This is no longer about Enzensberger....
I can't speak for Alison but perhaps I should explain myself? I was
pretty intemperate about Muldoon's book, but I did also point out that
my opinions ran counter to the rest of the known world and that my
opinion wouldn't bother him a bit. Or his sales, for that matter.
As I also pointed out in the Duhig review, the book contains one very,
very fine poem - the title poem, The Lammas Hireling. I don't mind his
ballads, which are good of their kind, even if they're not my thing,
but the rest of the book is sloppy and, at its worst, panders to
lowest-common denominator. I quoted several dire examples. I also
pointed out that the fact that he can deliver one fine poem like
Hireling was the reason I got upset about the rest of the book.
Sorry if my review offended...
Tony
> Are you agreeing with Tony Frazer's judgement? Or taking it on trust?
> Tony
> Frazer actually calls the book "abysmal" - like Muldoon's Moy Sand and
> Gravel, for which he reserves the odious word "execrable". Duhig seems
> to
> me some way off the "popular"(populist?)poet you're describing...
> Best,
> Iain
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