Clive James read, learned, and recited poetry throughout his life. In this book, completed just before his death, he offers a selection of his favorite poems and a personal commentary on each one. In the last months of his life, with his vision limited by surgery and unable to read, Clive James explored the treasure of his mind: the poems he knew best, so well that he didn't just remember them, but found it impossible to forget them. The Fire of Joy is the record of this final journey of recollection and celebration. Enthralled by poetry throughout his life, James knew hundreds of poems by heart. By offering this selection of his favorites, his aim is to inspire you to discover and learn, and perhaps even recite poetry. In his particularly personal anthology, James offers commentary on each of the approximately eighty poems: sometimes a historical or critical note on the poem or its author, other times a technical point about the structure of the poem from someone who was himself a poet, sometimes a personal reflection on the role of the poem in his own life. Whether you are familiar with a particular poem or not - or whether you are familiar with poetry in general or not - these friendly, simple, often tender mini-essays convey the joy of James's enthusiasm and the benefits of his knowledge. This is a chance to share with a new generation what he himself loved. This is a book that can be read from beginning to end or browsed: in either case, it generously opens up a world for our enjoyment.
Manufacturer
- Author
- Clive James
- Publisher
- Macmillan Publishers
- Language
- English
- Subtitle
- -
- Cover
- Hardcover
- Dimensions
- 14x20 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9781529042085
Important information
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