WHAT cover art

WHAT

The Sunday Times bestselling collection from the Poet Laureate of Punk

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About this listen

Read by the author, John Cooper Clarke.

'Nothing short of dazzling' – Alex Turner

Dr John Cooper Clarke's dazzling, scabrous voice has reverberated through pop culture for decades, his influence on generations of performance poets and musicians plain for all to see. In WHAT, the original 'People's Poet' comes storming out of the gate with an uproarious new collection, reminding us why he is one of Britain's most beloved writers and performers. James Brown, John F. Kennedy, Jesus Christ: nobody is safe from the punk rocker's acerbic pen – and that's just the first poem.

Hot on the heels of The Luckiest Guy Alive and his sprawling, encyclopaediac memoir I Wanna Be Yours, the good Doctor returns with his most trenchant collection of poems yet. Vivid and alive, with a sensitivity only a writer with a life as varied and extraordinary as Cooper Clarke's could summon, WHAT is an exceptional collection from one of our foremost satirists.

 European Poetry World Literature

Critic reviews

A big-hearted poet of boundless humour and unmistakable style (Kit Fan)
A rhymer to be reckoned with . . . with a panache contemporary poets should aspire to and respect
A primordial gift for language
I say to people, have you heard of John Cooper Clarke and if they say, yes, yeah he's an absolute genius and you just go, 'oh - ok, you've saved me a lot of time (Steve Coogan)
John Cooper Clarke uses words like Chuck Berry uses guitar riffs melody and anger, humour and disdain in equal measure. He's the real deal, really funny and really caustic, the velvet voice of discontent. (Kate Moss)
John Cooper Clarke is one of Britain’s outstanding poets. His anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades and his no nonsense approach to his work and life in general has appealed to many people including myself for many years. Long may his slender frame and spiky top produce words and deeds that keep us on our toes and alive to the wonders of the world. (Sir Paul McCartney)
An exceptional collection from the poet laureate of punk . . . JCC has a rhythm to be reckoned with, an understanding of language and pace which is still accessible, rooted in the values of post-industrial Northern English working-class life in a way that feels genuine and unaffected.
All stars
Most relevant
Very entertaining!
Will listen several times to take it on board more- too much for single experience

Brilliant!

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He's the one and only, even in old age he's still so so good. we love you John Cooper Clarke!

The Current King of British Poetry

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Perfect to hear JCC performing his own works. Spoken word royalty. There’s nothing like it! Macarena!

Always a pleasure

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