Other books that might interest you

• 

  Rhapsody of Strings under the...

  Patricio León

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Fragmented into sixteen excerpts, stories or scenes, this brief work by León focuses on the breakup or a couple of unnamed lovers without explicit gender, swept away by the gale of passion and desire, with the moon as their sole spectator and accomplice, and the presence of a cat that serves as witness to the impulses of a love that is hopelessly undone in the misunderstanding of bodies scorched by the fire of the sexes, The work is a heartbroken cry of a lonely, proud individual, overpowered by his own ego in the face of the loss and abandonment of the one who filled his days. And in the other end, silence, and emptiness as the only response.The whole book is imbued with a deeply moving sentimental tone that strikers with the force of a desperate ritornello.

  Show book

• 

  Habibti Driver (NHB Modern Plays)

  Shamia Chalabi, Sarah Henley

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Meet Ashraf and his 'Habibti' – his daughter Shazia. He's an Egyptian, Muslim taxi driver; she's half-Egyptian, half-Wiganese, and more interested in the last call at the bar than the call to prayer.
  Their relationship is put to the test when Ashraf introduces Shazia to his new Egyptian bride, whilst she is attempting to break the news of her own secret engagement. In Ashraf's taxi they must navigate driving lessons, sing karaoke and explore whether, despite their differences, family can win out regardless.
  Habibti Driver is a heartwarming and hilarious play, based on Shamia Chalabi's real-life experiences and co-written with Sarah Henley, exploring the clashes, compromises and comedy that come with living in a mixed-culture family in today's Britain.
  First performed in an earlier version – Burkas and Bacon Butties – at the VAULT Festival, London, this revised, full-length version premiered at the Octagon Theatre Bolton in April 2022, co-produced with Tara Finney Productions.

  Show book

• 

  The Poetry of Damon Runyon - We...

  Damon Runyon

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Alfred Damon Runyan was born on 4th October 1880, in Manhattan, Kansas.  
   
  When Runyon was two his father was forced to sell his newspaper and the family moved eventually settling in Pueblo, Colorado where Runyon spent his youth.  
   
  By most accounts, he attended school only through the fourth grade and then worked for his father in the newspaper trade.  
   
  In 1898 Runyon enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in the Spanish–American War. After his service he returned to Colorado and worked for the local newspapers.  
   
  By 1910 he had moved to New York to work for Hearst newspapers, writing a daily column.  He was soon promoted to be the Hearst newspapers' baseball columnist and developed his trademark viewpoint of writing up the eccentric and the unusual, whether on the field or in the stands. 
   
  But Runyon also wrote poetry, plays, essays and, of course, his short stories with his famous ‘Runyonesque’ characters who were funny, gritty and instantly memorable, all distilled into black and white type. 
   
  Of course, the cliché about newspapermen and writers is that they are heavy drinkers, chain-smokers, gamblers and obsessively chase women with a sideline in gathering info and only getting something written just before the deadline hits.  And that, pretty much, was Runyon’s life. 
   
  In 1938 he developed throat cancer which would leave him unable to speak but he continued to work at a ferocious pace, pursuing a Hollywood career as writer and producer at MGM, Universal and RKO studios. 
   
  Alfred Damon Runyon died in New York City on 10th December 1946 from throat cancer.  He was 66. 
   
  His ashes were scattered from a plane over Broadway.   
   
  In his early short Story ‘The Defense of Strikerville’ Runyon takes up the cause of workers’ rights as it comes up against the nasty tactics of big-dog capitalism.  
   
  Runyon’s poems brilliantly illustrate his style and ideas with works that are individual, observational, heavy on the vernacular and bring a rarely seen poetic talent to our attention.  
   
  1 - The Poetry of Damon Runyon - An Introduction 
  2 - The Song of the Strike-Breakers by Damon Runyon 
  3 - Song of the Steel Worker by Damon Runyon 
  4 - The Song of the Bullet by Damon Runyon 
  5 - A Song of the Panama Canal by Damon Runyon 
  6 - A Song of the Rails by Damon Runyon 
  7 - The Song of King Barleycorn 
  8 - The King of Moo by Damon Runyon 
  9 - The Song of Silence by Damon Runyon 
  10 - Song O' the Lost Trains by Damon Runyon 
  11 - The Song of the Saddle by Damon Runyon 
  12 - The Ghosts of the Great White Way by Damon Runyon 
  13 - The Softest Town by Damon Runyon 
  14 - The Ballad of the Big Town by Damon Runyon 
  15 - Ballads of a Beach Comber by Damon Runyon 
  16 - When the Ships Go Home by Damon Runyon 
  17 - Dream of a Drowsy Day by Damon Runyon 
  18 - Ballad of Hop Looey 
  19 - The Ladies in the Trenches - a Solider Song of the Sulu Isles by Damon Runyon 
  20 - Nostalgia by Damon Runyon 
  21 - A Divorce Problem by Damon Runyon 
  22 - The Boy She Used to Know by Damon Runyon 
  23 - Roses of a Dream by Damon Runyon 
  24 - Homeward Bound by Damon Runyon 
  25 - The Spirit of You by Damon Runyon 
  26 - Ghosts by Damon Runyon 
  27 - Ballad of Lonely Graves by Damon Runyon 
  28 - Pal, Algeria 1910 by Damon Runyon 
  29 - Requiem by Damon Runyon

  Show book

• 

  In the Night Field

  Cameron McGill

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "All fire and surprise, sadness and forgiveness...I could never say enough about the beauty of this work." —Jericho Brown 
  "Cameron's poems are wonderfully full, energetic, and ardent." —Vijay Seshadri 
  "McGill skillfully navigates the mysteries of relationship, memory, and regret as the best poets do." —Dorianne Laux 
  "It’s been a long time since I have heard the 'god of small thunder' echo so powerfully in a collection." —Campbell McGrath 
  Cameron McGill’s debut collection of poetry, In the Night Field, spotlights the effects of memory: its startling artistry, varied discontents, and casual fallibility. These poems chart the complex relationship between mental health and place; the difficult paths home can be lonely and circuitous, the emotional coordinates we map along the way a reminder of those intimate regions that hold and haunt us. These can be isolating passages, but are just as often fertile: “I walk further each day toward the strange / austerity my heart makes of reason.” Between the attentive, persistent self and the longed-for, absent other arises a fragmented conversation, an exchange that’s in a constant state of arrival. As McGill shows us, memories are a corrective, carrying back to us occasions for instruction, reconciliation, or in those astonishing flashes of clarity, what again hopes to be loved.

  Show book

• 

  The Unrooted Bloom

  Amber Allen-Peirson

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The Unrooted Bloom is a deeply personal poetry collection by Amber Allen-Peirson that explores themes of racial identity, belonging, and the complexities of navigating life as a biracial woman in a racially divided society. Through lyrical and evocative language, Amber’s writing captures the internal struggle of reconciling her Black and White heritage, often torn between two worlds that don’t fully accept her. Her style combines vivid imagery with raw emotional honesty, drawing the reader into her journey of self-discovery and the tension she feels between multiple identities. The collection also delves into the intricate dynamics of family, exploring how generational trauma, love, addiction, and complicated relationships have shaped her sense of self. Grief plays a central role in her work, reflecting the loss of loved ones, both through death and emotional distance, and how this grief intertwines with her search for identity. Amber’s resilience shines through, offering a powerful narrative on healing and the strength required to rebuild after hardship. The Unrooted Bloom is a profound exploration of what it means to exist in the space between, encouraging readers to embrace the complexities of their own identities while finding strength in their multifaceted selves.

  Show book

• 

  The Tenth Elegy - Lyrical poem...

  Rainer Maria Rilke

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke was born into a troubled marriage on the 4th December 1875 in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  His mother, having previously lost a baby girl, would dress the young boy up in girl’s clothing.   
  Later his father dispatched him to a military academy at age 10 but after a miserable 5 years the young Rilke left due to illness and instead entered first Prague and then Munich and finally Berlin university to study art history, philosophy and literature. 
  His initial forays into literature was in poetry.  His intense, mystical and lyrical style was much admired and over time inspired many in succeeding generations.    
  His short prose collection ‘Stories of God’, written in an impassioned burst over several nights was published in 1900 and offers a beguiling view of much of Rilke’s influences and outlook.  
  The following year he married the pioneering sculptor and artist Clara Westhoff.  The union produced one child, a daughter Ruth.   
  He lived in Paris for most of the Century’s first decade where he mixed with many great minds of the time.  Although he continued to write he also worked as a secretary to the sculptor, Rodin.   
  It was only after they settled in Switzerland in 1919 that his writing output was in full flow.  Here he wrote profusely in both German and French, which included much on his previous travels, his left-wing sympathies, his religious and existential thoughts, all part of a unique and consummate style. 
  From 1923 on, Rilke increasingly struggled with his health which was now in constant decline and often spent time rehabilitating at a sanatorium.   
  Rainer Maria Rilke died of leukaemia on the 29th December 1926 in Montreux, Switzerland.  He was 51.

  Show book