Showing titles in Poetry

The world ended at 12: 04 p.m. and nobody else even looked up. There is a before and an after to loss. When the sun goes down at noon, you are left standing in the wreckage, unable to understand how the rest of the world is still driving to work and buying coffee. The Sound of Your Absence is not a book that will tell you "everything happens for a reason." It is a companion for the messy, unpolished, and heavy reality of outliving the person you love. Unlike many poetry books about grief and loss that rush you toward the light, this collection meets you in the dark.

Acclaimed actress Claire Danes burnishes an epic story of heroes, gods, and monsters in a groundbreaking translation of The Odyssey, the first great adventure story in the Western literary tradition. When the wily warrior-king Odysseus sets off for home after the Trojan War, he doesn’t realize this simple undertaking will become a perilous journey of 10 years. Beset at every turn, he encounters obstacles, detours, and temptations—both supernatural and human—while his wife Penelope fends off would-be suitors desperate to take the throne.

When Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey appeared in 2017―rendering the ancient poem in contemporary language that was “fresh, unpretentious and lean” (Madeline Miller, Washington Post)―critics lauded it as “a revelation” (Susan Chira, New York Times) and “a cultural landmark” (Charlotte Higgins, Guardian) that would forever change how Homer is read in English. Now Wilson has returned with an equally revelatory translation of Homer’s other great epic―the most revered war poem of all time.

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.

Ever wondered just how much of life you can understand through poetry? Tim Key is never far from stage and screen - from Peep Show to Alpha Papa to Taskmaster. But now he's back doing what he does best - attempting to recite poetry whilst tormenting his friend and musician, the equally brilliant...

Have you ever wondered what it takes to find your way home against impossible odds? The Trojan War has ended, but for Odysseus, the mastermind behind the Trojan Horse, the true struggle has just begun. Pursued by the wrath of Poseidon, he is pushed to the limits of human endurance across a vast, unforgiving ocean.

The great epic of Western literature, translated by the acclaimed classicist Robert Fagles Soon to be a major motion picture directed by Christopher Nolan Robert Fagles, winner of the PEN/Ralph Manheim Medal for Translation and a 1996 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts...

Have you ever wondered why the rage of one man could determine the fate of an entire civilization? The Iliad is the ultimate examination of human nature under the duress of conflict. Set during the final year of the siege of Troy, Homer's magnum opus explores the complex psychology of leadership, the destructive power of hubris, and the inevitable tragedy of mortality. When the Greek commander Agamemnon insults Achilles, the great warrior withdraws from battle. His comrades are left to face the wrath of the Trojan prince Hector and the divine machinations of Olympus.

Have you ever wondered why the themes of war, rage, and the long journey home still resonate so deeply today? The stories of the Trojan War and the voyage of Odysseus are the blueprints for every epic adventure. Homer's masterpieces explore the deepest corners of human emotion, from the thirst for glory to the ache of nostalgia. This complete collection brings together The Iliad and The Odyssey, transporting you to the dusty plains of Troy and the supernatural perils of the wine-dark sea.

A Poem For Every Day of the Year is a magnificent collection of 366 of the greatest poems in the English language, compiled by the award-winning poetry curator Allie Esiri. The collection is passionately narrated by Helena Bonham Carter and Simon Russell Beale, with introductions read by Allie...

Brought to you by Penguin. A collection of powerful contemporary poetry exploring themes of masculinity, love, grief and connection, from British poet and viral phenomenon Lucas Jones. 'You're here to make All the wonder make sense You're not the life - You're the living itself' How do you...

One of the most significant books ever written by a head of state, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions—a cornerstone of Western thought.

The Trojan War is over, and Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, sets out for home, his wife Penelope, and his son, Telemachus. It proves a long, 10-year journey, fraught with dangers.

In the 70s he was a huge pop star, with Number 1 hits like 'Rock On' and 'Hold Me Close'. In the 80s and 90s he became a star of the stage with lead roles in Godspell and Mutiny! Now comes a wonderful collection of David Essex’s poetry and lyrics. Here are nostalgic poems recalling his...

'If you feel as though your life is lacking a bit of poetry, this is an excellent place to start' – The Times Allie Esiri’s audio anthology, A Poet for Every Day of the Year, is the perfect introduction to 366 of the world’s greatest ever verse writers. Perfect for listening to together as...

‘Atmospheric, engrossing, beautiful and sad, one of those books you find yourself wanting to be back inside when you’ve had to put it down' NATALIE HAYNES, author of A Thousand Ships and Stone Blind ‘A vivid and imaginatively wrought divine world that is monstrous, magical and beautiful’...

Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4, Jeremy Irons' perceptive reading illuminates the poetry of T. S. Eliot in all its complexity. Major poems range from 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' through the post-war desolation of 'The Waste Land' and the spiritual struggle of 'Ash-Wednesday', to the enduring charm of 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'.

Most of us continue to be bonded to the people who hurt us, waiting for them to give us closure, to see us as worthy of their change or remorse, and to apologize. True healing begins when you stop giving the one who broke you the pen that writes the story of how you heal. Instead, you decide to...

Libidinous, licentious, salacious and very, very funny, The Satyricon is one of the most remarkable documents from ancient Rome. It tells the ribald story of Encolpius, a man of active and varied appetites (powered notably by his passion for his favourite lover, the handsome Giton), who plunges...

You've got your greedy little claws on Key's audiobook. It represents the most comprehensive collection of poeticals put together to date. Whichever way you care to look at this, it is pretty much a wall of poems. There are lots of them. Too many maybe. If there's such a thing as too many poems...