Once upon a time, in a land far far away...
Anyone who has ever played Chinese whispers understands how quickly a story can get changed just by its telling. Memory is likewise fickle and every repetition of an event, especially from different sources, differs from the one that went before. Yet without these altering tellings or rememberings stories die. In this feature interview Susan talks with acclaimed author and creative-writing teacher Deirdre Madden about her latest book Time Present and Time Past and what it is like writing about time and memory.
Whenever we encounter a finished story, whether spoken or written, it is as a future observer; what has happened and what will happen are fixed and our protests cannot change the course of events. Tales of ancient fantasies, future galaxies, or today's world are all tied to the final words written on the last page or waiting to be spoken. What can be changed, however, is our telling or remembering of the tale. This editorialising is especially evident when the story or memory is about ourselves.
This question of remembering forms the basis for Time Present and Time Past as Deirdre Madden tells the story of Fintan Buckley and his life in Dublin in 2006. Middle-aged and with a loving family and a good career Fintan's life is a reflection of the Celtic Tiger, yet he is confronted by changing memories of the past and challenging visions of the present and future. Though Fintan is the focus this is a tale of the Buckley family as his memory of the past and a childhood disrupted by a selfish mother are challenged as his sister and mother recollect their version of events. Even the memories Fintan is trying to build for the future aren't safe as his son challenges the very action of trying to preserve a current event for future happiness.
But what is Madden trying to tell us with this story? Is this simply the tale of a man trying to come to terms with challenges to his way of remembering during the Celtic Tiger or is there a greater tale being told?
The amount of allusions to memory, both personal and national, in Times Present and Times Past would indicate an underlying philosophical tale. Yet so focused is this story on the simple life of an Irish family at the height of the economic boom that it is hard to imagine a more subtle design. As a lecturer in creative writing in Trinity College Dublin and an established author Deirdre Madden is perfectly placed to tell us about the role of time and memory in fiction and Susan tries to tease out what it is like to be a writer and what advice Deirdre Madden would give to writers aspiring to learn the artisan craft of shaping stories.
Listen back as Susan talks with Deirdre Madden about writing, teaching creative-writing, and Times Present and Times Past. Discover the wonderful Buckley family as 'Talking Books' revisits the Celtic Tiger to learn about Deirdre's theories on time and memory. Find out why Deirdre identifies writing as an artisan activity more than an intellectual one and why being self-critical has been an important part of her life as a writer.
With the Bram Stoker Festival coming to life on Saturday the 26th of October Susan talks with author Caroline McCall about what the festival has on offer for the spooky long weekend and about Dublin's most famous horror author. Find out the story behind Dracula and why its erotic undertones are so important. To finish off the show Susan talks with the famous author and journalist Colm Tóibín about his latest work Testament of Mary and the role of religion and faith in our lives as we grow older.
