Our poetry news roundup takes a look at an unusual book of poetry written by a cat. We also have the winner of the Walter Scott Prize for 2019 and the new university course that will delve into the life of the legendary poet William Wordsworth.
Cat Poetry
We begin the week here on My Poetic Side with a short news article with a difference that really caught our eye. A cat in Akranes, Iceland has just recently published a book of poems. The cat, who goes by the name of Jósefína Meulengracht Dietrich, has published an anthology of poetry; just a selection of 100 of her best works from those she has created over the years. The poems might seem familiar to fans of Jósefína as many of them have appeared on her Facebook page over the years. The book has been published under the title Jósefínubókar.
Walter Scott Prize Won by Scottish Poet
The £25,000 Walter Scott Prize has been running for the last 10 years and for the first time since its inception it has been won by a Scottish Poet. Robin Robertson won with his book “The Long Take”.
The Walter Scott Prize honours the achievements of the man who is considered to be the founding father of historical novels, is given for a work of historical fiction; it is considered to be one of the most prestigious prizes worldwide.
The winning book was likened by the judges to the work of Sir Walter Scott in its use of both verse and prose. The Long Take was also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2018.
Robertson, who is originally from the north-east coast of Scotland, now lives in London. He began as a poet but in recent years has moved to narrative fiction, a move he claims happened entirely “by accident”.
The judges said that each year it is a very difficult decision to choose the winner, and this year was certainly no exception however the combination of verse and prose felt right to the and it somehow seems fitting that in the 10th anniversary year of the prize that the winning novel should have been written in such a compelling narrative verse.
Legendary Writer to be Explored in New Course
Rydal Mount located between the villages of Ambleside and Grasmere has joined forces with the University of Cumbria to offer a new course to their students. The Masters course, Literature, Romanticism and the English Lakes will offer students an insight into the life of William Wordsworth the legendary British poet.
Students taking the course will visit Rydal Mount where the poet lived for the vast majority of his time. His descendants retain ownership of the house.
The course which will be based at the Ambleside campus of the University will offer a fantastic opportunity for the students to examine a huge body of non-literary and literary texts in the surroundings of the landscape that offered so much inspiration to several generations of writers and poets.
Students will also look at Dove Cottage during the length of the course, Wordsworth lived there for almost ten years.
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