Poetry Books

A haiku, an ode, a sonnet, a limerick, an elegy ... more poetry,please.

4504 products


  • Dart

    Faber & Faber Dart

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisOver the past three years Alice Oswald has been recording conversations with people who live and work on the River Dart in Devon. Using these records and voices as a sort of poetic census, she creates a narrative of the river, tracking its life from source to sea. The voices are wonderfully varied and idiomatic - they include a poacher, a ferryman, a sewage worker and milk worker, a forester, swimmers and canoeists - and are interlinked with historic and mythic voices: drowned voices, dreaming voices and marginal notes which act as markers along the way.Trade Review'The Thing in the Gap-Stone Stile seductively commands delighted attention. In an age where "nature" poetry and spirituality are unfashionable, it is always exciting when someone does the job with panache and without being boring.' Guardian

    Out of stock

    £11.69

  • Complete Dramatic Works

    Faber & Faber Complete Dramatic Works

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe present volume gathers all of Beckett''s texts for theatre, from 1955 to 1984. It includes both the major dramatic works and the short and more compressed texts for the stage and for radio.''He believes in the cadence, the comma, the bite of word on reality, whatever else he believes; and his devotion to them, he makes clear, is a sufficient focus for the reader''s attention. In the modern history of literature he is a unique moral figure, not a dreamer of rose-gardens but a cultivator of what will grow in the waste land, who can make us see the exhilarating design that thorns and yucca share with whatever will grow anywhere.'' - Hugh KennerContents: Waiting for Godot, Endgame, Happy Days, All That Fall, Acts Without Words, Krapp''s Last Tape, Roughs for the Theatre, Embers, Roughs for the Radio, Words and Music, Cascando, Play, Film, The Old Tune, Come and Go, Eh Joe, Breath, Not I, That Time, Footfalls, Ghost Trio,...but the clouds..., A Piece of Monologue, Rockaby, Ohio Impromptu, Quad, Catastrophe, Nacht und Traume, What Where.

    15 in stock

    £16.99

  • MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

    Faber & Faber MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisProfessor Coghill was invited to prepare this annotated edition of Murder in the Cathedral by Eliot himself, and he approved his introduction. Coghill discusses Eliot's subject matter, and the play's importance in his oeuvre. Forty pages of notes elucidate textual difficulties, and include a valuable discussion of some wider issues. The references to the production of the play in the theatre are of great interest. There are three appendices on the historical context; on the metre of Everyman, which influenced the versification of Murder in the Cathedral; and on Tennyson's poetic drama Becket, which offers a striking contrast to Eliot's treatment of the subject.

    Out of stock

    £9.89

  • Measure For Measure: Third Series

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Measure For Measure: Third Series

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisOften described as one of Shakespeare’s ‘problem plays’, Measure for Measure explores issues of mercy and justice in corrupt Vienna. The Duke makes his strict moralistic deputy, Angelo, temporary leader of Vienna, while he disguises himself as a friar to witness all that ensues. In the comprehensive introduction to this new, fully-illustrated Arden edition, with commentary and notes from A. R. Braunmuller, Robert N. Watson explores the recent increased attention to the play and the shifting judgements of key characters such as the Duke and Isabella. He analyses the social foundations of these changes, their validity as readings of the text, and their manifestations in performance. It also explores the play’s implications on topics including love, marriage, sexuality, consent, mortality, religion, statecraft, moderation, and theatre itself.Trade ReviewShowcasing his characteristic combination of sophistication and clarity, Watson offers a model of lucid critical coverage and adjudication… Braunmuller and Watson's edition makes excellent use of recent performance history. * Times Literary Supplement *Offers lucid accounts of the play’s textual and performance history and provides a clear and reader-friendly text. * Shakespeare Survey *An exceptionally thorough, astute, lively, and provocative exploration of all major and many secondary issues in this problem play. * Editionen in der Kritik *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations General Editors' Preface Preface Introduction Measure for Measure Further Reading Appendices Index

    15 in stock

    £10.99

  • The Last Days of Troy

    Faber & Faber The Last Days of Troy

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisSimon Armitage is rightly celebrated as one of the country''s most original and engaging poets; but he is also an adaptor and translator of some of our most important epics, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Death of King Arthur and Homer''s Odyssey. The latter, originally a commission for BBC Radio, rendered the classical tale with all the flare, wit and engagement that we have come to expect from this most distinctive of contemporary authors, and in so doing brought Odysseus''s return from the Trojan War memorably to life.

    7 in stock

    £10.44

  • Philip Larkin Poems Selected by Martin Amis Faber

    Faber & Faber Philip Larkin Poems Selected by Martin Amis Faber

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFor the first time, Faber publish a selection from the poetry of Philip Larkin. Drawing on Larkin''s four collections and on his uncollected poems. Chosen by Martin Amis.''Many poets make us smile; how many poets make us laugh - or, in that curious phrase, laugh out loud (as if there''s another way of doing it)? Who else uses an essentially conversational idiom to achieve such a variety of emotional effects? Who else takes us, and takes us so often, from sunlit levity to mellifluous gloom?... Larkin, often, is more than memorable: he is instantly unforgettable.'' - Martin Amis

    15 in stock

    £11.69

  • Epigrams Volume III

    Harvard University Press Epigrams Volume III

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn his epigrams, Martial is a keen, sharp-tongued observer of Roman scenes and events, including the new Colosseum, country life, a debauchee’s banquet, and the eruption of Vesuvius. His poems are sometimes obscene, in the tradition of the genre, sometimes affectionate or amusing, and always pointed.

    Out of stock

    £23.70

  • Heavenly Life Selected Poems

    Banipal Books Heavenly Life Selected Poems

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    3 in stock

    £7.59

  • Yannis Ritsos

    BOA Editions, Limited Yannis Ritsos

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £19.79

  • Shoe Horn Sonata PLAYS

    Currency Press Pty Ltd Shoe Horn Sonata PLAYS

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • Stolen

    Currency Press Pty Ltd Stolen

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £13.49

  • Iliad

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Iliad

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"It is hard to overstate the attractions of this translation. In a rhythm sinewy and flexible, with language that is precise, lyrical and fresh, Lombardo's Iliad pulses with all the power and luminosity of the Greek. He shows extraordinary sensitivity to the images and aural effects of the ancient poem. There are brilliant touches on every page. . . . Altogether this is as good as Homer gets in English." —Richard P. Martin, Princeton University"The most daring, rapid and colloquial translation of Homer's Iliad that I know. [Lombardo's] taut and punchy verse conveys admirably and accurately the excitement and desperation of the battle, the urgency of the commanders, the occasional flashes of humor, the passion of Homer's narrative and the vivid and subtle humanity of his characters." —Richard Janko, University College, London"Lombardo's Iliad should be required for every History of Civilization class in America!" —David R. Wilson, Brigham Young University"[R]emarkably true to the centrality of performance in Homer, the varied pacing and tone, the clarity, speed, narrative drive, and moments of breathtaking beauty." —Rachel Hadas, Rutgers University"Homer has been well served in recent years by good translators. But this reviewer predicts that the dominant translation for the 21st century will be this masterful version by Stanley Lombardo. . . . In her extremely useful Introduction, Murnaghan lucidly summarizes and makes available for the student and general reader the results of complex scholarship on Homer, and she offers sensitive guidance for reading the Iliad as a work that documents the triumph of the human spirit and not merely as a war poem." —Leon Golden, CHOICE"Accessible as Lombardo's translation is, it is rendered even more so by the superb Introduction by Sheila Murnaghan, which provides a rich but lucid discussion of the classical context of the epic. This handsome, superbly done Iliad will be enjoyed by everyone. Highly recommended." —T. F. Merrill, Library Journal

    15 in stock

    £15.29

  • Bacchae

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Bacchae

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis translation with notes is primarily for classroom use. It aims to be true to the basic meaning of the text and tries to bring across some of the beauty of the poetry as well as the rhetorical power of the dialogue and speeches.Trade ReviewThis is a very useful edition, excellent for classroom purposes. The translation is clear and lively, and several students commented on how much they enjoyed it. The introduction provides an excellent overview of the issues in the play, as well as of earlier scholarship, making it a good resource for more advanced classes. The cover photo is an added bonus and provided the starting point for stimulating class discussion. --James B. Rives, York UniversityAn excellent translation which captures Bacchae's combination of colloquial and lyric language. The Notes and Introduction are also very helpful. --Mary-Kay Gamel, University of California, Santa Cruz

    15 in stock

    £11.39

  • Beowulf

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Beowulf

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisA translation of "Beowulf" that captures the rhythm and movement of the original Old English poem while employing a fluid Modern English style and relatively simple vocabulary. It provides an approximation of the acoustic features - and power - of the original and is suitable for reading either silently or aloud.Trade ReviewAlthough an audience of enamored nonspecialists embraced Heaney's version . . . other scholars gave only grudging respect to the poet whose 'Heaneywulf' often seemed to represent an Anglo-Saxon world re-created in the Irish poet's own image. Since 2002 new and revised translations have come and gone, none attracting as much attention as Heaney's. That should change with Ringler's new translation, and not just because scholars such as Tom Shippey, Frederick Rebsamen, and John Niles vouch for it. The proof is in the reading, whether one does so silently or aloud. In his comprehensive, insightful introduction and rhythmic replication of Old English poetry, Ringler offers the specialist what Heaney did not; this is a performative translation that re-creates the world of Beowulf as accurately as may be possible. Accessible and exciting for specialist and nonspecialist alike, this is the edition professors should be using to introduce the venerable poem to a new audience. Summing up: Essential. --A.P. Church, CHOICERingler has produced a really good translation of the poem, free of Seamus Heaney's quirks and Irishisms, keeping the rhythm and alliteration, and retaining a simplicity which demonstrates how otiose film effects are when the poem is both powerful and moving. The translation is accompanied by a marvelously straightforward introduction, eschewing all modish modern criticism and thus a useful corrective for those student-readers confused by the liberties taken by [Robert Zemeckis'] Beowulf and its writers. Tolkien would have been pleased by Ringler's version. --Carolyne Larrington, The Times Literary SupplementDick Ringler's masterful New Translation for Oral Delivery . . . is indispensable for readers with an interest in the history of the literature of the fantastic, as well as teachers and anyone steeped in early English literature and lore. Ringler . . . has created a vibrant translation that combines Heaney's earthy poetry with a straightforward narrative that will also appeal to first-time readers. Best of all is a lengthy and fascinating introduction that provides a pocket-history of the text and its anonymous scop, or poet, as well as a character index and informative discussions of the poem's structure. . . . A bonus to this edition is the inclusion of three short Old English poems. The second of these, 'A Meditation' (sometimes published as 'The Wanderer') is a beautiful and haunting piece on loss and the fall of empires. It gave me goosebumps of a different sort than those generated by Grendel. --Elizabeth Hand, Fantasy & Science FictionTable of ContentsMap; Introduction; The Story; Oral & Written Beowulfs; Legend and Lore; Narrative Strategies and Structures; The Hero; Christianity and the Problem of Violence; The Poet; The Metre of the Translation; Beowulf; People and Places in Beowulf; Three Shorter Old English Poems - The Fight at Finnisburg; A Meditation; Deor.

    5 in stock

    £13.29

  • Just Give Me A Cool Drink Of Water Fore I Diiie

    Little, Brown Book Group Just Give Me A Cool Drink Of Water Fore I Diiie

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA marvellous collection of poetry from the beloved and bestselling author of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS. ''A brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman'' BARACK OBAMAPoems of love and regret, of racial strife and confrontation, songs of the people and songs of the heart - all are charged with Maya Angelou''s zest for life and her rage at injustice. Lyrical, tender poems of longing, wry glances at betrayal and isolation combine with a fierce insight into ''hate and hateful wrath'' in an unforgettable picture of the hopes and concerns of one of America''s finest writers. ''She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence and a fierce grace . . . She will always be the rainbow in my clouds'' OPRAH WINFREY ''She was important in so many ways. She launched African American women writing in the United States. She was generous to a fault. She had nineteen talents - used ten. And was a real originaTrade ReviewBlack, bitter and beautiful, she speaks of our survival * JAMES BALDWIN *Maya Angelou writes from the heart and her language rings clear and true . . . Whether joyful, sad or playful, her poems speak with delicacy and depth of feeling * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *It is true poetry she is writing . . . it has an innate purity about it, unquenchable dignity * M.F.K. Fisher *Maya Angelou liberates and exhilarates through her magical, lyrical, mystical medium - poetry * Mary Bryce, TRIBUNE *

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • A River Dies of Thirst

    Penguin Random House Group A River Dies of Thirst

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    5 in stock

    £14.44

  • Henry IV Parts One and Two

    Spark Henry IV Parts One and Two

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisNo Fear Shakespeare gives you the complete text of Henry IV Part One and Two on the left-hand page, side-by-side with an easy-to-understand translation on the right.

    15 in stock

    £7.59

  • Sonnets

    Spark Sonnets

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisRead Shakespeare's sonnets in all their brillianceand understand what every word means! Don't be intimidated by Shakespeare! These popular guides make the Bard's sonnets accessible and enjoyable. This No Fear guide contains:The complete original textAline-by-line translation that puts the words into everyday languagePlenty of helpful commentary

    Out of stock

    £10.14

  • Averno

    Penguin Books Ltd Averno

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis''Brilliant poems of complex, haunting power... Averno may be Glück''s masterpiece'' The New York Times Book ReviewAn acclaimed collection from the Nobel prize-winning poetThis startlingly original reworking of the Persephone myth takes us to the icy shores of Averno, the crater lake regarded by the ancient Romans as the entrance to the underworld. Here, the consolations of rebirth and renewal are eclipsed by the immediacy of loss - by a mother''s possessive grief, an abducted girl''s equivocal memories, a farmer''s lament for a lost harvest. This chorus offers neither comfort nor solace but deepened understanding, its sorrow textured by the poet''s luminous wit. Together, the poems of Averno swell to a staggeringly powerful lamentation, through which the reader glimpses the ecstasy of the inevitable, only to find it resisted by the insistent, impersonal presence of the Earth.Trade ReviewBrilliant [poems of] complex, haunting power... Averno may be Glück's masterpiece. Certainly it demonstrates that she is writing at the peak of her powers. -- Nicholas Christopher * New York Times Book Review *Few poets can shoulder the weight of the myth the way Glück does...The poems brilliantly display a poet's insight, a mother's warmth, and a mortal's empath. There is wry humour, too, and, amid much that is dark, there are fragments of hope. * New Yorker *[An] intense and ambitious collection. * Guardian *An important collection...Averno has the feeling of an urgent inner dialogue between the believer and the skeptic. * Boston Review *An ageing soul's lyrical book of days ... The title poem will break your heart every time you read it but also affirm you in the toughest moments ... When Glück takes a broader look, the scope can be truly epical; when she looks inward you can sometimes hear your own voice. And her tenderness is breathtaking. -- Ilya Kaminsky * Library Journal *

    2 in stock

    £8.54

  • Intimate Apparel & Fabulation: Two Plays

    Theatre Communications Group Inc.,U.S. Intimate Apparel & Fabulation: Two Plays

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis

    Out of stock

    £17.24

  • Survival Takes a Wild Imagination: Poems

    Andrews McMeel Publishing Survival Takes a Wild Imagination: Poems

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn the powerful follow up to her critically acclaimed debut collection, poet and activist Fariha Róisín is writing, praying, clawing, and scratching her way out of the grips of generational trauma on the search for the freedom her mother never received and the kindness she couldn’t give.This collection of poetry asks a kaleidoscope of questions: Who is my family? My father? How do I love a mother no longer here? Can I see myself? What does it mean to be Bangladeshi? What is a border? Innately hopeful and resolutely strong, Fariha's voice turns to the optimism and beauty inherent in rebuilding the self, and in turn, the world that the self moves through. Ubiquitous to the human experience, Survival Takes a Wild Imagination is an illuminating breath of fresh air from a powerful poetic voice.Trade Review"Roísín, a queer Bangladeshi Muslim, returns to poetry after her 2020 novel, Like a Bird, and her 2022 nonfiction title, Who Is Wellness For?. Her new collection takes a hopeful approach to topics including generational trauma, self-love, and freedom, while also exploring her intersecting identities." (Kristen Martin, Publisher's Weekly)“Her second poetry collection, Survival Takes A Wild Imagination, chronicles her personal journey from self-loathing to celebration… In short, accessible verses, she moves from shame to sexual celebration and freedom. As a survivor of abuse, she dedicates poems to others who have similarly suffered and invokes poetic muses like Audre Lorde and Joy Harjo.” (Amanda Holmes Duffy, Washington Independent Review of Books)“Survival is remembering yourself,” writes Fariha Róisín, and, “To quiet the sounds of/scarcity/I had to learn that/I was abundant.” I love these lines for their strength and sensitivity to the immense process of self-restoration that survival requires. These are poems that travel, titillate, testify, and teach. These are poems written by a poet insistent on building bridges from grief to love—it is through such movement, Róisín suggests, that we may chart a course towards a future in which survival gives more than it costs. (Tarfia Faizullah, author of Seam and Registers of Illuminated Villages)Roisin's poems are more than poems. They are ladders out of lit fires. They are bodies in their gravity and sensuous movement. Survival Takes a Wild Imagination and it also takes other writers whose fierce reports from the distant shore of precious joy are a sign to keep swimming and striving towards words and worlds big enough to encompass the howls of both pleasure and pain. (Sophie Strand, author of The Flowering Wand and The Madonna Secret)"Fariha Róisín’s upcoming poetry book, Survival Takes A Wild Imagination, is a powerful collection of poems that asks a kaleidoscope of questions. The poems are her way to write, pray, and claw her way out of the grips of generational trauma, and try to search for the freedom her mother never received, and the kindness she couldn’t give. I’m a huge fan of Róisín’s writing — she’s got a way with words, and I can’t wait to be swept away in this latest work from her." (Ameema Saeed, She Does The City)“Fariha Róisín’s poetry is filled with love, poignancy, strength, and the determination to choose her own course. This is how we can begin collectively healing the difficult dynamics that are so prevalent. She advises us to never forget, survival takes a wild imagination.” (Laura Moreno, The Bay Area Reporter)“Most poetry collections at this length generally move through one or two themes but Róisín’s focuses on a variety of different aspects of her life, her identity, and her faith… Although the collection is split into three sections (to hint at the ideas that connect all of the poems in that section), Róisín weaves all of the ideas, feelings, and memories she’s excavating and interrogating through one another to prove how no one experience is truly untouched by another.” (Stef Rubino, Autostraddle)

    3 in stock

    £11.69

  • Grottasongr

    Viking Society for Northern Research Grottasongr

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £8.00

  • 101 Poems for Children Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy

    Pan Macmillan 101 Poems for Children Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisCarol Ann Duffy, appointed Poet Laureate in 2009, has chosen her favourite poems for children for this stunning collection of classic and modern verse, exquisitely illustrated by multi-award-winning illustrator Emily Gravett.Featuring such classic poems as 'The Owl and the Pussycat' by Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll's 'Jabberwocky' alongside Edwin Morgan's 'The Loch Ness Monster's Song' and 'Balloons' by Sylvia Plath, 101 Poems for Children Chosen by Carol Ann Duffy: A Laureate's Choice is a delight for children of all ages and a pleasure to read aloud.

    15 in stock

    £8.54

  • Poems That Make Grown Women Cry

    Simon & Schuster Ltd Poems That Make Grown Women Cry

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis‘A deep and valuable collection that you could rely upon in your time of need’ The Times Following the success of their anthology Poems That Make Grown Men Cry, father-and-son team Anthony and Ben Holden, working with Amnesty International, have asked the same revealing question of 100 remarkable women: what poem has moved you to tears? The poems chosen range from the eighth century to today, from Rumi and Shakespeare to Sylvia Plath, W. H. Auden to Carol Ann Duffy, Pablo Neruda and Derek Walcott to Imtiaz Dharker and Warsan Shire. Their themes range from love and loss, through mortality and mystery, war and peace, to the beauty and variety of nature. From Yoko Ono to Judi Dench, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Elena Ferrante, Carol Ann Duffy to Meera Syal, and Joan Baez to Olivia Colman, this unique collection delivers private insights into the minds of women whose writing, acting and tTrade Review“The Holdens remind us that you don't have to be an academic or a postgraduate in creative writing to be moved by verse…I defy anyone not to enjoy the Holdens' book: It's plain fun.” * Wall Street Journal *‘A deep and valuable collection that you could rely upon in your time of need’ * The Times *‘The art of poetry, as exemplified in this collection, transcends all gender issues, real or disputed’ * Guardian *'This anthology has given me fresh pleasure in familiar poems and introduced me to exciting new voices' -- Sebastian Faulks, from his Afterword

    3 in stock

    £9.49

  • Hamlet

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Hamlet

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis Arden edition of Hamlet, arguably Shakespeare''s greatest tragedy, presents an authoritative, modernized text based on the Second Quarto text with a new introductory essay covering key productions and criticism in the decade since its first publication. A timely up-date in the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare''s death which will ensure the Arden edition continues to offer students a comprehensive and current critical account of the play, alongside the most reliable and fully-annotated text available.Trade Review[Thompson and Taylor] give us a text quite different from the edited versions that shaped debate for much of the past 400 years ... There is intellectual consistency to [their] position. * Times Literary Supplement *The editors’ 168 pages of introduction and 103 pages worth of appendices provide an unprecedented level of contextualization on matters cultural, textual, and theatrical. * Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 *The scholarship … remains at the high standard expected from the Arden Series … Probably one of the most ambitious scholarly editions of the play to be published in the past century or so, if only for its attempt to present the textual complexities of the relationships between quartos and folio by printing all three early authoritative versions. * Sixteenth Century Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction to the Revised Edition Introduction Hamlet Appendices Index

    15 in stock

    £10.63

  • Selections from the Canzoniere and Other Works

    Oxford University Press Selections from the Canzoniere and Other Works

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is a handy and a welcome volume. * Modern Language Reviews *Table of ContentsLetter to Posterity; The Ascent of Ventoux; Selections from the Canzoniere

    1 in stock

    £7.99

  • Paradise Lost

    Oxford University Press Paradise Lost

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFrom almost the moment of its publication in 1667, Paradise Lost was considered a classic. This new edition is derived from the editors modernized Oxford Authors text, with a new introduction that discusses the poem's complexity and critical history, and on-page notes to gloss language and allusions.

    15 in stock

    £8.54

  • William Shakespeare The Complete Works

    Oxford University Press William Shakespeare The Complete Works

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA compact edition of the complete works of William Shakespeare. It combines impeccable scholarship with beautifully written editorial material and a user-friendly layout of the text. Also included is a foreword, list of contents, general introduction, essay on language, contemporary allusions to Shakespeare, glossary, consolidated bibliography and index of first lines of Sonnets.Trade Reviewremains the mo,st distinctive, and in many ways the best, one-volume Shakespeare currently available and will not be easily replaced. * Forum for Modern Languages *beautifully produced * Brian Vickers, Times Literary Supplement *Pound for pound the most consistently interesting and provocative edition of Shakespeare ever published. * Andrew Murphy, Around the Globe *Oxford has launched- the ballistic image does seem apt- a second single volume version of its revolutionary edition, which first excited and outraged Shakespeareans in 1986. Oxford's Complete Works has a solid, traditional look but explodes into cutting-edge controversy inside. * Independent *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Contemporary Allusions to Shakespeare ; Commendatory Poems and Prefaces (1599-1640) ; 1. The Two Gentlemen of Verona ; 2. The Taming of the Shrew ; 3. The First Part of the Contention of the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster (2 Henry VI) ; 4. The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York and the Good King Henry the Sixth (3 Henry VI) ; 5. The First Part of Henry the Sixth ; 6. The Most Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus ; 7. The Tragedy of King Richard the Third ; 8. Venus and Adonis ; 9. The Rape of Lucrece ; 10. The Reign of King Edward the Third ; 11. The Comedy of Errors ; 12. Love's Labour's Lost ; 13. Love's Labour's Won: A Brief Account ; 14. The Tragedy of King Richard the Second ; 15. The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet ; 16. A Midsummer Night's Dream ; 17. The Life and Death of King John ; 18. The Comical History of The Merchant of Venice, or Otherwise Called the Jew of Venice ; 19. The History of Henry the Fourth (1 Henry IV) ; 20. The Merry Wives of Windsor ; 21. The Second Part of Henry the Fourth (2 Henry IV) ; 22. Much Ado About Nothing ; 23. The Life of Henry the Fifth ; 24. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar ; 25. As You Like It ; 26. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark ; 27. Twelfth Night, or What You Will ; 28. Troilus and Cressida ; 29. Sonnets and 'A Lover's Complaint' ; 30. Various Poems ; 31. Sir Thomas More ; 32. Measure for Measure ; 33. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice ; 34. The Life of Timon of Athens ; 35. The History of King Lear: The Quarto Text ; 36. The Tragedy of Macbeth ; 37. The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra ; 38. All's Well That Ends Well ; 39. Pericles, Prince of Tyre: A Reconstructed Text ; 40. The Tragedy of Coriolanus ; 41. The Winter's Tale ; 42. The Tragedy of King Lear: The Folio Text ; 43. Cymbeline, King of Britain ; 44. The Tempest ; 45. Cardenio: A Brief Account ; 46. All Is True (Henry VIII) ; 47. The Two Noble Kinsmen ; Select Glossary

    2 in stock

    £31.04

  • Intimate Apparel

    Nick Hern Books Intimate Apparel

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisLynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel is a multi-award-winning play about the empowerment of a black seamstress in New York City in 1905. Esther sews exquisite lingerie for clients who range from wealthy white patrons to prostitutes. She has saved enough to allow her to dream of one day opening a beauty salon for black women, and at thirty-five years old, longs for a husband and a future. When she begins to receive beautiful letters from a lonesome Caribbean man who is working on the Panama Canal, it looks like life may be about to take a different course. Intimate Apparel was first produced by South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California, and Centerstage in Baltimore, Maryland, in 2003, winning the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play and the American Theatre Critics/Steinberg New Play Award. It received its UK premiere at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2014 before transferring to Park Theatre, London, the same year.Trade Review'Marvellous... quietly subversive, its recovery of lost lives makes this a defining piece of American drama' * Observer *'Finely wrought... [a] play tinged with love, warmth and lightness' * WhatsOnStage *'Tender, illuminating... this warm, rich, complex tale will stay in the memory for a long time to come' * The Times *'An exceptionally gifted playwright' * New York Times *'A thing of beauty' * Los Angeles Times *

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Homeric Hymns

    Oxford University Press The Homeric Hymns

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis''With fair-tressed Demeter, the sacred goddess, my song begins,With herself and her slim-ankled daughter, whom Aidoneus onceAbducted...''Most people are familiar, at least by repute, with the two great epics of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey, but few are aware that other poems survive that were attributed to Homer in ancient times. The Homeric Hymns are now known to be the work of various poets working in the same tradition, probably during the seventh and sixth centuries BC. They honour the Greek gods, and recount some of the most attractive of the Greek myths. Four of them (Hymns 2-5) stand out by reason of their length and quality. The Hymn to Demeter tells what happened when Hades, lord of the dead, abducted Persephone, Demeter''s daughter. The Hymn to Apollo describes Apollo''s birth and the foundation of his Delphic oracle. In the Hymn to Hermes Apollo''s cattle are stolen by a felonious infant - Hermes, god of thieves. In the Hymn to Aphrodite the goddess of love herself becomes infatuated with a mortal man, the Trojan prince Ankhises. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewThis welcome new translation of the Homeric Hymns offers a skilled and nuanced verse rendering that is accompanied by intelligent and helpful notes. The introductory material is brief; the end-notes more thorough yet always concise; throughout there is frequent and up-to-date reference to important bibliography on the hymns. Readers should find the translation poetic and often striking, and they will also come away with a firm sense of modern scholarship on these short epic works. * Journal of Hellenic Studies *

    5 in stock

    £8.99

  • Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

    Oxford University Press Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám

    Out of stock

    Book Synopsis''The Moving Finger writes; and, having writMoves on: nor all thy Piety nor WitShall lure it back to cancel half a lineNor all thy tears wash out a word of it.''In the ''rubáiyát'' (short epigrammatic poems) of the medieval Persian poet, mathematician, and philosopher Omar Khayyám, Edward FitzGerald saw an unflinching challenge to the illusions and consolations of mankind in every age. His version of Omar is neither a translation nor an independent poem; sceptical of divine providence and insistent on the pleasure of the passing moment, its ''Orientalism'' offers FitzGerald a powerful and distinctive voice, in whose accents a whole Victorian generation comes to life. Although the poem''s vision is bleak, it is conveyed in some of the most beautiful and haunting images in English poetry - and some of the sharpest- edged. The poem sold no copies at all on its first appearance in 1859, yet when it was ''discovered'' two years later its first admirers included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, SwinbTrade ReviewReview from previous edition 'handsome, richly illuminating' * Boyd Tonkin, Independent *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Note on the Text ; Note on the Pronunciation and Transcription of Persian Words ; Select Bibliography ; A Chronology of Edward FitzGerald ; RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM ; Table of Corresponding Stanzas ; Appendix 1: Contemporary Responses ; Appendix 2: Tennyson, 'To E. FitzGerald' ; Variants ; Explanatory Notes

    Out of stock

    £7.99

  • Ovids Metamorphoses Books 15

    MP-OKL Uni of Oklahoma Ovids Metamorphoses Books 15

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisOvid's Metamorphosesis a weaving-together of classical myths, extending in time from the creation of the world to the death of Julius Caesar. This volume provides the Latin text of the first five books of the poem and the most detailed commentary available in English of these books.

    4 in stock

    £26.06

  • Titus Andronicus

    Penguin Putnam Inc Titus Andronicus

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe repackaging of the acclaimed Pelican Shakespeare series continues with more dazzling new covers to excite Shakespearians of all ages

    4 in stock

    £8.54

  • The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

    HarperCollins Publishers The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis de luxe collector’s edition features the first edition text and contains a facsimile page of Tolkien’s original manuscript. The book is quarterbound with a special gold motif stamped on the front board and is presented in a matching slipcase.

    Out of stock

    £75.00

  • Romeo and Juliet

    Pan Macmillan Romeo and Juliet

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisSet in a city torn apart by feuds and gang warfare, Romeo and Juliet is a dazzling combination of passion and hatred, bawdy comedy and high tragedy.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. This edition features the classic illustrations by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Ned Halley.A young man and woman meet by chance and fall instantly in love. But their families are bitter enemies and, in order to be together, the two lovers must be prepared to risk everything. Undoubtedly the greatest love story ever written, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet has spawned a host of imitators on stage and screen and been adapted countless times.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *

    15 in stock

    £9.49

  • Othello: The Moor of Venice

    Pan Macmillan Othello: The Moor of Venice

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn its vivid rendering of the savagery lurking within civilization, Othello is arguably the most topical and accessible tragedy from Shakespeare's major phase as a dramatist.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Ned Halley.Othello is an intense drama of love, deception, jealousy and destruction. Desdemona's love for her husband Othello, the Moor, transcends racial prejudice; but his trusted ensign, the envious Iago, conspires to devastate their lives. The play raises uncomfortable and pertinent questions about both racial identity and sexuality, as Othello and Desdemona's relationship becomes the voyeuristic site of Iago's attempt to destroy them.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *

    15 in stock

    £9.49

  • The Sunshine Kid

    Burning Eye Books The Sunshine Kid

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhen Harry Baker first started writing rap infused poetry he was advised to “write about what you know” so instead of writing about killing people, or driving fast cars (over people), he wrote about mathematics.It is not all complex maths and algebra however but throughout Harry applies his mathematician’s mind to conjuring complex rhythms that have to be read out loud to be believed.Trade Review"It's tight, clever and intricate writing that has made Harry Baker a show stealer every time I've had him at my spoken word nights, whether he's a last minute stand in or a fully billed headliner." Scroobius Pip; "Simply put - Greatest performer on earth." Scott Mills Show, BBC Radio 1; "He's a champion." Ed Sheeran

    10 in stock

    £8.54

  • Long Day's Journey into Night

    Nick Hern Books Long Day's Journey into Night

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA true modern classic from one of the twentieth century's most significant writers, Long Day's Journey into Night is an intensely autobiographical, magnificently tragic portrait of the author's own family - a play so acutely personal that he insisted it was not published until after his death. One single day in the Tyrones' Connecticut home. James Tyrone Snr is a miser, a talented actor who even squanders his talent in an undemanding role; eldest son Jamie is an affable, whoremongering alcoholic and confirmed ne'er-do well; youngest son Edmund is poetic, sensitive, suffering from a respiratory condition and deep-seated disillusionment; and their mother Mary, living in a haze of self-delusion and morphine addiction. Existing together under this roof, and the profound weight of the past, they subtly tear one another apart, shred by shred. 'Set in 1912, the year of O'Neill's own attempted suicide, it is an attempt to understand himself and those to whom he was irrevocably tied by fate and by love. It is the finest and most powerful play to have come out of America' Christopher Bigsby Eugene O'Neill's play Long Day's Journey into Night was written in 1939-41, and first published in 1956 (after O'Neill's death in 1953). It was first performed at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm, in February 1956, and had its first American production at Helen Hayes Theater, New York, in November that year. It won the Tony Award for Best Play, and O'Neill was posthumously awarded the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This edition includes a full introduction, biographical sketch and chronology.Trade Review'A piercingly autobiographical vision of a family bent on self-destruction' * Evening Standard *'Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece' * The Times *'What never ceases to astonish is the dizzying emotional contradiction of O'Neill's characters. Within a tight classical structure, they bounce around like pinballs between reality and illusion... leaves you emotionally pulverised' * Guardian *'A semi-autobiographical masterpiece... [has] an emotional truth that is utterly devastating' * WhatsOnStage *'Eugene O'Neill's greatest play... [has a] horribly uncomfortable power. The family's arguments suck you in, forcing you to become a fifth member whose loyalties are endlessly called on in a shifting game of 'Who ruined whose life?'' * Time Out London *

    15 in stock

    £8.54

  • The Changeling

    Nick Hern Books The Changeling

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisDrama Classics: The World's Great Plays at a Great Little Price Middleton and Rowley's masterpiece, a tale of murder, lust, seduction and blackmail in the seventeenth century. Alsemero has fallen in love with the beautiful Beatrice after a chance meeting in a church – but Beatrice has already been promised to another man. Unable to marry the man she loves, she employs the hated De Flores, her father's servant, to murder the man her father bids her marry. As payment, De Flores demands Beatrice. And then things get worse... Thomas Middleton and William Rowley's play The Changeling was mostly likely first performed in 1622. This edition of the play in the Nick Hern Books Drama Classics series is edited and introduced by Trevor Griffiths. Set Text >> The Changeling is a set text for AQA Drama and Theatre Studies A/AS Level, AQA English Literature A/AS Level, OCR English Literature A/AS Level and WJEC English Literature A/AS Level.

    15 in stock

    £6.07

  • Great Shakespearean Deaths Card Game

    Chronicle Books Great Shakespearean Deaths Card Game

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £14.04

  • A Year with Rumi

    HarperCollins Publishers Inc A Year with Rumi

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA year with the sensual, mysterious, and deeply spiritual poetry of Rumi, in a translation featuring 15 poems never before published“The poetry feels like it belongs to all. When Rumi died in 1273, members of all religions came to the funeral. Wherever you stand, his words deepen your connection to the mystery of being alive.”Through Coleman Barks’s translations, Rumi is the world’s most popular poet. The newest addition to HarperSanFrancisco’s “A Year With” series, A Year with Rumi brings together 365 of Coleman’s mystical, elegant, and beautiful translations of Rumi’s poetry, for reading, reflection, and embarking upon your own journey inward.

    2 in stock

    £22.09

  • Collected Poems

    Penguin Books Ltd Collected Poems

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisTony Harrison published his first pamphlet of poems in 1964 and for over fifty years has been a prominent force in modern poetry. His poetic range is truly far-reaching, from the intimate tenderness of family life and personal love, to war poems written from Bosnia and savage public outcries against politicians. In The Collected Poems, Harrison draws deeply both on classical tradition and on the vernacular of the street. Combining the private and the public in a way Harrison has made distinctly his own, and drawing on his working-class upbringing in Leeds, these are powerful poems for modern times.This is the first complete paperback collection of one of Britain''s most controversial and critically acclaimed poets.''Tony Harrison is the greatest poet of the second half of the 20th century. . . He writes brilliantly about class, love and Britain'' Daniel Radcliffe''Harrison is a masterly technician, and the most fiery and indeliTrade ReviewBrilliant, passionate, outrageous, abrasive, but also, as in the family sonnets, immeasurably tender * Harold Pinter *Harrison is a masterly technician, and the most fiery and indelible English poet of the age. This book is a vineyard on a volcano * Paul Farley *Tony Harrison changed the entire landscape of British poetry * Don Paterson *Slangy, rooted, erudite, rhythmic, Harrison is a titan among poets; a unique Yorkshire brew of Auden, Byron, Brecht and Kipling, with a slug of Roman satire * The Independent *A pessimist with a relish for life . . . whose work insists that it is speech rather than page-bound silence -- Sean O'Brien * Oxford Companion to Twentieth-Century Poetry *Tony Harrison writes in a style I have all my life been waiting for; combining the uninhibitedly vernacular with a line as taut and astringent as Racine's -- Stephen Spender * Observer *The poem "v." is the most outstanding social poem of the last twenty-five years. Seldom has a British poem of such personal intensity had such universal range -- Martin BoothThe war poems are important and moving, obviously, but his personal writing made me wipe away surreptitious tears -- Alison FloodTony Harrison is a superbly accessible and talented poet * Time Out *Whatever note Harrison strikes, be it melancholy regret or boisterous high spirits, the youthful energy to be found in his verse marks him out as a towering figure in poetry * Glasgow Herald *Scatological satire suits him as much as political wit or meditation. World-wide in its topography, powerful in its effects . . . stunning! -- Douglas DunnOne of the few truly great poets writing in English. His range is exhilarating, his clarity and technical mastery a sharp pleasure -- Melvyn BraggSome of the most important poems of the present day * Poetry Review *More than any other English poet I have read in recent years, Harrison makes good Camus' claim that the function of art is 'to open the prisons and give a voice to the sorrows and joys of all -- John Lucas * New Statesman *

    Out of stock

    £11.69

  • Selected Poems of Robert Frost

    Sterling Publishing Co Inc Selected Poems of Robert Frost

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    15 in stock

    £19.79

  • The Making of a Poem

    WW Norton & Co The Making of a Poem

    5 in stock

    Book Synopsis"Concise, learned, revisionary... should enrich the passionate conversation about poetic forms for years to come."— Edward Hirsch, author of How to Read a Poem and Fall in Love with PoetryTrade Review"A generous and exquisitely selective anthology of poetry forms that may make you decide to give up E-mail and start writing sestinas and villanelles." -- Francine Prose - Elle"A marvelous new anthology... intended for readers daunted by terminology and complex poetic forms." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"This is the book writers and readers, teachers and students, have been dreaming of—canny, generous, and practical, Boland and Strand are ideal guides through the golden labyrinth of poetry at its most ingenious and commanding. A marvelous collection!" -- J.D. McClatchy"Much more poetry than commentary appears, making the book both a splendid classroom text and, since the selections are top-drawer poems by first-rate poets, a book any poetry lover or would-be poetry lover may learn from and love." -- Booklist

    5 in stock

    £14.24

  • The Lieutenant of Inishmore Modern Classics

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Lieutenant of Inishmore Modern Classics

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA farcical look at political violence as it''s played out during the Troubles in Northern Ireland against the drab backdrop of a bare, rustic Irish cottage and unending boredom in an inhospitable environment in which a mutilated cat sets off a murderous cycle of revenge. Wee Thomas was a friendly cat. He would always say hello to you were you to see him sitting on a wall. (Pause.) He won''t be saying hello no more, God bless him. Not with that lump of a brain gone.Who knocked Wee Thomas over on the lonely road on the island of Inishmore, and was it an accident? Mad Padraig will want to know when he gets back from a stint of torture and chip shop bombing in Northern Ireland: he loves that cat more than life itself.Trade Review'Gleeful, gruesome play about political terrorism in rural Ireland, which won the Olivier Award for best comedy...Appallingly entertaining...Enlightening..."Lieutenant" is brazenly and unapologetically a farce. But it is also a severely moral play, translating into dizzy absurdism the self-perpetuating spirals of political violence that now occur throughout the world.' The New York Times 'A cautionary fairy tale for our toxic times. In its horror and hilarity, it works as an act of both revenge and repair, turning the tables on grief and goonery, and forcing the audience to think about the unthinkable.' The New Yorker

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • Epigrams Volume II

    Harvard University Press Epigrams Volume II

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn his epigrams, Martial is a keen, sharp-tongued observer of Roman scenes and events, including the new Colosseum, country life, a debauchee’s banquet, and the eruption of Vesuvius. His poems are sometimes obscene, in the tradition of the genre, sometimes affectionate or amusing, and always pointed.

    10 in stock

    £23.70

  • Fragments

    Harvard University Press Fragments

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisEuripides (c. 485–406 BCE) has been prized in every age for his emotional and intellectual drama. Eighteen of his ninety or so plays survive complete, including Medea, Hippolytus, and Bacchae, one of the great masterpieces of the tragic genre. Fragments of his lost plays also survive.

    7 in stock

    £23.70

  • A Map of Absence

    Saqi Books A Map of Absence

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisThis unique collection brings together the finest poetry and prose on the Nakba by Palestinian writers over the last seventy years.Trade Review`In this crucial anthology, Palestine's greatest classic and contemporary writers use the poetry and rigour of their words to delineate both the trauma of the past and the continuities of exile, oppression and resistance.' Molly Crabapple; `An essential collection of vital voices ... Palestinian literature and thought are defiantly alive and pushing boundaries in fiction, poetry, memoir and reportage.' Bidisha; `This anthology brilliantly brings together seminal writings on the Nakba. It will be of interest to students of literature as well as those wishing to learn about Palestine for a long time to come.' Yasir Suleiman, University of Cambridge and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies; `This collection sings of more than just suffering - remembrance and beauty, too.' Fatima Bhutto;`A Map of Absence is a remarkable collection of some of the finest examples of [Palestinian] literature ... It is the details hidden in each piece of writing - occasionally hopeful, often heartbreaking - that lend this collection its personality.' The National; `Core questions are addressed throughout: injustice, memory, resistance, longing for peace and a normal life, and especially return to the homeland ... A Map of Absence has the makings of becoming a classic, due to its documentation of a seminal event and the beauty and intensity of the writing. In the words of Atef Alshaer, "Nowhere has the voice of Palestine resonated more powerfully than in the literature of Palestinians".' The Jordan Times; `A Map of Absence< is a tribute to the power and elegance of the Arabic language and to the sensitivity of the editor. Some of the contributors write in English but most are beautifully translated from the original Arabic. Above all, the book is a reminder of the suffering and bravery of many of today's refugees in their fight to find a new identity and deal with the fact that they can never forget their home, their land and the identity they have lost.' 7D News; `Throughout this book, it is the human experience that stands out, elsewhere discarded to make space for the politics that have disrupted and ruptured Palestinian lives.' Middle East Monitor

    Out of stock

    £16.14

© 2025 Book Curl

    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Google Pay
    • Maestro
    • Mastercard
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Union Pay
    • Visa

    Login

    Forgot your password?

    Don't have an account yet?
    Create account