The New Penguin Book of Scottish Verse [Paperback]

Robert Crawford (Editor), Mick Imlah (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 014058711X | ISBN-13: 978-0140587111 | Publication Date: July 2001

This volume is the first anthology to offer a view over the entire history of Scottish poetry, extending from the sixth to the end of the 20th century, and representing each of its stylistic currents with clarity and verve. Readers will find here the great cornerstones of a poetic tradition which predates the Scottish nation. There are substantial selections from the medieval makers Robert Henryson and William Dunbar, and a generous representation of the remarkable folk literature known as the Border Ballads. The work of acknowledged masters such as Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson, and, in the 20th century, Hugh MacDiarmid, Sorley MacLean and Norman MacCaig, is augmented by that of neglected and unknown writers. The book concludes with selections from the best of Scotland's contemporary poets, including Douglas Dunn, Kathleen Jamie and Don Paterson. Throughout this volume, poetry in Gaelic, Latin and other languages is given in parallel text; poems in Scots are fully glossed. This comprehensive anthology -mingling Highland and Lowland, the religious and the profane, poems by kings and crofters - should be the guide to the whole poetry of Scotland.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With power having devolved to its parliament, Scotland is more a nation now that it has been since its formal union with the English crown in 1707. Taking readers from sixth century bards St. Columba and Aneirin through King James I, Robbie Burns and Sir Walter Scott to Carol Ann Duffy and Meg Bateman, The New Penguin Book of Scottish Verse covers a 1,500-year, multilingual (Latin, Scots, Gaelic, English) tradition, with poems published in their original languages, along with English verse translations where necessary. St. Andrews University professor of Modern Scottish literature Robert Crawford (Spirit Machines) and Times Literary Supplement poetry editor Mick Imlah (Birthmarks) made the selections.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

As the first volume to provide a historically broad overview of the Scottish poetical tradition from the sixth to the end of the 20th centuries, this will be a welcome addition to larger poetry collections, adding to the diversity of their ethnically based survey anthologies. The editors, both poets themselves, celebrate the multiplicity of languages in which poems from the territories that would become modern Scotland were written and recited by providing the original and then a parallel text in English. In addition, poems presented in Scots are fully glossed. A brief introduction offers a taste of the delights to come, while biographical notes and an index of first lines give added accessibility. The format of this collection allows accessibility for the general reader, while its depth provides a good starting point for those with a more academic interest in the history of Scottish verse. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries. Karen E. S. Lempert, Facing History and Ourselves, Brookline, MA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 545 pages
• Publisher: Penguin UK (July 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014058711X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140587111
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,031,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides insights on the poets and their memorable verses, July 4, 2001

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Penguin Book of Scottish Verse (Hardcover)

The New Penguin Book Of Scottish Verse is the first anthology to provide a history of the entire extent of Scottish poetry, from the sixth to the end of the 20th century, providing insights on the poets, their memorable verses, and the body of work representing Scottish efforts. Poetry in Gaelic, Latin and other languages is translated, poems are introduced and poets run the gamut from nobles to the common man in this excellent collection.