I’m not sure why I first started reading memoirs by major poetic figures, but I recently read two that struck me as particularly significant in the development and history of what we consider contemporary poetry.
Essays: Benjamin Myers Takes on Ambiguity and Belonging
In “Ambiguity & Belonging,” poet Benjamin Myers has assembled a collection of essays about place, education, and poetry.
“The Colour Out of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft and Sara Barkat
Using a graphic novel format, Sara Barkat has turned H.P. Lovecraft’s horror classic “The Colour Out of Space” into a classic of its own.
Jay Parini Has 16 Robert Frost Poems to Memorize
In “Robert Frost: Sixteen Poems to Learn by Heart,” Jay Parini has written a great introduction to the poet and reasons to memorize his work.
Honeybees, Death, Grief, and Life: “The Honey Field” by Laura Boggess
“The Honey Field” by Laura Boggess is a story of death and grief, healing and recovery, life and love — and honeybees, of course.
Poetry Becomes Theater: “The Last Days of Troy” by Simon Armitage
In “The Last Days of Troy,” British poet laureate Simon Armitage turns Homer’s epic poem into a riveting theater production.
“New Orleans Poems in Creole and French” by Jules Choppin
In “New Orleans Poems in Creole and French,” Jules Choppin takes us into regional culture, language, and that sometimes seems strange.
John Rateliff Delves into the History of “The Hobbit”
In his almost 1,000-page epic, “The History of the Hobbit,” John Rateliff documents how the beloved story came to be written.
“Thunderclap” by Laura Cumming: A Memoir of Art and Life
Art critic Laura Cumming layers Dutch history, family memoir and a little known explosion in her book on a single painting, “Thunderclap.”
Inspired to Draw “Dracula” Daily – 200 Times
“Drawing Dracula Daily” by Sara Barkat is a collection of almost 200 illustrations of scenes from the Bram Stoker gothic novel.
“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson
“The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson is a gothic thriller and an unsettling work for modern readers.
British Poet Laureate Simon Armitage Writes Song Lyrics
In “Never Good with Horses,” British Poet Laureate Simon Armitage publishes a collection of song lyrics that blur the difference between poem and song.
Poetic Voices: Jessica Gigot and the Land
Poet Jessica Gigot draws inspiration from farming and the land for both her memoir “A Little Bit of Land” and her poetry book “Feeding Hour.”
“The Battle of Maldon” by J.R.R Tolkien, Edited by Peter Grybauskas
In “The Battle of Maldon,” Tolkien scholar Peter Grybauskas provides insights into both an epic poem and the great storyteller’s translation.
Poets and Poems: Osip Mandelstam and “Tristia”
Russians consider Osip Mandelstam one of the greatest poets; a new translation of “Tristia” helps explain why.
A TS Classic: “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde
A new edition of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde, illustrated by Sara Barkat, shows how the story still applies to our own time.
Rediscovering Seneca: Dana Gioia Translates “The Madness of Hercules”
Dana Gioia combines drama, history, poetry and more in his fine translation “Seneca: The Madness of Hercules.”
Edward Hirsch and “The Heart of American Poetry”
In “The Heart of American Poetry,” Edward Hirsch has written both a personal memoir and a love letter to American poetry.
An Updated Take on Keats’s Odes by Anahid Nersessian
“Keats’s Odes: A Lover’s Discourse” by Anahid Nersessian looks at the poet’s six great idea through a feminist/Marxist lens.
“Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” – An Old Poem, a New Artwork
A new edition of the cherished poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray is a work of art in itself.