Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney passed away this morning. Here are some of our favorites from the Irish poet: his original poem “Oysters,” a reading of his translation of Beowulf, and his views on Ireland’s politics.
RIP Seamus Heaney
Literary Birthdays
New Directions turned 75 yesterday, so here’s a look back on the history of their colophon. In other birthday news, Iris Murdoch was born on this day in 1919, and tomorrow The Catcher in the Rye turns 60.
Rachel Kushner Immerses Herself in the Unknown World
Rachel Kushner shares the process behind her new collection of essays, The Hard Crowd, which she wrote through a direct, hands-on approach.
●
●
●
2 comments:
Add Your Comment: Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
“I think the role of the critic will remain strong even if the media landscape is constantly changing.”
Alex Ross, New Yorker music columnist and author of Listen To This, is interviewed for The Browser.
●
●
The Economist and the Poet
The Economist has a nice interview with Farrar, Straus & Giroux publisher Jonathan Galassi. In it, he discusses the role of poetry in modern society, and how it’s still “something people perversely do.”
●
●
The Congenital List-Maker
In true Seinfeldian fashion, Arthur Martine, the Victorian writer behind Martine’s Handbook of Etiquette, drew up a detailed taxonomy of the various species of bore. These include the Loud Talker, who “silences a whole party by his sole power of lungs;” the Malaprop, who masters the art of inappropriate conversation; and the Life-Sharer, who may be familiar to the Facebook addicts of today.
●
●
He will be missed. A truly gifted poet and critic. The man is gone but the work remains. Let us not forget that.
Ar dheis Dé go Raibh a Anam.
A wondrous poet, of earth, sky, and sea foam.