Books Tell You Why. All About Collecting Rare Books

John Keats: A Promising Career Cut Short

By Anne Cullison. Oct 31, 2013. 9:00 AM.

Today we celebrate the life of the English poet John Keats. Keats was born on October 31, 1795 in London, England and died a very short 25 years later in Rome, Italy of tuberculosis. With such a short life, most would assume that he could not have produced much, if anything, of worth. Yet Keats is perhaps one of the most well known of the English Romantic Poets. Through his poetry he sought the perfection of poetry filled with vivid imagery that expressed philosophy through classic, often Greek, legend.

Ezra Pound: A Poet of the Lost Generation

By Kristin Wood. Oct 30, 2013. 9:00 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Poetry

When Modernist ideals and styles began to flourish among English and American poets during the 1910s and 1920s, Ezra Pound was at the forefront of the movement. As an American expatriate to Europe, he has been credited with creating a bridge between the two continents that helped global poetic trends to shift and merge together. Critics also claim that Pound created the definitive examples of what a Modernist poem should look like.

The Ghosts of Literary Collaboration

By Andrea Koczela. Oct 27, 2013. 11:01 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Poetry

Few writers exist in isolation. Instead, most benefit from some type of support, whether from an editor, mentor, or friend. As a work grows, each individual who touches it leaves an indelible mark. The line between author and collaborator begins clearly enough, but authorship can grow murky the longer the collaboration takes place. In Lyrical Ballads, Nostromo, and The Waste Land, multiple writers shaped the final product. Yet the work of those not included in the byline has largely faded to obscurity. Today we explore a few famous cases of (potential) ghostwriting from the world of literature.

G-N-I-R-E-B-M-E-M-E-R ee cummings

By Andrea Koczela. Oct 14, 2013. 8:30 AM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Poetry

Few modern poets have been so beloved as Edward Estlin Cummings (ee cummings), whose linguistic innovation and disregard for grammatical conventions redefined our understanding of language. Yet Cummings was much more than a poet, writing novels, essays, and plays.

Saying Goodbye to Seamus Heaney - Poet Extraordinaire

By Kristin Masters. Aug 31, 2013. 10:23 AM.

Topics: Poetry, Nobel Prize Winners

"I have always thought of poems as stepping stones in one's own sense of oneself. Every now and again, you write a poem that gives you self-respect and steadies your going a little bit farther out in the stream. At the same time, you have to conjure the next stepping stone because the stream, we hope, keeps flowing."

-Seamus Heaney (All Things Considered, 2008)

Mother's Day Gift Ideas Perfect for Rare Book Lovers

By Kristin Masters. May 6, 2013. 2:44 PM.

Topics: Poetry, Rare Books, Rare Book Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is just around the corner in the US, and it's time to pick out the perfect gift for moms and grandmothers. Consider these Mothers Day gift ideas if your mom loves special and rare books.

Finding Poetry in Unlikely Places

By Kristin Masters. Apr 17, 2013. 4:04 PM.

Topics: Legendary Authors, Umberto Eco, Poetry

April is National Poetry Month, and beautiful verses are popping up everywhere. Many noted authors have also written poems, which are often much lesser known--and therefore more scarce. These volumes are lovely additions to an author-specific or poetry collection.

One-Man Play Celebrates Poet Harold Pinter

By Kristin Masters. Aug 24, 2011. 2:24 AM.

Topics: Poetry, Book Collecting, Drama

Julian Sands one-man show recently closed in Edinburgh, and in September it will head on national tour. Directed by none other than John Malkovich, the plays subject may surprise you: poet and playwright Harold Pinter.

Help Us Celebrate National Poetry Month!

By Kristin Masters. Apr 6, 2011. 4:41 AM.

Topics: Poetry

Here at Books Tell You Why, we love a good limerick and think sonnets are splendid. Thats why were happy to celebrate National Poetry Month. If youd like to join in the festivities, here are a few ways to join in: