{"id":8450,"date":"2025-04-11T11:55:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T11:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montylitfest.com\/?p=8450"},"modified":"2025-04-11T12:00:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T12:00:46","slug":"borderlands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montylitfest.com\/?p=8450","title":{"rendered":"Borderlands"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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As Wales knows well, borders and barriers come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are physical, can be seen and plotted on a map. Even then, they are far from straightforward, forged as they are by histories that can seem at odds with local culture, language or preference.<\/p>

That\u2019s why borders are metaphorical too, places of contested identity and sometimes tension – but just as often, too, places of coming together, of mutual support, strength and celebration.<\/p>

So, what better way to open this year\u2019s Monty Lit Fest than with National Poet of Wales, the Welsh-Iraqi poet, filmmaker and artist Hanan Issa, who will share the stage with Monty Lit Fest favourites Mike Parker and Sioned Wiliam. They\u2019ll be taking us on a tour of borders, both on the map and in our heads and hearts, featuring Hanan\u2019s poetry collection My Body Can House Two Hearts<\/em>, Mike\u2019s book All the Wide Border<\/em>, and more besides.<\/p>

It’s the perfect opportunity to ponder those borderlands in all their joys and complexities. The session will take place in Montgomery Town Hall on Friday 6th<\/sup> June at 7.00pm<\/a>.<\/p>

This seeming paradox at the heart of the idea of borders and barriers sits at the core of another book we\u2019ll be hearing about that Friday evening. \u00a0For this year\u2019s Late Lounge, we\u2019re delighted to welcome author, broadcaster and journalist Jon Savage who\u2019ll be talking to our regular Late Lounge host, Welsh music legend Rhys Mwyn.<\/p>

Jon\u2019s latest book, The Secret Public<\/em>\u00a0looks at key moments in music and entertainment history between 1955 and 1979 which helped move gay culture from the margins to the mainstream and, along the way, changed the face of pop forever. Just think Little Richard in the 1950s, David Bowie and glam rock or Sylvester\u2019s\u00a0You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)<\/em> and it\u2019s clear that those borderlands were \u2013 once again \u2013 rich seams of creativity and expression.<\/p>

Don\u2019t miss this chance to meet one of the UK\u2019s top music writers at 8.00pm on Friday 6th<\/sup> June<\/a> \u2013 or why not make an evening of it at both sessions<\/a>, enjoying a drink or two at the Montgomery Town Hall bar.<\/p>

Tickets are available online<\/a>, or in person at The Montgomery Bookshop or Ivy House Caf\u00e9 in Montgomery.<\/p>

We look forward to seeing you there.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As Wales knows well, borders and barriers come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are physical, can be seen and plotted on a map. Even then, they are far from straightforward, forged as they are by histories that can seem at odds with local culture, language or preference. That\u2019s why borders are metaphorical …<\/p>\n

Borderlands<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8452,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[140],"tags":[92,137,163,160,161,61,159,126,162,134],"class_list":["post-8450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-monty-lit-fest-2025","tag-books","tag-borders","tag-gay-culture","tag-hanan-issa","tag-jon-savage","tag-lit-fest","tag-mike-parker","tag-music","tag-poetry","tag-rhys-mwyn"],"yoast_head":"\nBorderlands - 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