In “The Making of Poetry,” Adam Nicolson tells the story of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797-98, when they created some of the greatest poetry written in the English language.
Packing Urgency and Story into 10-Minute Plays: “Winter Stars” by Sonia Barkat
In “Winter Stars,” a trio of 10-minute plays, Sonia Barkat uses a few characters and simple narratives to tell powerful stories.
Poets and Poems: Matt Duggan and “The Kingdom”
“The Kingdom,” the new chapbook by poet Matt Duggan, returns to what’s past, leaving you wondering if the past never really was.
Marjorie Maddox Writes Poems about Reading and Writing Poems
In “Inside Out,” Marjorie Maddox has assembled a series of poems about reading and writing poems. The poems show rather than tell, and it’s great fun.
Great Poetry as Seen by Comic Artist Julian Peters
In “Poems to See By,” comic artist Julian Peters illustrates 24 well-known poems, and in the process interprets meaning and adds understanding.
Buried in the Basement: “Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer” by John Bowers
A significant work by J.R.R. Tolkien on Chaucer sat unnoticed in a library basement for 60 years. “Tolkien’s Lost Chaucer” tells the story.
“Chaucer: A European Life” by Marion Turner
“Chaucer: A European Life” by Marion Turner is a significant work of scholarship on the context of the life of Geoffrey Chaucer.
Songwriting and Writing: “Adorning the Dark” by Andrew Peterson
“Adorning the Dark” by writer and songwriter Andrew Peterson speaks to the mystery at the center of writing, creativity, and inspiration.
“The Heart’s Necessities”: A Death, a Song, a Poem, and a Book
“The Heart’s Necessities” brings together the poetry and life story of Jane Tyson Clement and the music of Becca Stevens.
Horace Traubel and the Final Words of Walt Whitman
Thanks to Horace Traubel, we know much about Walt Whitman’s last years, Brenda WIneapple says in “Walt Whitman Speaks.”
“The Banished Immortal: A Life of Li Bai” by Ha Jin
“The Banished Immortal” by Ha Jin tells the story of Li Bai, considered China’s greatest poet, in an account drawn largely from his poetry.
Children’s Book Club: “Only One Woof”
Must every children’s book be zippy? Author Megan Willome discusses ‘Only One Woof,’ one of James Herriot’s animal stories.
Desperation, a Speech, and a Sick Child: Dickens and “A Christmas Carol”
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens transformed the Victorians’ understanding and celebration of Christmas; it has also transformed our own.
Poets and Poems: Luke Kennard and “Planet-Shaped Horse”
In “Planet-Shaped Horse” by British poet Luke Kennard, be prepared for fun-punched discoveries about words, language, ideas, and conventions.
Poetry, Fiction, or What? “The Long Take” by Robin Robertson
“The Long Take” by British poet Robin Robertson, shortlisted for the 2018 Man Booker Prize, is a poetry book, a novel, and a noir movie.
The Last of the Tolkien Tales: “The Fall of Gondolin”
“The Fall of Gondolin,” the last of the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, includes all of the author’s trademark themes and devices, including orcs and balrogs.
World War I: Mary Borden – Nurse, Novelist, Poet
American Mary Borden married a missionary, financed a hospital in World War I France, had an affair, published novels — and wrote poetry.
The Origin of a Monster: Happy Birthday, Frankenstein!
The gothic novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley is 200 years old this year, and its core concern about the unintended consequences of science still apply.
Alan Seeger: The American Poet in World War I
One of the most famous poems to emerge from World War I was written by an American. Alan Seeger wrote “I Have a Rendezvous with Death” shortly before he died.
“The Old Curiosity Shop:” Charles Dickens and a Road Trip!
“The Old Curiosity Shop” by Charles Dickens, with some of the author’s most memorable characters, isn’t about a shop at all — it’s about a road trip.