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From the archives #12: Adaptation and legacy at Suffolk Book League

  • Jul 4
  • 2 min read

Possibly because Suffolk Book League (SBL) is so good at securing new and upcoming writers and works, surprisingly few speakers have commented more recently on adaptations of their books for film, television or stage. Years ago, there were several talks around the theme with Nicola Johnson in February 1983 discussing ‘Classics to Celluloid’, reminding the audience that the pictorial representation of classics has occurred over centuries and positing that it was doubtful that films ‘could be regarded as an adequate substitute for a book’, citing the depth of characters as a limiting factor 1. There were also a couple of combination film screenings and talks (rarely done as they are expensive, difficult to arrange and a very long evening, I guess). One I am sorry to have missed took place in June 1988 when Tom Priestley, film editor, screened his short film Time and the Priestleys at the then Ipswich Film Theatre, followed by a talk about his father J. B. and others in the family 2.


Overall, 1988 was a good year for adaptation with Deborah Moggach (at that point a ‘successful young novelist’ 3) discussing writing for television and the business of ‘adjusting’ novels for that medium, significantly titling her session ‘Cuts’. The AGM that year featured Barbara Machin, expounding on her work as screen writer, but also on the role of ‘Literature Field Worker’ 3 in Suffolk – intriguing.


‘Legacy’ seems a nebulous quality, with SBL actively creating its own – even if not always consciously. One definite effort was a series of annual lectures in memory of our former president, James MacGibbon, well known publisher and literary agent, who died in 2000.  The first was on 5th December 2001, when his friend Claire Tomalin gave a fascinating talk about researching her biography of Samuel Pepys, including mention of her having to be locked into the Pepys Library out of hours, this being the only way that authorities at Magdalene College, Cambridge could permit her to stay 4. The following year, 7th October 2002, Rose Tremain was the guest at the second memorial lecture, speaking about historical novels and how they can deal with ‘great themes’ while the ‘contemporary novel is ephemeral, only of its own time’ 5. This was a packed talk at the Northgate Street County Library lecture theatre. I remember it being an issue that some members were turned away – thank goodness for easy online advance booking nowadays.


References:

  1. Parry, A. ‘Classics to Celluloid’, BookTalk, 1983, March, (5): 5

  2. Editorial, The programme: the writer and the film and the Priestleys, BookTalk, 1988, April/May, (34): 1

  3. Editorial, The programme: Deborah Moggach, BookTalk, 1988, February, (33): 1

  4. McElhinney, K. For those who couldn’t make it…Claire Tomalin on her biography of Samuel Pepys (the inaugural James MacGibbon Memorial Lecture), BookTalk, 2002, January/February/March, (105): 5

  5. Editorial, For those who couldn’t make it…Rose Tremain, BookTalk, 2003, January/February/March, (109): 2 


Janet Bayliss

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