From Library Journal
Chilean poet Neruda (1904-73), winner of the Nobel prize among other honors and whose love poems served as the inspiration for the movie Il Postino, was prolific, and his work took many forms, including the highly political. Stephen Mitchell, translator and reader, has wisely selected from among the various odes and love poems for this extremely well-produced audio offering. "Forgive me, Seagull, I am a poet of reality," he says, after first praising the bird, then going on to describe its barking, its stealing garbage from the mouths of other gulls. Luckily for listeners, Neruda's "reality" permits forays into imagination, such as the baby's foot that thinks it can fly or the suit that might soon wear thin or might outlive its owner and be used for burial. No subject in Neruda's hands is unworthy of praise, including the onion, the artichoke, salt, socks, or the watch on a lover's wrist. While translations of the poet's work abound in print, and there are tapes of him reading his own poems, this is only the second tape of translations available. A true delight; recommended for all libraries. Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
Writer and translator Stephen Mitchell has chosen these 49 poems by the beloved Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, celebrations of the senses that succeed at making the commonest things in life complex and luminous. With all poetry, something is lost when the length of the lines, the patterns the words make, are not seen on the page. But something can be gained, too, in the hearing, and Neruda's language, so subtle but accessible, lends itself gracefully to the treatment. Mitchell's voice is light and warm and perfectly pitched, and quiet musical support adds to the pleasure of this lovely audio experience. B.G. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
