Saturday, November 26, 2011

Windows and Stones

by Tomas Transtromer p. 84

Tomas Transtromer is this year's winner of the Nobel Prize for literature. I had never heard of him till the prize was announced recently. He is a Swedish poet (about the 3rd to win from the country that gives out the prize) and he is also a psychologist. This collection was a good poetry to start on his poetry with because it includes poetry from his different collections from his first book to many others going to the 1970s. His poetry in this is translated from Swedish to English by a translator. That always makes me want to read it in the original to get the sound of his original words. His poetry is in free verse I think and its spare. There are some great word usage and descriptions of Swedish nature and other countries' visages. I was glad to find that it was not bleak or not all of it bleak. He is also very philosophical and some of it is intriguing and thought provoking.

Kel

2 comments:

  1. I feel like a bad librarian because I've never even heard of this guy! Sounds interesting, though.

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  2. Don't feel bad. I've studied literature for years and had never heard of him! The only Scandinavian writers you hear of nowadays are mystery writers. There seem to be a ton of those being translated for the U.S. market recently.

    Kel

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