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The Blue Book (Paperback)

by Owen Sheers (Author)

2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Seren (Feb 2000)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1854112775
ISBN-13: 978-1854112774
Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.6 x 0.8 cm

Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 69,872 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

The Times, 1st January 2000

A level-headed pair, rather than the wild-eyed romantic cliche, Andrew Motion and Owen Sheers share a strong desire to make poetry more accessible. Motion, 47, was appointed successor to Ted Hughes as Poet Laureate in June 1999. A controversial appointee, he has broken with tradition by writing poems about the TUC conference as well as the wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones. He is convinced the future of poetry lies in more people having the chance to see whether it speaks to them. He was keen to be photographed with Sheers, championing his work as "sharp, fresh, clear and ambitious." Sheers, 25, is a poet from South Wales... He believes poetry will continue to inspire people into the next millennium. "With stronger marketing," he argues, "there is no reason why poetry should not be as much a part of public conversation as the contemporary novel"

Neil Rollinson, Back cover copy, February 2000

This vivid and potent debut collection from Owen Sheers is populated with characters trying to come to terms with themselves and others and with the sifficult journeys they find themselves taking. It is a moving experience which he makes sense of in finely wrought verse that is tough, but also lyrical. A distinctive new voice for the year 2000

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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	45% buy the item featured on this page: The Blue Book 2.8 out of 5 stars (11) �4.61
	21% buy Skirrid Hill 3.2 out of 5 stars (4) �5.56
	14% buy The Dust Diaries 4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �5.39
	14% buy Resistance 3.6 out of 5 stars (33) �5.96

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

2.8 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who would have thought he had it in him?, 1 Aug 2001

By A Customer

Having seen Owen Sheers in a number of entertainment programmes for Welsh television, and in a number of pantomimes in both Cardiff and Swansea (many of those familiar with his poetry are unaware of his career as a family entertainer) I was pleasantly surprised to see that he has finally gotten around to publishing a book of his very moving poems. And there is no room here for the kind of silly banter and larking about that his larger audience in Wales are used to. Here the subjects are love, life, and that very abstract notion of home that is common in Welsh literature. I was also pleased to see, from the author photograph on the back cover, that he has shaved off his moustache!

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Can I play?, 9 Jan 2001

By A Customer

...Who cares if it's over-hyped or not - thank goodness there are some poets around who get noticed at all, and who stir us all up now and then.

And I've only given The Blue Book four stars to allow Sheers room to go upwards from here, rather than down Tobias Hill's alleged "asymptotic curve." {Congrats on that one, by the way, London).

I like Andrew Motion, I like Tobias Hill, I like The Hawk in the Rain, and I like the fact that Owen Sheers writes poetry, READS poetry and has an evangelical zeal about poetry. I like the fact that the few new poems of his I've seen are looking good, and I like the fact that he's going to get better...

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surely not as bad as all that, 14 Dec 2000

By A Customer

This book certainly does not justify the hyperbole awarded to it. One doesn't have to go back as far as Hughes or Muldoon to look at better first collections...how about Paul Farrelly or Kate Clanchy (both on Picador, which should tell you something.) However, I think the above reviewer is unfair to Sheers. The reviewer's comments about literary star-making are not misplaced, nor are his comments on the quality of Motion's work. In fact, I'm not sure how good/honest a biographer Motion really is (see "Philip Larkin - A Writer's Life.")But Sheers' first collection struck me as being the work of a reasonably talented, if very young, writer. The book does not deserve to be rubbished just because it has been overhyped - Owen Sheers cannot help it if other people overpraise him - and there are some strong pieces of writing here. Quite what the consequences will be of the media circus as regards his longer-term development is anyone's guess. Though the asymptotic curve described by Tobias Hill's poetry since his first collection was published and overhyped three years ago does not bode well.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting read
Some genuinely moving poems in what seems to be a very personal collection.I look forward to reading more by this poet..

Published 10 days ago by theresa francis

5.0 out of 5 stars Promise
The Blue Book

I doubt if there is a better young poet in Britain than Owen Sheers. If he fulfils the promise he shows in "The Blue Book" he will eventually rank... Read more

Published 4 months ago by A. Thomas

1.0 out of 5 stars A Damp Squib
It seems most people haven't got it yet. Well, take a look at the hilarious mock-profound photo on the back cover. Duh! Read more

Published on 4 Dec 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic and humerous view of Welsh life
Owen Sheers is an extremely talented man. He has suceeded in writing brilliant pieces of art. Im surprised that he isnt famous yet.

Published on 21 Oct 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Too much, too soon?
The one thing that delights me about this book is that it has brought about such thoughtful response and debate concerning contemporary poetry, its readership, marketing and sales... Read more

Published on 12 April 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Commonplace Book
There are simply zillions of people writing poetry in Britain and Ireland, and only one or two of them have anything interesting to say. Read more

Published on 10 Jan 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as all that either
i've just come across what might be a useful debate and I felt like joining it. I am a poet myself and if I'm honest I'd have to say that I'm very jealous of Sheers' success, not... Read more

Published on 18 Dec 2000

1.0 out of 5 stars The Bleurrggh Book
It might become obvious as we go on, but I ought to declare myself now:

I do not think this book is very good. Read more

Published on 8 Nov 2000

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