Glyn Maxwell Livres

A series of loosely-connected monologues, combining observations about modern- day America with family reminiscences about wartime London

Adaptation by the poet Glyn Maxwell of Anatole France's 1912 novel Les Dieux ont Soif.

A decent man finds himself stalked and confronted by his own evil alter-ego. A new version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Gothic masterpiece, by Glyn Maxwell.

Includes the plays The Lifeblood, Wolfpit, The Only Girl in the WorldA history, a legend, a rumour - three stories drawn from the shadows of England. The Lifeblood depicts the last days of Mary Queen of Scots, as four men weave about her a web of love and hatred; Wolfpit brings alive the extraordinary chronicle of the Green Children of Suffolk who appeared inexplicably one summer morning; and love comes to Mary Kelly, The Only Girl in the World otherwise known as the last victim of Jack the Ripper..

A poignant series of verse letters to Edward Thomas, who died in World War I, highlights the collection's central theme of concern for England's past and present. The poems range from lyrical to narrative, addressing diverse topics such as love, fatherhood, triumph, and longing. They capture adventures that traverse the known and the ineffable, while also reflecting the poet's experiences from his travels and time spent in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Exploring themes of masculinity, authority, and the absurdities of modern life, this collection features selected poems by Glyn Maxwell from his earlier works. With a blend of technical skill and accessible language, Maxwell presents a range of subjects, from biblical tales to the whimsical obsession of a young man with candy. The poems balance humor and seriousness, addressing the complexities of human behavior and societal pressures. His insightful approach reveals that deeper understanding doesn't always equate to clarity.

Time's Fool tells the tale of Edmund Lea, a young man condemned to eternity alone until he determines how to lift the curse upon him. Edmund perpetually rides a phantom train -- except on Christmas Eve every seven years, when he is allowed to revisit his English hometown. He tries to break the spell by way of love, repentance, and death -- all in vain. Time passes, from 1970 to 2019, but Edmund remains seventeen, unable to age but watching the world grow older. Infused with a dark humor and an almost unbearable nostalgia, Time's Fool is a brilliant achievement, "classic yet hip, stylized yet inventive" (Scotsman).

A collection of short essays and reflections on poetry which illustrate Maxwell's poetic philosophy. With examples from canonical poets, this is a beautiful, accessible guide to the most ancient and sublime of the realms of literature.

The narrative offers a modern retelling of Euripides' "Women of Troy" and "Hecuba," highlighting the enduring horrors of war through the lens of its female characters. It explores themes of loss, resilience, and the psychological impacts of conflict, drawing parallels between ancient and contemporary struggles faced by women in wartime. The story serves as a poignant commentary on the timeless nature of suffering and the strength required to survive amidst devastation.

Britain is reeling from reports of a terrorist bomb on a film set that has killed a hundred people and, possibly, the brightest star in Hollywood, Thomas Bayne. Caught up in the middle of the national mourning is Susan Mantle - a rather hopeless London tour-guide - who is seen crying on a park bench and is taken up by the media as a symbol of the blitz spirit, appearing on the rolling news with the headline 'beautiful but crying'. She is crying, though, for other reasons: she's just been told by a clairvoyant that she is about to die. Reason and the real world are quickly relinquished as Susan is swept into a media maelstrom, becoming the baffled and increasingly unwilling star of reality TV. Buffeted by the demands of her new public, and her private terrors about her own mortality, Susan starts to lose control of everything.