BBC article:What is "poetry recital in Edinburgh"?

[chebu]

Hello.

I have another question from following BBC article.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12191104

Question is on the 5th paragraph of "Fasting"
What is that poetry recital in Edinburgh?
Is this a part of Edinburgh Festival, "Nothing reading science fiction poetry"?

"And yet by the following evening, after a day of meetings and aggravations, our cinematic experience is well on its way towards obliteration. Just like so much else which once impressed us, but which we soon enough came to discard - the majesty of the ruins of Ephesus, the view from Mount Sinai, that poetry recital in Edinburgh, the feelings we had after putting down Tolstoy's Death of Ivan Ilyich. "

Nothing But The... Reading Science Fiction Poetry - Edinburgh Festival Guide

Your help will be highly appreciated.

[Coolfootluke]

I am not a teacher.

He might have made it up. He means "a personal, moving artistic experience you once had". He might just as well have written "that Noh performance on Itsukushima" or "that Jackson Browne concert".

[chebu]

Dear Coolfootluke

Thank you for your reply.

If Alan made it up, what do you think "that" means in " that poetry recital in Edinburgh"?
I think by saying "that", Alan might be implying particular poetry festival, though I can't figure out what it is.
.

[Coolfootluke]

Dear Coolfootluke

Thank you for your reply.

If Alan made it up, what do you think "that" means in " that poetry recital in Edinburgh"?
I think by saying "that", Alan might be implying particular poetry festival, though I can't figure out what it is.
.

I am not a teacher.

I am finding this hard to explain. There is no poetry recital in reality. The writer is pretending to know about a poetry recital you once heard. You are supposed to play along and imagine a wonderful evening you once had listening to poetry in the shadow of that magical castle on the hill. The "that" refers to the imaginary recital; it is what makes the whole ruse work. If he had used an article ("a" or "the"), you would not have known to imagine anything.

I would not be at all suprised to learn that the writer once attended such a poetry recital; in fact, he likely did. But it does not matter which one it was. "That" does not refer to his real memory (except obliquely) but to your imagined one.

[chebu]

Dear Coolfootluke

Thank you again for detailed explanation.

[5jj]

"And yet by the following evening, [...] our cinematic experience is well on its way towards obliteration. Just like so much else which once impressed us, but which we soon enough came to discard - the majesty of the ruins of Ephesus, the view from Mount Sinai, that poetry recital in Edinburgh, the feelings we had after

Sorry this response is a bit late; I didn't see your thread first time. I see no reason to consider the recital imaginery. The writer is saying that the moving experience at the cinema was soon forgotten, just like other things which had once seemed impressive but were also soon forgotten. These things include a certain view, certain ruins, certain feelings - and a certain poetry recital. 'That' simply points to one special recital he had in mind.

[chebu]

To fivejedjon

Thank you for your attention and kind reply.