The Victorian Short Story Reading Group has regular meetings to explore some of the exciting material from the golden age of the British short story, which began during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
Current Theme: Colonial Short Stories: We start with stories of India.
As we explore these stories, we should gain a more personal perspective of the lives lived within the colonial system than that recorded in the history books. Our sessions will also give us the opportunity to discuss many of the current debates about imperialism through both the beliefs and understanding of the time and the different perspective and hindsight of the modern age.
‘The Dâk Bungalow at Dakor’ by B. M. Croker
A colonial ghost story for Christmas. Croker’s story combines elements of gothic horror with an examination of identity, race and gender in Colonial India.
Upon registration you will receive a link to an on-line copy of the text and, as it is a short story group, it will require no more than an evening’s preparation to read the required material.
Sessions take place monthly between October and June at a venue in Chiswick, London, W4 1TT, between 7 and 8.30 pm. At each session there is a brief introduction to the work, followed by a group discussion in a relaxed atmosphere, with wine and nibbles supplied.
Image: Dak Bungalow of Narkanda Village of Shimla District in Indian State of Himachal Pradesh in 1868 – Dak bungalow – The image is in the public domain, from of Museum of Photographic Arts from San Diego, USA, via Wikipedia.