Agree in general terms with David Kennedy's posting. The positive things
about Bloodaxe should not be dismissed but I don't think Peter is talking
about that is he - and why should he - every other Brit poetry circle can
talk-up the positive about Bloodaxe just fine. Of course Bloodaxe are not
alone in the daft blurb stakes - at TW nearly every book that is sent us is
the best ever written according to the back cover. The diminishing returns on
all this hyperbole is beginning to tell - when a poet really does merit the
blurb then who can tell if it is true or not - yes, I know, read the book and
find out - but we can't read every book and the young person in search of a
good poetry book to read will fall for a blurb like falling down a manhole.
Now this is the market working - photos on the cover can be yes or no but
blurb on the cover is always yes yes yes.
Tim A.
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