Customer Reviews

The Selected Poems of Federico Garcia Lorca

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have the Collected Poems of Lorca but I still return to this beautiful, compact volume time and time again. It is not that the Collected Poems dissatisfy me, no... I simply find most of my favourite poems in the Selected Poems.

It is in my opinion the best introduction to Federico Garcia Lorca's poetry. Here one can find 'The Faithless Wife', just as famous as Neruda's 'Tonight I Write the Saddest Lines' as well handsome selections from the Divan, Canciones, Romancero Gitano and his other works. I feel it was my first reading of 'The Faithless Wife' that inspired my interest in Lorca's poetry. It is spare, solemn, a poem thirsting for love, truth and sex.

W.S. Merwin's introduction and Lorca's brother, Francisco provide some background to the poet's life. The collection is 'collectively' translated by a sound handful of prominent poets and scholars: Ben Belitt, Rolfe Humphries, Langston Hughes, Stephen Spender, Edwin Honig to name just a few. I often find collective translations more satisfying as if the poet's voice needed an assembly of talented, careful scholars to piece together the great dynamic of the artist. This small book becomes a beautiful mosaic in their hands.

Highly recommended, easy to read, easy to approach but from there, you'll want to explore more of Lorca and of course, the next big step is the Collected Poems. A great beginning.

My husband used to read me this book when I was pregnant with my only child. The sound of the poems made her kick. Maybe the poems, but probably it was just the way he read them--in spanish--louder than he ever said anything. My husband never yelled, even when he was angry he just stayed by himself a bit, but he really used to get into these poems. From his childhood, I guess. He tried to translate them himself, but he wasn't very good at it. He would probably say these aren't very good either, no translation is your own after all, but I don't speak spanish, and to me these are close to the way he used to make me feel when he read them. Very lovely, and a little alarming.

I tried reading them to my daughter--she's having a baby in the summer--but it didn't really make anyone feel alarmed. I guess I need to learn to develop my own versions.

This is the book that everyone who loves FGL must have. I even started to learn it in spanish.

Leaves me wanting to discover the real Lorca and
not so much of the impersonal 'scholar' poetry
picked by Mr. Merwin. If you have not seen the
movie "Little Ashes," or read "The Killing of
Federico Garcia Lorca," you will understand
what I mean. Search them on Amazon.com.

This book arrived in a timely fashion in excellent condition. I appreciate the high-quality service.

I have fallen deeply and devotedly in love with Lorca, his words are like a warm, clear summer day, cool breezes kiss your skin like your beloved... Anyway, this is a very good interpretation of his poems, songs, in Spanish on the left side of the book and the interpreted English on the Right side.

You would be doing yourself a favor by purchasing this small volume.