D. A. Prince’s work was previously better known to me through her once-regular contributions to the New Statesman’s weekly competition, a minor literary institution and an endless source of humorous invention. I had wondered whether Prince’s published poetry would draw from that same vein of playful humour and subversion, but what I found in these Read More
Any collection containing a piece called “The Best Poem Ever Written” has already thrown away its safety net, its right to complacency under scrutiny. Presenting such a direct challenge to any reader (or, indeed, any writer) slaps down the gauntlet; the work simply must be good. Highly commended for various poetry prizes, Graham Clifford’s reputation Read More
Tiphanie Yanique’s debut novel, Land of Love and Drowning, chronicles the lives and loves of three generations of the Bradshaw family, spanning a period from 1916 to the 1970s. Yanique has drawn upon her own Virgin Islands ancestry to weave this atmospheric tale, set against the political emergence of the island of St. Thomas as Read More
Is this a way through the forest, this path? Is this the way I came? (“The Lake at Dark”) Following in the footsteps of many of his fellow countrymen, Robin Robertson appeared on the Poetry Society Next Generation list in 2004. Since then, he has published five collections, from which this volume is drawn. Love Read More
Although already established as a novelist, Dancing Underwater is Andrew Murray Scott’s debut poetry collection. Published by Cateran Press, the collection’s cover is off-putting aesthetically and although we should not, of course, judge a book by its cover, I must admit that I picked the book up with some reluctance initially. Dancing Underwater had quite Read More
Given the retiral of Studio Ghibli’s founding generation of directors, the fan in me impels me to write that Ghibli’s brand of immersive cinematic magic is unique; given their international popularity, I dare say I will not be the only one to mourn their retirement. Many themes and features contribute to Ghibli’s distinctive filmic presence: Read More
The Merchant of Feathers is Jamaican poet Tanya Shirley’s second full collection, but she has also been anthologised by Kei Miller in New Caribbean Poetry (2007), one of the eight poets “in whose hands the future of Caribbean poetry… [is] secure”. Divided into three sections, the first, “The Alphabet of Shame” delves into childhood memory, Read More
Gill McEvoy’s pamphlet The First Telling is a journey through the terror and shock of rape which leads to a rediscovery of strength and of hope. These poems outline the stages of recovery and chart the narrator’s multi-layered emotional development throughout. Primarily, the first three poems are concerned with the narrator’s misplaced guilt and shame, whilst Read More
Fleur Darkin’s latest offering, Miann, premiered at the Fringe last year as part of the Made in Scotland curated showcase. This work certainly achieves Darkin’s desire to remind us that “life is felt before it is understood”. Pulsating with sensory impressions, the dancers (the full company plus guest dancers, James Southward and Quang Kien Van) Read More
“My mission is to change the world through fashion, make products as ethically and as environmentally as possible, with the best supply chain, the best social, environmental and cultural impact, alleviating poverty, and preserving traditional skills” An insightful and passionate talk about the changing ethical and political landscape of fashion, and her role in promoting Read More