Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  The Lover's Complaint - One of...

  William Shakespeare

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  Despite William Shakespeare being regarded as the most significant figure in the Western literary canon, relatively little is known about his early life and his later ‘lost years’.  Even the exact date of his birth is uncertain. 23rd April generally accepted to be the date of his birth, could be a scholarly mistake amplified by the coincidence of it also being the date of his death.  
   
  What is known for certain is that Shakespeare was born to middle class, but probably illiterate parents, John and Mary, in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1565 and baptised there on the 26th April.  He was the third of eight children and the first and eldest surviving son of the remaining five.  
   
  It’s assumed he attended, King’s New School the nearby grammar school, but no records from the time still exist.  However, information on the standardised curriculum that did exist, introduced the young Shakespeare to the disciplines of mathematics, Greek, law, classical history and Latin which greatly influenced his writing. 
   
  At 18, in some haste, he married Anne Hathaway, his senior by 8 years and pregnant with their first child Susanna who was to be followed by the twins, Hamnet and Judith.   Little else is known until in 1590 Shakespeare probably comes to London as by 1592 he becomes relatively well known – first as an actor and then, of course, as a playwright despite some early criticism for having a writing style of his better educated contemporaries and not of his own lower status.  
   
  His iconic status now spans global literature and stems directly from the magnitude of his plays, both tragedies and comedies, and his poetry which is often cited as some of the greatest love poetry ever written.  His legacy endures despite the passing of centuries. 
   
  William Shakespeare died at Stratford-upon-Avon on the April 23rd, 1616.  He was 52.

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  Columbus - 19th century poem...

  James Russell Lowell

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  James Russell Lowell was born on 22nd February 1819 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
  Lowell graduated from Harvard in 1838, and thence on to earn a law degree from Harvard Law School.  
  His literary life began in 1841 with his first published collection of poetry.  Three years later he married Maria White and they had several children although, sadly, only one was to survive childhood. 
  A consuming issue at the time was the abolition of slavery.  Lowell was a staunch supporter even going so far as to move to Philadelphia to edit an abolitionist newspaper.  His poems were fully in support of Emancipation and the ending of this terrible abomination.  His later views were milder and came in for some criticism.  
  His publication in 1848 of the long poem ‘A Fable for Critics’, satirising the poets and critics of the then current poetry scene caused an uproar.  That same year came ‘The Biglow Papers’, which increased his fame and his finances.  His use of the Yankee accent in his character’s dialogue was an inspiration for many. 
  Maria died in 1853 and Lowell decided to travel to Europe for some time before returning to Harvard to take up a professorship of languages.   In 1857 he re-married and also took on the editorship of that key periodical ‘The Atlantic Monthly’ whilst continuing to teach at Harvard. 
  Lowell wrote and published poetry and essay collections throughout his literary career and is acknowledged as one of the ‘Fireside Poets’, a group of New England poets that rivalled the popularity of British poets.  Their work was not controversial and suitable for whole families to enjoy hence their name and appeal.  Whilst Lowell’s own work does not now attract the same praise as his then contemporaries, he was their equal. 
  Towards the end of his life Lowell was appointed as ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and later to the Court of St. James's.  
  His last years were a return home to his estate in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  By the summer of 1891 doctors had diagnosed cancer in his kidneys, liver and lungs.  There was nothing that they could do except prescribe opium for the pain. 
  James Russell Lowell died on the 12th of August 1891 on the Cambridge estate where he was also born.  He was 72.

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  Through the Mud

  Apphia Campbell

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  'It's our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win.'
  Assata Shakur, a notorious Black Panther, is accused of murdering a state trooper in New Jersey in 1973. Ambrosia, a college student in 2014, is at the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement in Ferguson, Missouri, finding herself swept up in the consequences of protesting.
  Two generations of women activists involved in the struggle for Black liberation in America.
  Against a stunning soundtrack of gospel and blues, Apphia Campbell's Through the Mud explores what it takes to become a revolutionary. Originally performed in Edinburgh in 2017, with the title Woke, it won a Scotsman Fringe First, a Highly Commended Award from Amnesty International, and was shortlisted for the Filipa Bragança and Scottish Art Club Theatre Awards.
  This edition was published alongside the revival at Summerhall during the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, co-produced by Stellar Quines and The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, winning a Summerhall Lustrum Award.

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  Chrome Valley - Poems

  Mahogany L. Browne

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  "Browne’s narration of her work is masterful, capturing a range of emotion through inflection, cadence, and volume. It’s an unfettered celebration of Black resilience that will leave listeners satisfied, yet eager to hear more from this gifted poet." - Library Journal, Starred Review 
   
  From Lincoln Center’s inaugural poet-in-residence comes this unflinching collection that intricately mines the experience of being a Black woman in America. 
   
  A highly anticipated volume from critically acclaimed poet Mahogany L. Browne, Chrome Valley is at once a luminous hymn and a battle cry. Spanning the course of her own life as well as embodying centuries of virulent history, this collection pays solemn tribute to the women who came before her. Musically effervescent yet cutting poems capture the peculiar joys and pangs of Black girlhood: “you ain’t had freedom / ’til you climb on a bus 62 / & head to the closet mall / for a girl fight”; while others explore the inherent grief of motherhood, rhythmically intoning names like the tolling of a church bell: “Because Lesley McSpadden / Because Mamie Till / Because a Black mother know ain’t no song for that empty in ya belly.” Transcendent and grounded, funny and furious, the poems within bring depth to a movement, announcing Mahogany L. Browne as one of the most important poetic voices of our time.

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  The Raven - A Terrifying Poem of...

  Edgar Allan Poe

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  DARKNESS HAS A VOICE—AND IT’S CALLING YOUR NAME! Welcome to the haunting world of The Raven—a soul-shattering journey into madness, obsession, and the chilling GRIP OF FATE. Step into the mind of a man whose heartache will echo in your bones. FEEL the crushing weight of loss as a simple visitor turns into an INESCAPABLE SYMBOL OF DESPAIR. HEAR the relentless tapping at the door, the endless echo of that one word—NEVERMORE—driving you to the brink of INSANITY. With every line, Poe’s genius pulls you deeper into the abyss of grief, where the DARKNESS feels alive. The vivid narration brings every shadow to life, amplifying the dread that builds with every breath. SEE the raven’s unblinking gaze as it casts a spell of torment binding you to the SORROW of a life forever changed. This isn’t just a poem—it’s a chilling descent into the mind of a man HANUTED by memories and tormented by fate. LISTEN NOW and let The Raven claw its way into your soul. FEEL THE COLD HANDS OF FATE CLOSE IN ON YOU!

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  Mr Outside

  Caleb Klaces

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  During a time of restricted movement, the narrator of Mr Outside visits his reclusive father Thomas who is packing up to move into a care home. As father and son grapple with the task, long-buried conflicts resurface. Thomas, a poet and former radical priest, slips between affection and fear, while the narrator struggles to find the words he's been holding back. Yet amidst confusion and grief, moments of humour and connection emerge, as both men discover new ways to understand each other and let go.
  Told through a striking combination of text and image, Klaces' distilled novel explores the stories we tell about our lives, the limits of intimacy, and the fragile line between reality and delusion. Based on the life of his own father, Mr Outside is poignant, profound, and unexpectedly funny; a tender meditation on endings, the limits of understanding, and the act of letting go.

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