Where San Marco leads...
Reassuring to see that two of the latest batch of Poetry Book Society Recommendations are 'San Marco authors'. Patrick McGuinness (Old World Booklet No.6) has Jilted City just out from Carcanet, and John Fuller (OWB No.13) Pebble & I from Chatto & Windus. Reassuring? In a world where the most abject paste is routinely taken for sparklers (Our Laureatess, for one, has long since – well before her elevation, alas – parted company with her Muse, but there seems to be a general agreement that it would be ungentlemanly, or unladylike, to remark on it) it's good to see that someone in a position to judge is not simply spinning a roulette wheel, or, worse, toeing a party line. Hardly for us to trumpet the strength of these collections – in both cases the SMP booklet is included in toto, if dispersed – but rest assured you'll not spend a happier two tenners this year, unless..

FORTHCOMING
Barely contained excitement is brewing Down Under for the imminent Rockling King (Black Pepper) from Melbourne rhymster Hugh Tolhurst (those with their stethoscopes on the St Kilda's heartbeat will already be aware of Filth, his first volume, a succès at least as much fou as d'estime, and currently reprinting), to which our imminenter All out of Space-junk (Old World Booklet 19) will be as it were the harbinger. Read the future before it happens!
In tandem with Hugh (printing practicalities encourage, if not dictate, twin parturition) will be our first revenant, Philip Morre; his Save the Eagle (OWB 20) comes four years after Five Poems (OWB 2) and will enable form students to judge of progress or regress. Our own view can be taken as read. Incidentally, his Here's to the Home Country (Rack Press) is also reprinting, which, as some of you may know, is a far from everyday phenomenon on the battlegrounds of verse.

From this session interdict
Every foul of tyrant wing,
Save the eagle, feathered king:
Keep the obsequy so strict.

which, we are told, has everything, and nothing, to do with it.


NEWS OF SMP AUTHORS

Philip Morre (Old World Booklet no.2) was one of four pamphleteers launched at the annual Rack Press do on January 14th – at new hip venue The Horse Hospital, behind the Russell Hotel, Bloomsbury. A good time was had by all, to judge from the write-up in the latest issue of The Bow-Wow Shop (see News & Notes page. There’s also a review of the pamphlet itself under, well, Reviews). A Venetian launch, hopefully as merry, of Morre’s ‘Here’s to the Home Country’ is imminent: Casa di Carlo Goldoni, San Polo 2793, Tuesday February 23rd, at 18.30.
Patrick McGuinness (Old World Booklet no.6) has a new book ‘Jilted City’ coming from Carcanet in March. Associated events will be signalled. Not to be missed.


Our reprint of the "LE ISOLE ABBANDONATE DELLA LAGUNA VENEZIANA" (The Abandoned Islands of the Venetian Lagoon) is now available. The new edition is in both ITALIAN & ENGLISH with a new introduction by Giorgio & Maurizio Crovato, and a new 13-page colour section.

This fascinating review with historical texts spanning three centuries and an illuminating contrast of 18th century (and earlier) prints against modern photos is a valuable addition to our understanding of the beauty of the Lagoon and its varying uses over time.

In the bookshops at £24.00, or €30,00.

3rd December 2009 at 6pm. Presentation of the "Islands" book at the Italian Institute of Culture in Central London with the authors. A drink will be offered by the well known wine producer Bisol.


25th March 2009 - Presentation of the Abandoned Islands... at La Feltrinelli bookshop at Mestre at 6 pm


24th April 2009 - Michael Glover will speak on "The Divided Self" as a poet & art critic at The Arts Club at Dover St, London W1. Price is £10 inc. refreshment, bookable on the club's website.

9th June 2009 - Michael Glover will speak at the Word & Image Group of writers at the Hackney Empire, 7 - 9 pm.


Visit www.bowwowshop.org.uk, for excellent discourses, recent issue, contributions by John Ashbery, Judith Kazantzis & many others.


Review of the Launch at the Ateneo Veneto in Venice, in Italian
Click here to download this file




26th JANUARY 2009

PRESENTATION of LE ISOLE ABBANDONATE DELLA LAGUNA (THE ABANDONED ISLANDS OF THE VENETIAN LAGOON) will be made at the prestigious ATENEO VENETO in VENICE. Also present the President of the Provinicia Davide Zoggia & the Mayor of Venice Massimo Caccari



14th December 2008 at St Paul's Church, Clapham SW4.

MICHAEL GLOVER will give a Reading in memory of Honor Dupre at 18.30, free admission, refreshments after the event.


November 10th 2009 in Venice

Michael Glover will speaking at the Circolo Ital-Britannico at Palazzo Papfava, which is the University of Warwick in Venice, in Calle Racchette. The talk will start at 18.00 hours, a glass of prosecco will offered after the event. Free admission.


NATIONAL POETRY DAY

San Marco Press presents an offshore Poetry Weekend in Venice
to celebrate UK National Poetry Day
Information and bookings (0039) 041 2759456/venezialibri@yahoo.it

THURSDAY October 9th: CAMPIONARIO, a Sampler for National Poetry Day
Old World Booklet No.16 (Special Number)
Presented at Old World Books, Ghetto Vecchio, Cannaregio 1190, Venice
7 pm. Severino Bacchin, Alessandro Berton, Jason Heroux, Alan Jones, Philip Morre, Enrico Palandri. Drinks (free!)

SATURDAY October 11th: SEX AND THE SONNET
Moira Egan will read from BAR-NAPKIN SONNETS (Old World Booklet No.15)
flanked by the ghostly presences of Pietro Aretino and Niccolo Franco
Translations by Damiano Abeni, Philip Morre
Dinner and Reading at the CORTE dell'ORSO restaurant, San Marco 5495, off Campo S.Bartolomeo, 7.30pm, Price 25 euros

MONDAY October 13th: ON THE RACK
Nicholas Murray of The Rack Press will read from THE NARRATORS and speak
of the Hard Life of the Small Press.
Dinner and Reading at the TRATTORIA delle DUE GONDOLETTE, Cannaregio 3016, Fondamenta delle Capuzine, 7.30pm, Price 25 euros


* * * * * *


MICHAEL GLOVER
reads from THE SHEER HELL OF LIVING

Manchester Central Library midday 30th October 2008

Michael Glover - The Sheer Hell of Living
His first major collection for a decade

"Michael Glover's lines unspool gravely and efficiently with few commas like waves that know they are on the way to someplace but without making much fuss about it. They can be piercingly sad and hilariously wry, sometimes at the same time, as: 'Someone loses the midge swat. / Many glasses are raised.' - this from a poem called 'Few things happen'. Few things happen here, true, but those that do are tremendously important even when tiny. Michael Glover is a major find."
JOHN ASHBERY

Published price: £9