The Midnight Court [Paperback]

Brian Merriman (Author), Frank O'Connor Decd (Author), Brian Bourke (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1990 | ISBN-10: 0862782058 | ISBN-13: 978-0862782054

Award-winning edition of this outstanding translation of Brian Merriman's eighteenth-century erotic masterpiece.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Carson s translation of The Midnight Court is that rarest of things: a small and utterly enjoyable masterpiece. It brings to a wider audience than ever before a great and neglected piece of 18th century literature and, to an American readership, something equally important. In this country, poetry now is more frequently written than read, and the pleasures of the long poem are all but lost. By and large, our poets lack ambition and their meager audiences the patience. What Carson offers the willing in these 60 pages of poetry with a brief introduction is a rollicking evening of instruction in the pleasures of a long and entertaining poem. --Los Angeles Times --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: O'Brien Press (September 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0862782058
• ISBN-13: 978-0862782054
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,269,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the only poem ever banned in ireland, December 20, 1999

By 

hugh g. merriman, md (las vegas, nv) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The midnight court (Paperback)

in the late 1700's the british sought to further subjigate the irish peasant by requiring them to divide their estates equally among their offspring. this led to smaller and smaller plots,unable to support a family. the irish responded by delaying marraige well into their fifth and sixth decades. the poem is political satire decrying the practice of "recalcitrant bachlorhood". the main character is taken and made to stand trial before the queen of the fairies, for this "crime". the last lyric poem published in the irish language. a beautiful read, full of earthy humor, and sufficiently inciting to cause the british to ban its publication.