A new novel by John Lucas looks back in search of explanations for two sudden deaths occurring in an English village just after World War Two
books
Wendy French finds that Ruth Valentine’s chapbook fully meets the challenge of responding to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
D A Prince reviews a poetry anthology which commemorates the 800th anniversary of the Charter of the Forest – a companion to Magna Carta that should probably be better known
Peter Ualrig Kennedy finds there is so much to reward the reader in Naomi Jaffa’s riveting second collection of conversational and hard-hitting poems.
Ian McEwen’s unorthodox verse forms also employ some traditional poetic skills
Peter Ualrig Kennedy is excited by Elizabeth Cook’s impressive collection of referential poems, each one new, fresh and alluring.
Many years after first reading the classic 1930s novel, Sarah Lawson decided to open the book again and write down her second impressions: Emma Lee considers that this re-appraisal was well worthwhile.
Thomas Ovans admires a poetic memoir by Naomi Foyle which celebrates the life of the Belfast writer and activist Mairtin Crawford
Mining the Motherlode: Brian Docherty finds Jacqueline Saphra to be an entertaining narrator whether or not she is an unreliable one.
The undoubted cleverness in Chrissy Williams’ collection is never merely play but also has purpose, observes D A Prince
Sarah Lawson finds seriousness and humour, the personal and the fanciful in this recent and retrospective selection of Shanta Acharya’s poetry
The poems of Pauline Yarwood seem to know where they are going and Alex Josephy sets out to follow them
By Michael Bartholomew-Biggs • books, poetry reviews, year 2017 1 • Tags: Alex Josephy, books, poetry