Practical
Tuesday, 6 May, 2025
- 20:00 until 22:00
Passa Porta: international house of literature in Brussels
Rue Antoine Dansaertstraat
46
1000
Brussels
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel, its Faculty of Languages and Humanities and Passa Porta invite you for a reading and discussion with British author Caryl Phillips as part of VUB's Ties That Bind Us Series.
About the story
Itâs the sixties. Victor, a young man from the Caribbean and aspiring journalist, boards a ship to England. Victorâs migration is voluntary â driven by an urge to follow his vocation. And yet, in spite of his talents and efforts, he will soon encounter limitations instead of opportunities. He will also encounter others who have left their homes, or earlier lives, behind â in search of work, of opportunities, of change or as exiles or refugees. Though their decisions to move â to the city, across borders or even oceans â are inspired by different motivations, the impact of this decision on their lives, and on their dealings with others, weighs heavily. In the process, they change.
âI had a mind, and I could think. I sensed that I was different from other boys. I knew, for sure, that I was not going to emulate my father. Was it wrong to want to see the world?â
About the book
Today, as negative sentiments against migrants, spurred by toxic political narratives, are once more palpable, Phillipsâs novel comes as timely reminder of the impact of each individual decision to leave a familiar place and sever ties â for those who leave as much as for those who are left behind. It draws attention to the fates of individuals, their unique dreams, disappointments and shortcomings, to their experiences of hostility and hospitality. Depicting his characters as neither saints nor heroes, Phillips places the sometimes âmessyâ development of individuals centre stage. Their reasonings and their interactions are indeed all-too-human.
Masterfully captured, these thought-provoking portrayals of individual lives show once more what literature, and maybe literature alone, can achieve by tapping into the complexity and contradictions inherent in human lives.
Experience a unique reading and interaction with the author at Passa Porta!
- The reading and discussion will be conducted in English. Questions can be taken in all languages habitually spoken in Belgium.
- Books can be obtained at Passa Porta after the reading. Make sure that you receive your copy and preorder here: info@passaportabookshop.be | +32 02 502 94 60
We open up registrations in February 2025. Do you want te be the first to buy a ticket?
About Caryl Phillips
Described as âone of Britain's pre-eminent writersâ (âGuardian) and âone of the literary giants of our timeâ (New York Times), Phillips is the acclaimed author of 17 books of prose (among them novels, works of biography, travelogues and literary essays) as well as numerous works for the stage, the screen and radio drama. His works have won numerous prizes. Praised by critics for his versatility of style and approach to character, Phillipsâs prose is also singularly readable and captivating, in keeping with the urgency of the subject matter his oeuvre treats and the crucial and timely questions it raises. Phillips has taught at universities across the globe and has been a Professor of English at Yale for more than twenty years.
Read a recent essay by Caryl Phillips
Read more about Caryl Phillips and his works
This event is part of the Ties That Bind Us series.
About Ties That Bind Us: transcultural perspectives on social forms
A cross-disciplinary series organised at the Faculty of Languages and Humanities for VUBâs Public Programme
The impact of global and geopolitical crises on European societies is widely felt. Common reactions to these are a growing societal divide and a rise in anti-democratic positions. The public imaginary is rife with a rhetoric dominated by the erection of walls, the demarcation of territory and claims of ownership. Crushed between polarised camps are vulnerable members of our societies â and thus humanity itself. Individuals with their complex identities are categorised into groups whose belonging, right to existence even, is called into question. Understanding the realities of diversity and change as given, the series âTies that Bind Usâ seeks to create a platform for a wide range of perspectives, life experiences and cultures of knowledge about forms of kinship, solidarity and conviviality â or, in other words, a counter-imaginary space to an increasingly widespread, yet dangerously reductive binary thinking.
The world needs you
This initiative is part of VUB's public programme: a programme for everyone who believes that scientific knowledge sharing, critical thinking and dialogue are an important first step to create impact in the world.
As an Urban Engaged University, VUB aims to be a driver of change in the world. With our academic edcuational programmes and innovative research, we contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and to making a difference locally and globally.
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