On the Bookshelves of… The Trinity Review

To write good poetry, one must first read plenty of good poetry. To critique the poetry of others, one must first read a shitload of poetry (in varying degrees of quality). The good folk of the Trinity Review have seen it all, but for this issue of the Saltarrae, they have given us an inside peek at their enormous bookshelves:

Emily Brade is currently reading…The Collected Poems of Robert Creeley by Robert Creeley

As one of the most innovative and versatile poets of the 20th century, Robert Creeley has made rich contributions to modern American literature. Although he is often associated with the Black Mountain or Beat poets, Creeley also forged a distinctive style of his own. Candid and personal, Creeley’s poems are always a treat. Check out some crowd favourites, such as ‘America’ and ‘For Love’.

Daniel LeBlanc’s work of choice is…Lyric Philosophy by Jan Zwicky

In Lyric Philosophy, Dr. Jan Zwicky, a University of Toronto alumna and professor emerita at the University of Victoria, explores the linguistic constraints of analytical philosophy while developing the notion of lyric. Two parallel texts simultaneously occur throughout the book, as Zwicky infuses and expands her argument with quotations from other authors. An interesting read for anyone who wants to know more about the theoretical boundaries and the intersections of philosophy and poetry.

Lorina Hoxha enjoys…Pale Fire by Vladmir Nabakov

Vladmir Nabakov is best known for penning Lolita, but it this is not his only masterpiece. Pale Fire is a complex postmodern novel in the form of a 999-line poem composed of heroic couplets. In this novel, the fictional character John Shade muses about his personal life and the creative process, while his equally fictional editor Charles Kinbote provides ample side commentary. Rich with complexities and cross-references, Pale Fire is perfect for anyone looking for an interesting literary challenge.

Emilie MacLeod is perusing through…Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton

Canadian Kate Beaton has taken the graphic novel world by storm with her fun-loving and quirky drawings. Hark! A Vagrant spoofs famous figures in history and literature from Napoleon to Nancy Drew, and gives readers a refreshing and silly spin on classic tales. Beaton also keeps an up-to-date website with plenty of comics – check them out the next time you’re procrastinating at www.harkavagrant.com.

Hamish Ballantyne recently read…A Tomb for Anatole by Stephane Mallarmé

Upon the death of his eight-year-old son, the 19th century Symbolist poet Stephane Mallarmé wrote A Tomb for Anatole to both mourn and immortalize his lost child. Honest and tragic, Mallarmé’s verse is fragmentary yet richly layered with meaning. The overwhelming sorrow embedded in this poem is evident, and Mallarmé actually struggled to finish A Tomb for Anatole, perhaps for this reason.

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