Other books that might interest you

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  Black Bones Red Earth

  Lee Richie

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  An Australian/English historical drama set in the unforgiving landscape of the Australian outback during the 1950s, the story follows the life of Katherine, an English child migrant who is consigned to an austere life on an isolated property beyond Broken Hill. There is little love in Katherine's life until Aboriginal station hands offer their friendship, but love comes at a deadly price. 
  Part two brings listeners to the modern-day English Lake District before taking us back to Australia for the story's climax. Inspired by the true experiences of family and friends closest to the author, Black Bones, Red Earth is a story of hope, love, sacrifice and resilience. 
  Beautifully read by Australian actress, Sandy Gore, star of television, film and stage, this heart wrenching tale is the sometimes harrowing, yet ultimately uplifting story of a child's search for love, and a woman's test of faith. Katherine's journey is an emotional roller-coaster with a deeply satisfying ending.

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  Uninvited Guests

  Donald Glazer

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  This debut collection of poems, composed with no thought to commercial publication and discovered by Green Writers Press by happenstance, addresses events in the poet' s life that every reader can relate to — friendships, the beginning, middle, and end of romantic relationships, and the death of a loved one. And they do so with " stiletto-sharp" metaphors — " rosebuds stillborn in the falling snow" — and wry observations — " Trying Again: Like an old shoe comfortable for a while but still causing blisters" — that evoke from the reader a knowing nod and sometimes an outright laugh. Short, disarming, crafted with carefully calibrated rhythms and innovative rhymes, these poems " skulk in the grass" and, while your guard is down, " barge right in" to your consciousness, uninvited guests.

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  You'll Never Be Anyone Else

  Rachael Clyne

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  Rachael Clyne's You'll Never Be Anyone Else presents a direct and assured voice, demanding that we think carefully about what it takes to reconcile being different. She advises the reader to 'Stop drinking the poison / labelled "Hate me." / It's that simple. I didn't say easy.' Clyne also has an alter-ego "Girl Golem" reminiscent of a superhero but based on the mythical man made from clay and spells to protect Jewish people from persecution. Through this empowering persona, Clyne opens up an exploration of Jewish and lesbian identity. Surveying attitudes in the present day and in the past, these poems explore migrant heritage, sexual identity, domestic violence and ageing.
  The stories of this collection are often poignant, like the retired tailor in 'Mr Shopping Trolley', who takes to shearing newspapers, so that his scissor fingers remain busy. Or in 'Leaving Odesa', the speaker revisits the prison where – under Tsarist law – her grandmother (even as an infant) had to serve out the remainder of her father's sentence after he died.Clyne's imagery is razor sharp in its precision, as she deftly weaves different poetic forms and wildly versatile subject matter, even interspersing Yiddish phrases, as part of her own unique poetic idiolect. Take the hilarious poem, 'Jew-a-lingo (Code-switching for Jews 1970 edition)' which emphasizes Jewish humour as a staple survival strategy. You'll Never Be Anyone Else offers a unique story of survival and empowerment told in spite of experiences of violence and prejudice – this from a poet who has spent a lifetime learning self-acceptance and as a psychotherapist helping others to do similar.  Treating even dark subjects with playful wit and colourful imagery, Clyne is a distinctive new voice with a powerful message about self-acceptance.
  "Rich, cinematic and sensuous." – Joelle Taylor
  'With its impressive scope, ranging from the Holocaust, nuclear fallout, and immigration to domestic life and childhood, Rachael Clyne's Girl Golem thoughtfully explores our tactics for survival: in resistance, in the imagination, in mutual care. In these evocative, spirited poems, Clyne implicitly argues for faith in our own humanity and for the richness of difference.' - Carrie Etter
  'Rachael Clyne's poetry, full of physicality and dramatic openness, accumulates a series of tensions within her Sixties free spirited identity and Jewish heritage. Attentive to narrative angle and migrant experience, she allows characters to emerge over generations showing how they mould into a new cultural identity. In its quiet and carefully crafted ways, Girl Golem shows the sweep of history and the importance of a tolerant county that offers salvation to those persecuted abroad.' - David Caddy
  'Clyne's poems inhabit a shadowy and uncomfortable space where all is not as it seems – people become pieces of furniture and rooms have sinister personalities. A complex work of many layers – these thought provoking and deftly crafted poems are a playful and powerful examination of identity, sexuality, heritage and family dynamic. Clyne skilfully conveys a sense of disquiet and alienation, a sense of being other, both within the dysfunctions of the family, but also within the context of the wider world.' - Julia Webb
  Rachael Clyne is a psychotherapist from Glastonbury. Her prizewinning collection Singing at the Bone Tree (Indigo Dreams) concerns human beings' relationship with nature, and she is a climate activist. Her pamphlet Girl Golem (4word) concerns her migrant background and sense of otherness. A frequent reader at poetry events and festivals, she has been published in magazines like Shearsman, The Rialto, and The Interpreter's House. 

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  Pericles

  William Shakespeare

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  Pericles is one of William Shakespeare's most adventurous and emotionally rich plays, blending romance, tragedy, and redemption into a sweeping tale that spans kingdoms and oceans. Believed to have been written around 1607–1608, the story follows Prince Pericles of Tyre as he embarks on a perilous journey filled with mystery, danger, loss, and ultimately, miraculous reunion.
  
  The play begins when Pericles travels to the city of Antioch to compete for the hand of the king's daughter. There he discovers a dark and shocking secret hidden behind the king's challenge—a secret so dangerous that it forces him to flee for his life. What follows is a long voyage across the Mediterranean world, where storms, shipwrecks, political intrigue, and unexpected kindness shape his fate.
  
  Along his journey, Pericles encounters both cruelty and compassion. He finds temporary refuge in the kingdom of Pentapolis, where he wins the love of the noble Thaisa. Yet happiness proves fragile as tragedy strikes during a violent sea storm, leading Pericles to believe he has lost his beloved wife forever. Burdened by grief and responsibility, he entrusts his newborn daughter, Marina, to the care of others before continuing his restless wanderings.
  
  Years later, Marina grows into a young woman of extraordinary virtue and strength. Despite facing betrayal, danger, and corruption, her courage and moral purity transform the lives of those around her. Her story runs parallel to Pericles' own struggles, weaving a powerful narrative about endurance, faith, and the enduring bonds of family.
  
  What makes Pericles unique among Shakespeare's works is its epic scope and its fairy-tale-like sense of wonder. Narrated in part by the poet Gower, the play moves across time and place, creating a story that feels both mythical and deeply human. Themes of forgiveness, divine providence, and the healing power of reunion give the play a hopeful and uplifting tone.
  
  Filled with dramatic shipwrecks, royal courts, lost children, and miraculous discoveries, Pericles explores the idea that life's darkest trials can lead to unexpected redemption. The play reminds readers and audiences that perseverance, virtue, and faith can guide people through even the most turbulent storms.
  
  Today, Pericles stands as one of Shakespeare's most moving late romances—a story of suffering transformed into joy, and of families torn apart by fate only to be reunited by grace. It is a timeless tale that celebrates resilience, hope, and the enduring possibility of renewal.

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  Through Old Eyes - Poems by...

  Uncle Wes Marne

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  Published to commemorate the author’s 100th birthday, this wide-ranging and thoughtful collection reflects on history, colonisation, family, childhood, Aboriginal Dreaming, traditions and storytelling, working lives and people. 
  Sometimes wistful, melancholic, poignant, at times the author’s wry sense of fun and humour shines through. 
  When he arrived in Sydney in the 1960s, Bigambul man, Uncle Wes, was not allowed to tell his stories at schools. He set up a fire bucket in his backyard and invited families and children from the local Aboriginal community to come to sit around the fire and share his stories. It did not take long for the police to arrive and arrest him for hosting an unlawful gathering – he spent two days in lock-up for sharing his stories. 
  Uncle Wes is a living treasure of Aboriginal storytelling wisdom. Through his poems Uncle Wes invites the reader to join him by the fire as he generously shares his reflections and reminiscences on one hundred years. 
  'It is my pleasure to honour Uncle Wes for his work in retaining the age-old storytelling tradition of our people. It is important to maintain this tradition of our Elders sharing their knowledge and insight through story and verse. Thank you Uncle Wes, for sharing your poems with us as you celebrate your 100th year.' - Dr Anne Pattel-Gray: Head of the Australia First Nations Program, World Vision Australia 
  'Uncle Wes Marne has a unique ability to allow the reader to see through his experienced eyes. The power and wisdom of his words is now more than ever important for the future generations to understand the time and place they exist in.' - Ben Bowen: CEO, Indigenous Literacy Foundation

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  Freedom House

  KB Brookins

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  Freedom House is a poetry collection that explores internal, interpersonal, and systemic freedom.  
  In this debut full-length collection, KB Brookins’ formally diverse, music-influenced poetry explores transness, politics of the body, gentrification, sexual violence, climate change, masculinity, and afrofuturism while chronicling their transition and walking readers through different “rooms”. The speaker isn’t afraid to call themselves out while also bending time, displaying the terror of being Black/queer/trans in Texas, and more — all while using humor and craft.  
  What does freedom look like? What can we learn from nature and our past? How do you reintroduce yourself in a world that refuses queerness? How can we use poetry as a tool in the toolbox that helps build freedom? This collection explores those questions, and manifests a world where Black, queer, and trans people get to live.

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