[ilds] New Orleans

[Don Kaczvinsky]

RW HEDGES wrote:
 > >  Not to be a pooper but are we not making a stride away from the
 > > Durrell territory? Aside from spelling do we not owe the master a
 > > ceremony in Greece or Egypt? [. . . .]  Hold it in Greece for the sake
 > > of the Lord! I only wish that we could link more reasonably. Paris?
 > > 
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I understand your concern about staying close to Durrell territory, but 
the ILDS hasn't held a Durrell conference in the United States in over a 
decade--that, despite the fact that over half the membership is from the 
US; and we have had conferences recently in Paris, Rhodes, and Corfu. 
Although to my knowledge Durrell never visited New Orleans, the city is 
in its character very much like Durrell's Alexandria--a mix of races, 
languages, and religions.  It is also the most European of cities in the 
US, quite unique really. It even has a significant Coptic population.

I can assure that  food, music, and literary culture, all make New 
Orleans a quite attractive place for a Durrell conference--and at a 
relatively moderate cost. Alan Friedman, who teaches at UTexas and wrote 
the first full-length study of the Quartet, has agreed to be a keynote 
speaker, as has H. R. Stoneback, poet, scholar, and resident of New 
Orleans for many years.

However, we always entertain proposals for and vote on conference sites 
during the Business meeting.  I would be glad to hear a proposal for the 
next conference, which I assume will be outside the US.  London and 
Kerala, India have already been floated as possible places.

Don Kaczvinsky