CHARMIAN CLIFT’S KALYMNOS

OVERVIEW

In 1954, author Charmian Clift arrived on the remote island of Kalymnos with her author-husband George Johnston and the couple’s two young children. Clift described herself as ‘looking for a mermaid’ – something magical or mystical that would change her life. What she found was her unique literary voice, expressed in her first solo book, Mermaid Singing, a combination of journal and memoir. Here the author recorded her observations of the island’s sponge divers and matriarchs – and her adaptation to Kalymnian rhythms of life.

This springtime week on Kalymnos is a chance to share Clift’s discoveries. Led by her biographer, Nadia Wheatley, we follow the author’s footsteps, from the historic port of Pothia to the ruins of the hilltop city of Chora, the dramatic gorge at Vathy, and the peaceful convent at Argos. There are plenty of opportunities for private exploration, and for swimming at nearby beaches.

As we discover the island and its unique culture, we also discover our own writing voice through a guided process of journaling. In collaborative and non-competitive workshops, held on a daily basis, Nadia helps us revise and edit these observations into short passages of finished text for publication in a communal blog. You don’t need to see yourself as a writer to join this workshop, but you will be one by the time you leave.

As important as our writing will be our reading of Mermaid Singing and of Clift’s novel Honour’s Mimic, set on the island. By sharing our reading, we will help each other reach a new understanding of the authentic Greece that Charmian Clift discovered on Kalymnos.