely view of the Belfast city skyline in all its orange-lit splendour. Mister Sansom, always good for a chuckle, took the piss out of his reading and treated us to a few quips before disembarking the carriage to sign books as provided by David Torrans of No Alibis.

Not a bad way to spend a Thursday evening, folks.

Incidentally, I've almost finished reading The Bad Book Affair and would heartily recommend that you all run out and buy a copy.