Poems from the Edge of Extinction

Name: Poems from the Edge of Extinction
Brand: Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand
SKU: 9781473693005
Price: 45.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

The Beautiful New Treasury of Poetry in Endangered Languages, in Association with the National Poetry Library

By Chris McCabe

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4.47

( 148 ratings, 34 reviews)

Summary

Poems from the Edge of Extinction is a poignant anthology celebrating the world's endangered languages through the power of poetry. It features 50 poems in their original endangered languages alongside English translations, each accompanied by insightful commentary about the language, the poet, and the poem's cultural context. Edited by Chris McCabe, this collection includes contributions from notable poets such as Joy Harjo, Hawad, and Jackie Kay, offering readers a profound journey into the diversity and resilience of human linguistic heritage. The book also serves as a reminder of the urgent need to preserve disappearing languages and their unique poetic traditions.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$45⁰⁰

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Poems from the Edge of Extinction

$45⁰⁰

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 anthology is ideal for readers interested in poetry, linguistics, and cultural preservation, as well as those who appreciate global perspectives on art and heritage. It particularly suits enthusiasts of contemporary poetry and advocates for endangered languages.

According to Unesco, of the 7,000 languages spoken in the world, more than half are endangered, with one disappearing every two weeks. This collection of 50 poems celebrates and preserves these unique voices and takes the reader on a global journey of discovery.

Description

Gold Medal Winner for Poetry and Special Honours Award for Best of Anthology at the 2020 Nautilus Book Awards. One language is falling silent every two weeks. Half of the 7,000 languages spoken in the world today will be lost by the end of this century. With the loss of these languages, we also lose the unique poetic traditions of their speakers and writers. Poems from the Edge of Extinction gathers together 50 poems in languages from around the world that have been identified as endangered; it is a celebration of our linguistic diversity and a reminder of our commonalities and the fundamental role verbal art plays in human life around the world. With poems by influential, award-winning poets such as US poet laureate Joy Harjo, Hawad, Valzhyna Mort, and Jackie Kay, this anthology offers a unique insight into both languages and poetry, taking the reader on an emotional, life-affirming journey into the culture of these beautiful languages. Each poem appears in its original form, alongside an English translation, and is accompanied by a commentary about the language, the poet, and the poem - in a vibrant celebration of life, diversity, language, and the enduring power of poetry. This timely collection is passionately edited by widely published poet and UK National Poetry Librarian, Chris McCabe, who is also the founder of the Endangered Poetry Project, a major project launched by London's Southbank Centre to collect poetry in the world's disappearing languages. It is introduced by Dr Mandana Seyfeddinipur, Director of the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme and the Endangered Languages Archive at SOAS University of London, and Dr Martin Orwin, Senior Lecturer in Somali and Amharic, SOAS University of London. Languages included in the book: Assyrian; Belarusian; Chimiini; Irish Gaelic; Maori; Navajo; Patua; Rotuman; Saami; Scottish Gaelic; Welsh; Yiddish; Zoque. Poets included in the book: Joy Harjo; Hawad; Jackie Kay; Aurelia Lassaque; Nineb Lamassu; Gearoid Mac Lochlainn; Valzhyna Mort; Laura Tohe; Taniel Varoujan; Avrom Sutzkever.

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?

Daily Mail praises the collection as "thrilling - and moving too," highlighting its celebration of shared human experiences like family, grief, and pride, underscoring a call to cherish our beautiful world. The Financial Times commends it for sharing folklore and songs with vibrant energy that amplifies its plea to protect the planet's linguistic and cultural ecosystems.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781473693005

Publisher: John Murray Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 December 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Chambers

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 251g

Pages: 352

Collections

Arts & Culture Chris McCabe Non-Fiction Poetry

About the Author

Chris McCabe works as the National Poetry Librarian at the Southbank Centre and launched the Endangered Poetry Project in 2017, a major project to collect poetry written in the world's disappearing languages. His work crosses artforms and genres including fiction, non-fiction, drama and visual art. He was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award in 2013 and his five collections of poetry include Speculatrix (2014), which was commended in the Forward Prize, and The Triumph of Cancer (2018), which is a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. His first novel, Dedalus, a sequel to Ulysses, (2018) was shortlisted for the 2019 Republic of Consciousness Prize, and his work has been described by The Guardian as 'an impressively inventive survey of English in the 21st Century'.

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