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Autobiography of Red
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book is ideal for readers who appreciate innovative poetry, mythological retellings, and emotionally complex narratives. Fans of hybrid literary works and those interested in poetic explorations of identity and desire will find Autobiography of Red particularly rewarding.
In this poem, Anne Carson bridges the gap between classicism and the modern, poetry and prose, with a journey into the soul of a winged red monster named Geryon.
`Anne Carson is, for me, the most exciting poet writing in English today. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF RED is a wonderful, mongrel work, a strange and ambitious bridge between classical texts and contemporary autobiographical poetry. ' Michael Ondaatje
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Description
Anne Carson is, for me, the most exciting poet writing in English today. Autobiography of Red is a wonderful, mongrel work, a strange and ambitious bridge between classical texts and contemporary autobiographical poetry - Michael Ondaatje
In this extraordinary epic poem, Anne Carson bridges the gap between classicism and the modern, poetry and prose, with a volcanic journey into the soul of a winged red monster named Geryon.
There is a strong mixture of whimsy and sadness in Geryon's story. He is tormented as a boy by his brother, escapes to a parallel world of photography, and falls in love with Herakles - a golden young man who leaves Geryon at the peak of infatuation. Geryon retreats ever further into the world created by his camera, until that glass house is suddenly and irrevocably shattered by Herakles' return. Running throughout is Geryon's fascination with his wings, the colour red, and the fantastic accident of who he is.
Autobiography of Red is a deceptively simple narrative layered with currents of meaning, emotion, and the truth about what it's like to be red. It is a powerful and unsettling story that moves, disturbs, and delights.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Praised for its startling originality and beauty, Autobiography of Red showcases Anne Carson’s daring, learned, and unsettling writing style. Critics highlight the book as a spellbinding achievement that merges mythology with personal narrative, filled with wit, grief, and a fresh voice in poetry. It is celebrated as a marvellously disturbing yet joyful work that pushes the boundaries of contemporary literature.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780224059732
Publisher: Vintage Publishing
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 July 1999
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Jonathan Cape
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 14.0mm
Width: 154.0mm
Height: 217.0mm
Weight: 208g
Pages: 160
Collections
About the Author
Anne Carson was born in Canada and has been a professor of Classics for over thirty years. Her awards and honours include the T. S. Eliot Prize, a Lannan Award, the Pushcart Prize, the Griffin Prize, on two occasions, fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundations, and the Princess of Asturias Award for Literature 2020.
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