Ironically (or sadly, but please don’t pity me), the longest video ever captured my presence at a literary event is this one below, where I accidentally photobombed (videobombed) an interview with a writer at the “Bookweek” in Budapest.
Yeah, that’s right, that young woman in the green dress, just talking and talking and talking is me.
Originally, the Bookweek (“Könyvhét”), created in the 1920s, is a very middle-class event. Someone came up with the idea, that the readers should have the opportunity to meet famous writers (novelist, poets, members of the “elite culture”) among less formal circumstances.
“To see the writers without their jackets, only in shirts with rolled-up sleeves.”
(I told you, it’s such a middle-class way of thinking about public appearance. Oh blimey! No jacket? “How groundbreaking!”) ((Just for the record, I adore dashing male outfit very much. I’m obsessed with 18th and 19th beautyful waistcoats. Also, I fancy modern day 3-p-suits. But I’m also aware, that nowadays writers, especially from the younger generation, wear suits for very rare occasions, thus the original concept has no sense anymore.))
The central events were held in Vörösmarty Square for decades. (For British readers: this is that place with the big classic 19th century café, “Gerbaud”, very close to the British Embassy). This might have changed in the last few years, I don’t know, I don’t really follow the Hungarian literary life anymore.
Anyway, the Bookweek is a big book fair in the centre of Budapest usually held during the second weekend of June. This is the highlight of the year for the Hungarian literary life. (Pretty much like the Tour de France is the peak of the cycling season.)
As journalist I covered the events for various magazine and cultural newsportals for years, also followed the debates about the urgent need of the reformation of the original concept. As I can recall, I tend to spend less and less time at Vörösmarty square, and rather visited bookish events located at various, sometimes unusual places around the city.
Nevertheless, 2012 was a quite good year, and the day this video was recorded I considered one of the best I had during my life in literary circles. (The guy I talk to, used to write for the same magazines, also we attended the same PhD-course.)
So, come, and laugh with me a bit about myself.
