Look We Have Coming to Dover!
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"'This is visceral, life-affirming poetry'. Guardian"
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Independent - one of the ten best new poetry collections
'Fresh, funny and riotously idiosyncratic ... A glorious testament to a rich British-Indian mix.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I picked up a copy of this in a bookshop and started flipping through it. Half an hour later I'd read it from cover to cover, to the annoyance of everyone in the bookshop, after which I felt obliged buy it. I even did so despite Faber's extortionate demand for nine quid. Should have waited and got it on Amazon.
Anyway, it's cracking stuff. Nagra's the real deal. I confess that most modern poetry makes my teeth ache with boredom because it's so earnest and glum and 'look-how-cleverly-I-put-that!'. Nagra's stuff isn't. It has verve and charm and soul, it's noisy and rude and very funny. He speaks -- or rather, his characters speak -- in a whole variety of voices: teenage Jaswinder who wishes she was black and chilled, querulous Kabba laying into his son's English teacher ('my boy, vil he tink ebry new/Barrett-home Muslim hav goat blood-party/barbeque?') and Singh who runs 'di worst Indian shop/ on di whole Indian road', and spends all his time upstairs with his 'newly bride'. Nagra has invented an amazing demotic here, a loud comic blend of Punjabi and English. Although many of the poems dwell on darker themes -- racism, oppression, arranged marriages -- the prevailing tone is one of exuberance and charm, as exemplified by the first and last poems of the collection.
I always enjoy poetry with a touch of fiction or drama about it -- the sort that introduces characters and makes them come alive, and tells stories or at least parts of stories, and keeps us entertained. Most of Nagra's poems do exactly that. I reckon he'd make a pretty good playwright too -- or stand-up comedian. Though I hope he keeps writing poetry and that lots of people buy it.
By the way, I'm not one of Nagra's pupils. Never heard of him before today. But I bet his classes are interesting.
Anyway, it's cracking stuff. Nagra's the real deal. I confess that most modern poetry makes my teeth ache with boredom because it's so earnest and glum and 'look-how-cleverly-I-put-that!'. Nagra's stuff isn't. It has verve and charm and soul, it's noisy and rude and very funny. He speaks -- or rather, his characters speak -- in a whole variety of voices: teenage Jaswinder who wishes she was black and chilled, querulous Kabba laying into his son's English teacher ('my boy, vil he tink ebry new/Barrett-home Muslim hav goat blood-party/barbeque?') and Singh who runs 'di worst Indian shop/ on di whole Indian road', and spends all his time upstairs with his 'newly bride'. Nagra has invented an amazing demotic here, a loud comic blend of Punjabi and English. Although many of the poems dwell on darker themes -- racism, oppression, arranged marriages -- the prevailing tone is one of exuberance and charm, as exemplified by the first and last poems of the collection.
I always enjoy poetry with a touch of fiction or drama about it -- the sort that introduces characters and makes them come alive, and tells stories or at least parts of stories, and keeps us entertained. Most of Nagra's poems do exactly that. I reckon he'd make a pretty good playwright too -- or stand-up comedian. Though I hope he keeps writing poetry and that lots of people buy it.
By the way, I'm not one of Nagra's pupils. Never heard of him before today. But I bet his classes are interesting.
5 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Last year I purchased a poem entitled `oh my rub' by Daljit Nagra, and it was so refreshing that I immediately became a fan. Earlier this year, I was informed that he was in the process of releasing a collection of poems, which excited me, beyond belief. I was so overly enamored that I reserved a copy on Amazon months before the release. Let's get one thing straight from the off. Daljit Nagra's `look we have coming to Dover!' is a work of genius. The question is not to question its genius, but to question what type of genius it represents. Or the question could be couched thus: Why do you, dear reader, read? Is it for the idealism, or for the reality? The answer is probably going to be "a bit of both". That's what I was looking for. So, with `look we have coming to Dover!' here's the rub; yes, the use of language, the memorable phrases, the story's, all these are without question dazzling. I recently took a trip to Monaco with my fiancé, we found a quaint Deli/café were we sat there reading Nagra's work whilst drinking the most terrific wine, and indulged into some fine `foie gras'. My advice to you, is buy this masterpiece, and hope for more.
14 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have had the honour of profiting from my good friend Daljit's teachings for a number of months now at my secondary school and would go so far as to say I am the finest student in the class, a muse if you will.
Suffice to say the man knows his stuff but as amusing as studying Shakespeare can be (for novelty value if nothing else), it pales in comparison to Mr Nagra's work: the patron saint of English Literature (a BLUE CHIP subject). The number and range of devices used to describe a multitude of subjects, ranging from contemporary social issues and attitudes to romantic poetry to put Keats to shame, really is a wonder to behold and, though I was first impressed by his work being published by Faber and Faber, I now feel it is holding this man and his incredible poetry back.
I must wrap this up, but first a thank you to Sire Nagra, for teaching me the wonders of PEE. To summarise, if you enjoy poetry, genius, or PURE UNRIVALED QUALITY of any kind, buy this 21st century bible of poetry and bask in the teachings of The Nagrameister
Sincerly yours
Suffice to say the man knows his stuff but as amusing as studying Shakespeare can be (for novelty value if nothing else), it pales in comparison to Mr Nagra's work: the patron saint of English Literature (a BLUE CHIP subject). The number and range of devices used to describe a multitude of subjects, ranging from contemporary social issues and attitudes to romantic poetry to put Keats to shame, really is a wonder to behold and, though I was first impressed by his work being published by Faber and Faber, I now feel it is holding this man and his incredible poetry back.
I must wrap this up, but first a thank you to Sire Nagra, for teaching me the wonders of PEE. To summarise, if you enjoy poetry, genius, or PURE UNRIVALED QUALITY of any kind, buy this 21st century bible of poetry and bask in the teachings of The Nagrameister
Sincerly yours
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