Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1048856
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 7 NOVEMBER 2018 CULTURE PUBLICATION house Horizons is launching the volume Mabel Strickland Bejn Storja u Miti - Ġabra ta' Kitbiet edited by Sergio Grech. This book is part of a successful series that so for has analysed the lives of Duminku Mintoff, Ed- die Fenech Adami, Her- bert Ganado, Monsinjur Victor Grech and Father Hilary Tagliaferro. There was a need for an academic publi- cation about Mabel Strickland who was known amongst the Maltese as Mabel. Ma- bel, daughter of Prime Minister Lord Strickland, was the pivot that helped the Times newspapers in Malta in becoming a primary source of journalism. Even more, the previous bi- ography on Mabel, which was written by Joan Alexander, was too romantic and apart from this, all its copies were recalled from the market af- ter Mintoff took legal actions against the publishers stating that there were some inaccu- racies about him. Mabel had been politically active for a while, and this book gives detailed attention to this part of her life. She was a true Imperialist and could A new book about Mabel Strickland not understand how Malta could function without the English Colony. She opposed the Maltese In- dependence together with the politics of Mintoff. She was almost his shadow in the Op- position. This book sets out some questions about her role in the colonial and post-colonial life of Malta. For the first time, her sister Cecilia de Trafford, who for some time was very close to Mintoff, and thus Mable's an- tagoist, is also brought in the picture. The Maltese women's role in the political sphere is also being discussed. In this edition, amongst the contributors one finds Victor Aquilina, Tonio Borg (Ex-Eu- ropean Commissioner), Mgr Philip Calleja, George Cas- sar, Andre P. DeBattista, Max Farrugia, Laurence Grech (journalist), Sergio Grech, Chandrika Kaul from St An- drews University, Godfrey A. Pirotta, John Portelli, Simon Mercieca, Carmen Sammut, together with Nadia Abdilla and Charles Xuereb. THE Malta Book Festival, the most prestigious event on the islands celebrating the book cul- ture, kicks off today and will be running until Sunday. On weekday mornings the MBF is opening its doors to school- children with a variety of activi- ties, including age-appropriate performances inspired by the winners of last year's Terramax- ka prize (for books for children). As usual, the main event hosted by the National Book Council tonight 7 is a conference, which this year focuses on literature in the diaspora, with the participa- tion of four international and local guests who have all expe- rienced living away from their home country, and are writing about it. Journalist and writer Teodor Reljić will lead the dis- cussion on the various nuances on how the realities of displace- ment are reflected in literature. The guests are Lou Drofenik (Malta), Nikola Petković (Croa- tia), Vera Duarte (Cabo Verde) and Philip Ò Ceallaigh (Ireland). Other activities will be running every hour in the morning for the whole duration of the festi- val. At the Milan Haluska Stand, children will discover Czech and Slovak literature, famous around the world. At the Birdlife Stand, children will look at how nature can inspire creative writing by putting in order different images and tell their story to the others. Later on in the afternoon, writer Clare Azzopardi will lead a fun activity session for the Ċentru Leap children. She will be read- ing from her book 'Is-Sħaħar ta' Petut'. At the Malta Librar- ies Stand there will be hands-on paper craft tutorials and other paper recycling ideas awaiting book-lovers young and old. The French Embassy will also have its say on this first day of the Festival, with a talk about micro- publishing and its development in Normandy. The Malta Book Festival opens its doors today At 5.30pm on Thursday the NBC will present Croatian au- thor Nikola Petković, who will be talking about his work as writer, literary critic, translator, screenwriter and scholar. An hour later is Vera Duarte's turn. The Cabo Verdean novelist and poet will be discussing her novel 'A Matriarca' and her poetry with Prof. Teresa Andrade. Thursday 8 November is also a feast of poetry, with main NBC events celebrating Maltese po- ets, and the annual National Poetry Contest Mons. Amante Buontempo. On the third day of the Festival the NBC will host Naomi Klein, the world-renowned author and social activist whose books have been bestsellers internationally. Naomi Klein will be talking to journalist Matthew Vella about existential threats such as global warming, neoliberalist policies and disaster economics. An event sure not to be missed. Highlights for Saturday are the interview with British novel- ist Tim Parks led by Prof. Ivan Callus, a discussion around the legacy and controversies sur- rounding journalist and blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, and an evening premiere of the award- winning short film 'Camilla' that won the NBC Short-Film Liter- ary Contest. The public can also opt to attend the book-signing session with author and social activist Naomi Klein at 4:30 pm. This year's festival is taking place at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta. A digital copy of the programme of events is available at http:// ktieb.org.mt/national-book- festival.