The Upshot: New and Selected Poems [Paperback]

Anne Rouse (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1852248084 | ISBN-13: 978-1852248086 | Publication Date: April 9, 2009

Rouse is a keenly observant writer of spiky satirical portraits and shapely lyrics of the ordinary and the bizarre. Her latest book, The Upshot, includes a new collection, `The Divided,' which constructs a modern metaphysic out of love and the daily, set against the latent (sometimes tragic) divisions in contemporary society. ""A sharp wit and gift for verse. . . moving and eloquent poetry, highly recommended."" The Midwest Book Review

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Anne Rouse's poems are watchful and amused, sardonic and appalled. They are also in the best sense political: the big picture of our whole society informs her miniatures of city life where dossers and shopping jostle for attention alongside love and death.' - Ruth Padel & Sean O'Brien, PBS Bulletin 'Rouse has honed her craft further to produce some lovely focused lyrics with a wonderful development in her tone. The sureness of Rouse's touch is a pleasure to read throughout and The School of Night is her most moving volume yet.' - Andrew Neilson, Magma ' - this powerful collection - The reader is surprised and pleased and informed by the conclusions the poet leads us to, by her often poignant himour and shocks of transcendence that are rooted in a natural and unforced realism.' - Penelope Shuttle, Poetry London 'Rouse writes - with such convinced skewing of the expected angles, and with such precise anger and sympathy, that one is inclined to believe her as well as to admire the poems.' - Sean O'Brien, Sunday Times

About the Author

anne rouse was born in Washington DC and grew up in Virginia. After reading History at the University of London, she worked as a nurse and the director of a mental health charity. Since becoming a freelance writer, she has had many residencies, including visiting fellowships in Glasgow and in autumn 2004 in Belfast. She lives in Hastings. Anne Rouse has published four books with Bloodaxe, the collections Sunset Grill (1993) and Timing (1997) - both Poetry Book Society Recommendations - and The School of Night (2004); and The Upshot: New & Selected Poems (2008), which includes a new collection, The Divided (2008), plus a selection from her first three collections. She reads a half-hour selection of poems on Poetry Quartets 9 (British Council/Bloodaxe Books, 2004).

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Bloodaxe Books Ltd (April 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852248084
• ISBN-13: 978-1852248086
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,828,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetry from Anne Rouse, a lady with a sharp wit and gift for verse, March 9, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: The Upshot: New and Selected Poems (Paperback)

Society isn't as united as a whole as it should be. "The Upshot" is the latest collection of poetry from Anne Rouse, a lady with a sharp wit and gift for verse. Her latest volume focuses on love, the mundane life we all live, and how society is split into divisions. "The Upshot" is moving and eloquent poetry, highly recommended. "Nude Descending a Stair": It's 2 a.m., when the placid telephone shrieks./A silhouette floats over the fly-posted shops,/and enters: a game of toy soldiers,/you'd think to hear them talk, descending//to a basement hung with nylon fetters,/with an unknown atmosphere, and speech.//To hear them talk - but these rarely do,/above water. We goggle in a movie-house;/co-opt their stylish silence,/frame by frame./For beauty, rubbish - they are just afraid.