Hi,

I'm writing to extend a charged welcome to Keith Tuma's 'Fishing By
Obstinate Isles' (Northwestern University Press, 1998) a hugely engaging
book on issues embroiling 'modern and postmodern British Poetry and
American Readers'. In fact it's by some distance the most interesting book
on twentieth century poetry and poetics in these 'isles' that I've yet
read, acknowledging in so saying that I'm sure I haven't read 'em all.
Also, it's fair to say that its focus is more, though far from exclusively,
towards the English in the British than its subtitle might suggest. ('twas
ever thus - alas) Although I suspect he has other projects in pipelines to
rectify any such semblances of imbalance.

Keith's reading (and readings of poets such as Mina Loy, Joseph Macleod,
Basil Bunting, Allen Fisher, Peter Riley, Geraldine Monk, Tom Raworth) from
a distance (an irony he would relish) , is provocative and salutary,
besides being well researched and pithily written. Not everyone will agree
or relish his own predilections but everyone here is implicated in the
arguments he outlines and I'd urge you all to engage with the perspectives
and challenges he puts before us.

I don't know who's distributing here, but even in Lowestoft I can get
Ottakar's to order at no extra cost, so there's little by way of excuse.

Need I add that the above arrived in the same post as my long-awaited copy
of 'Other' edited by Ric Caddell and Peter Quartermain, which aside from
being a handsome tome is pretty useful when read alongside later chapters
in the Tuma. Interesting then, tipping in the recent Big Allis and Talisman
selections, that some weighty and concerted attentions are being focussed
in these directions from poets, critics and publishers in the North
Americas - and now . .

love and love
cris




%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%