I’m enjoying Ted Hughes Letters and can see it going on well into 2013. Other reading matter that has crept into the bedroom includes The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin, which I’m reading for my book group but actually it’s been on my bookshelf for some years.
I went through an Australian thing a while back, possibly after reading The True History of the Kelly Gang by Pater Carey which made a huge impression on me. I’ve only made two trips to Australia and they were some years ago, but the OZ THING keeps cropping up in my writing. So now I have Bruce C. to fuel that particular fire, and hopefully help prevent me from sludging around in some pastiche of half-memories, which often occurs when writing about things encountered many moons ago.
Also recently dug out has been A C Grayling’s The Good Book (subtitle ‘A Secular Bible’). It’s not the kind of tome you would read cover to cover but for research and/or dipping into it’s giving me ideas. I’m currently mulling over the Proverbs, some of which I can see coming soon to a poem or two.
Meanwhile, poet friend Charlotte lent me a copy of Sharon Olds’ Satan Says, which had given me a new perspective on her latest collection Stag’s Leap. Startling, powerful writing and subject matter. She does seem to be a poet possessed.
Plus I’m really enjoying Seamus Heaney’s District & Circle. So many WONDERFUL poems in there. Love it.