The shortlists for this year's Forward Prizes have been announced, and I'd have to say I'm a bit underwhelmed.
I'm really pleased to see Sian Hughes on the Best First Collection list, and Lorraine Marriner, but on the whole the judges seem to have played it all very safe. I'm a fan of a lot of Glyn Maxwell's work, but I don't think this collection is anywhere near his best, and I've heard much the same about the Hugo Williams book (I'll still buy it, though!).
The judges do their usual thing of noting the "rude health" of the UK poetry scene, but I don't think their lists really back that up at all. I'm not asking for them to be packed full of wildly experimental work (hardly my thing either), but it would be nice to see more than a token nod in the direction of smaller presses, more women on the main list, and fewer of the usual suspects.
Anyway, all sorts of discussion is already going on here. Join in.
Showing posts with label Sian Hughes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sian Hughes. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Monday, 15 June 2009
Keeping busy
Current reading
The Missing - Sian Hughes
Only just started, but it's excellent.
The Cut Of The Light - Jeremy Hooker
I'm still dipping in and out of this, and enjoying it a lot. His re-creation of landscape relies on cumulative effect, rather than memorable individual poems.
Collected Poems - Michael Donaghy
I've not read a great deal of his work in the past, but thought it was about time I checked him out more thoroughly. And I'm still undecided - when I like his work, I really like it, but when I don't, I really don't, if that makes sense.
Current listening
The Wanting Comes In Waves - The Decemberists
My favourite track off the awesome The Hazards Of Love album. Utter genius.
Underdog - Kasabian
I know, I know, derivative lad-rock, but I like it. They might even give Showaddywaddy a run for their money as Leicester's greatest musical exports.
Born In 69 - Rocket From The Crypt
I've just rediscovered their 1995 album Scream Dracula, Scream. It's great, and any track on which the backing vocals consist of "whooo...yeah" can't be bad.
The Missing - Sian Hughes
Only just started, but it's excellent.
The Cut Of The Light - Jeremy Hooker
I'm still dipping in and out of this, and enjoying it a lot. His re-creation of landscape relies on cumulative effect, rather than memorable individual poems.
Collected Poems - Michael Donaghy
I've not read a great deal of his work in the past, but thought it was about time I checked him out more thoroughly. And I'm still undecided - when I like his work, I really like it, but when I don't, I really don't, if that makes sense.
Current listening
The Wanting Comes In Waves - The Decemberists
My favourite track off the awesome The Hazards Of Love album. Utter genius.
Underdog - Kasabian
I know, I know, derivative lad-rock, but I like it. They might even give Showaddywaddy a run for their money as Leicester's greatest musical exports.
Born In 69 - Rocket From The Crypt
I've just rediscovered their 1995 album Scream Dracula, Scream. It's great, and any track on which the backing vocals consist of "whooo...yeah" can't be bad.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Just one book...
I've been away all week, and returned to the depressing news that Salt Publishing is going through a major financial crisis at the moment, sad when you consider what they've added to the UK (and international) poetry scene in recent years. You can read more about it here.
There is hope, though. They're still trading, for a start, so now's the time to support them (and other small presses, for that matter). Have a read of the message below from Salt supremo Chris Hamilton-Emery, and treat yourself to some summer reading. I've talked about a few Salt titles on here recently - Rob Mackenzie's The Opposite of Cabbage, Andrew Philip's The Ambulance Box, Shaindel Beers' A Brief History of Time, Sian Hughes' The Missing, and the Salt Companion To Lee Harwood - any one of them would be as good a place as any to start.
JUST ONE BOOK
1. Please buy just one book, right now. We don't mind from where, you can buy it from us or from Amazon, your local shop or megastore, online or offline. If you buy just one book now, you'll help to save Salt. Timing is absolutely everything here. We need cash now to stay afloat. If you love literature, help keep it alive. All it takes is just one book sale. Go to our online store and help us keep going.
UK and International
http://www.saltpublishing.com/shop/index.php
USA
http://www.saltpublishing.com/shop-us/index.php
2. Share this note on your Facebook and MySpace profile. Tell your friends. If we can spread the word about our cash crisis, we can hopefully find more sales and save our literary publishing. Remember it's just one book, that's all it takes to save us. Please do it now.
With my best wishes to everyone,
Chris
There is hope, though. They're still trading, for a start, so now's the time to support them (and other small presses, for that matter). Have a read of the message below from Salt supremo Chris Hamilton-Emery, and treat yourself to some summer reading. I've talked about a few Salt titles on here recently - Rob Mackenzie's The Opposite of Cabbage, Andrew Philip's The Ambulance Box, Shaindel Beers' A Brief History of Time, Sian Hughes' The Missing, and the Salt Companion To Lee Harwood - any one of them would be as good a place as any to start.
JUST ONE BOOK
1. Please buy just one book, right now. We don't mind from where, you can buy it from us or from Amazon, your local shop or megastore, online or offline. If you buy just one book now, you'll help to save Salt. Timing is absolutely everything here. We need cash now to stay afloat. If you love literature, help keep it alive. All it takes is just one book sale. Go to our online store and help us keep going.
UK and International
http://www.saltpublishing.com/shop/index.php
USA
http://www.saltpublishing.com/shop-us/index.php
2. Share this note on your Facebook and MySpace profile. Tell your friends. If we can spread the word about our cash crisis, we can hopefully find more sales and save our literary publishing. Remember it's just one book, that's all it takes to save us. Please do it now.
With my best wishes to everyone,
Chris
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Happy birthday!
Nine Arches Press celebrated its first year last night, and a very busy year it's been, what with books by Jane Holland, Liam Guilar, Tom Chivers and David Hart, and two issues of Under The Radar (a third is imminent), plus a number of readings. Oh, and books by Peter Carpenter and press founder Matt Nunn are on the way later in the year.
Anyway, the birthday party at the University of Warwick last night was excellent, with good music (Fan Tan Jack, as Jane Commane has reminded me), good cakes, and of course good poetry. There were readings by Jane Commane, Matt Nunn, Jane Holland, Sian Hughes, Simon Turner, George Ttoouli and myself, and plenty of chat. It would be unfair to pick out highlights, really, but a couple of George's poems (Ghost and another whose title escapes me just now) kept going round my head all the way home. I also bought a copy of Sian's book, The Missing, having enjoyed her reading and remembering several of her poems from magazines.
For the record, my 'set list' was:
At Home
Things Left In Hotel Rooms
The Memory Of Water
Worst Case Scenario
Oh, and many thanks to Matt for mentioning both Walkers Crisps and Englebert Humperdinck when introducing me! Chuck in Gary Lineker too and you'd have the Holy Trinity where us folk at the north end of the M69 are concerned.
Anyway, the birthday party at the University of Warwick last night was excellent, with good music (Fan Tan Jack, as Jane Commane has reminded me), good cakes, and of course good poetry. There were readings by Jane Commane, Matt Nunn, Jane Holland, Sian Hughes, Simon Turner, George Ttoouli and myself, and plenty of chat. It would be unfair to pick out highlights, really, but a couple of George's poems (Ghost and another whose title escapes me just now) kept going round my head all the way home. I also bought a copy of Sian's book, The Missing, having enjoyed her reading and remembering several of her poems from magazines.
For the record, my 'set list' was:
At Home
Things Left In Hotel Rooms
The Memory Of Water
Worst Case Scenario
Oh, and many thanks to Matt for mentioning both Walkers Crisps and Englebert Humperdinck when introducing me! Chuck in Gary Lineker too and you'd have the Holy Trinity where us folk at the north end of the M69 are concerned.
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