nicolaheaney

Elisabeth Horan: Odd list, Odd house, Odd me

This collection is an ode to Emily Dickinson – to her work, her themes and her poetry. In an interview with Twist in Time magazine, Horan highlights the similarities between her own work and that of Dickinson in terms of themes, but this collection isn’t simply a reflection of Dickinson’s work – in some ways,ContinueContinue reading “Elisabeth Horan: Odd list, Odd house, Odd me”

Ocean Vuong: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

I loved his poetry collection for its astonishing use of lyricism and twisting of classicalism (like in the incredible Telemachus) so I was very excited to get my hands on this. I heard him read at Toppings in Bath and knew from the short extract this was going to be something special – the delicacyContinueContinue reading “Ocean Vuong: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”

Bright Travellers: Fiona Benson

The debut collection from the award-winning poet was a book I’ve been meaning to read for a while. Deeply personal, it covers motherhood, landscape and includes a beautiful sequence of poems for Vincent Van Gogh. The opening poem ‘Caveat’ forms an epigraph for the collection with its message that it is possible to find theContinueContinue reading “Bright Travellers: Fiona Benson”

A stunning pamphlet by poet Mark Pajak

Spitting Distance is a Laureate’s Choice pamphlet from 2016 that I bought after hearing the poet read at an event in Bristol last year. From the moment he finished reading the first stanza of his first poem, I knew it would be special due to the concision of the language and the way in whichContinueContinue reading “A stunning pamphlet by poet Mark Pajak”

Olivia Laing’s To the River – A Midsummer meander

Laing’s To the River is a travelogue of sorts as the writer sets out on a midsummer morning to walk the banks of the River Ouse from source to sea. Peppered with memories of a failed relationship, this is a journey through memory, not just hers but those of Leonard and Virginia Woolf, whose diariesContinueContinue reading “Olivia Laing’s To the River – A Midsummer meander”

Underland by Robert MacFarlane – a fascinating passage into the underworlds.

Described by the Guardian as” A dazzling journey into deep time” this is a story about the worlds underground, which seems naturally more sinister in tone than his other books – perhaps because of the connotations with death, Hades and the spectres that haunt the underworld. It delves deep, both physically and metaphorically. This isContinueContinue reading “Underland by Robert MacFarlane – a fascinating passage into the underworlds.”

Absent Presence by Mahmoud Darwish – a fascinatingly undefinable piece of beauty

Described by the author as “a baffling text”, this is an entirely unique piece of literature. Admittedly, it’s quite difficult to grasp at the outset, written in the second person where the narrator seems to be addressing other forms of himself – but the beauty of the language and the phrasing compelled me to persevere. ContinueContinue reading “Absent Presence by Mahmoud Darwish – a fascinatingly undefinable piece of beauty”

Hotel du Lac – a light escape by Anita Brookner

Although set in a completely different part of France, this book reminded me of Bonjour Tristesse. Perhaps because of its central character – a female left to her own devices trying to find a foothold in idleness. Narrated by Edith Hope, a middle-aged English writer of clever romance novels, Hotel du Lac opens withContinueContinue reading “Hotel du Lac – a light escape by Anita Brookner”

Amy Sackville’s Orkney – a haunting week by the seaside.

It’s difficult to decide whether the main feature in this novel is the relationship between the honeymooners or the Orkney seascape. This is a novel with a very voyeuristic feel – a nameless young bride with long, silvery hair sits for hours gazing out at the sea. Inside the rented cottage, her husband Richard, aContinueContinue reading “Amy Sackville’s Orkney – a haunting week by the seaside.”

A Journey round Suffolk – Sebald’s Rings of Saturn reviewed

It’s with some shame that I admit I’ve had this book on my shelf for years but only just got round to reading it. Described as an influence by many of the psychogeographers that fill my bookshelves, I was expecting great things. Based in August 1992, this piece of writing weaves history and landscape togetherContinueContinue reading “A Journey round Suffolk – Sebald’s Rings of Saturn reviewed”