Publisher Description
This proud nation with its long history—sometimes rough, hewn from bleak landscapes, and sometimes gently soft from its comforting voices—has produced a long succession of artists and poets.
In the latter category, Louis MacNeice most probably stands pre-eminent; his words and phrasing are on a plane few can equal and most are in awe of. But in this volume we do put forward others who have their own words and voice to add to this rich tapestry—Wilfred Owen, Henry Vaughan, George Herbert, and Edward Thomas amongst them.
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"I love poetry, and to me, Thomas embodies all that is true poetry to me. Love, death, jealousy, anger, relationships, ect.
Two favorites are:
1.) Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night. (Best poem ever in my humble opinion)
2.)This Side of the Truth
"
—
Nikki (5 out of 5 stars)
About the Authors
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was born in Odense, Denmark, the son of a poor shoemaker and a washerwoman. As a young teenager, he became quite well known in Odense as a reciter of drama and as a singer. When he was fourteen, he set off for the capital, Copenhagen, determined to become a national success on the stage. He failed miserably, but made some influential friends in the capital who got him into school to remedy his lack of proper education. In 1829 his first book was published. After that, books came out at regular intervals. His stories began to be translated into English as early as 1846. Since then, numerous editions, and more recently Hollywood songs and Disney cartoons, have helped to ensure the continuing popularity of the stories in the English-speaking world.
Dylan Thomas (1914–1953) was a Welsh poet best known for his poems “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” and “Fern Hill.” He also wrote many short stories, film scripts, and broadcast stories and did a series of lecture tours in the United States.
Thomas Hardy (1840–1928), English poet, dramatist, and novelist, was born on the Egdon Heath in Dorset. He studied in Dorchester and apprenticed to an architect before leaving for London, where he began to write. Unable to find a public for his poetry, which idealized the rural life, he turned to the novel and met with success as well as controversy. The strong public reaction against some of his darker themes turned him back to writing verse. Today several of his novels are considered masterpieces of tragedy.
About the Narrators
James Langton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and later as a musician at the Guildhall School in London. He has worked in radio, film, and television, also appearing in theater in England and on Broadway. He is also a professional musician who led the internationally renowned Pasadena Roof Orchestra from 1996 to 2002.
Sian Phillips’ long acting career has included roles in Goodbye, Mr. Chips, How Green Was My Valley, Ballykissangel, and Midsomer Murders.