THE NOMAD BOOKS EVENT

SATURDAY 12TH FEBRUARY

7pm: Conventioneers met at Nomad Books in Fulham Road, a beautiful independent bookshop which kindly offered to host an evening of Hoban-related activities. Diana Slickman was the master of ceremonies, introducing firstly Mr Punch, and then puppet-master Konrad Fredericks, who gave "an educational and sometimes frightening lecture" on the life of a Punch performer.

The assembled Punch & Judy audience (Russell Hoban shown in the centre of the first pic), followed by the fit-up and close-ups of the show

All pics eb except 1st pic, 2nd row os, and last pic ys

Assorted Some-Poasyacs enjoying the evening...

1st row: Dave Awl and Richard Cooper; Diana Slickman, Anthony Davis, Tim Haillay and Catherine Ghosh. 2nd row: Alida Allison with Dennis Butts; Olaf Schneider and bits of Ruthie Bosch and Dave Awl. 3rd row: Tim and Diana; Peter Christian. 4th row: Hannah/Helen Eve and Martin Hinks; Tim again, Roland Clare and Chris Bell; Tim encore and Olaf (holding the Some-Poasyum bookmark he designed)

Top 4 pics ys, bottom 4 ajd, except the last one by ms

Diana then introduced Russell Hoban, who began by saying he was "very happy to be here in the warm embrace of The Kraken", and then read the first chapter of Come Dance With Me. Click here to see a short film of the reading (taken by Olaf Schneider on his mobile phone!)

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Russ then took questions from the audience which ranged from how the new novel got started, to his feelings now on Riddley Walker, to his American and Ukrainian roots and his view of himself as a kind of "literary shaman".

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After about 45 minutes of fascinating, entertaining and emotional answers, the Q&A was broken up to allow Russ to sign copies of his books brought by the Some-Poasyacs. His longtime agent Bruce Hunter gave him a hand.

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Key to photo credits: ys = Yvonne Studer; os = Olaf Schneider; lg = Lisa Greenstein; eb = Eli Bishop; ajd = Anthony Davis; ms = Marion Stevenson; ds = Diana Slickman

ON THE OMNIBUSES: Russell Hoban made another announcement this evening: he had originally planned to distribute gifts to Some-Poasyum participants, in the form of a copy each of The Russell Hoban Omnibus, a fabulous hardback compendium of Hoban novels, short stories, essays, poems and fragments. To his frustration however, his order failed to come through from the publisher in time for the Nomad event. When the books finally arrived a few days after the convention, he contacted participants to invite them to collect their books in person. To read one lucky Some-Poasyac's account of his visit to Russ's house to collect his Omnibus, click here.

Next: The Canterbury Trip