From the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and Swedenâs most acclaimed poet. âReaders new to TranstrÃļmer should bundle up and dive inâ (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
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Known for sharp imagery, startling metaphors and deceptively simple diction, Tomas TranstrÃļmerâs luminous poems offer mysterious glimpses into the deepest facets of humanity, often through the lens of the natural world. These new translations by Patty Crane, presented side by side with the original Swedish, are tautly rendered and elegantly cadenced. They are also deeply informed by Craneâs personal relationship with the poet and his wife during the years she lived in Sweden, where she was afforded greater insight into the nuances of his poetics and the man himself.
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A New York TimesBook Review Editorsâ Choice
A Los Angeles Times Fabulous Holiday Book
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âImmediate, bodily . . . vivid . . . Full of intent and personality. To my ear, Crane has so far made the best English version of TranÂstrÃļmer.â âThe New York Times Book Review
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âPatty [Crane]âs book has such transparency and illumination and candor. . . . For me, this is the finest translation since Blyâs.â âTeju Cole
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âSometimes a new piece of shared cultural heritage seems to click into place; the appearance of Bright Scytheâselected poems by Swedish Nobel laureate Tomas TranstrÃļmer, translated by Patty Craneâfeels like such an occasion . . . A lasting tribute to the poetâs passing.â âWorld Literature Today
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âQuietly revelatory . . . A haunting, mysterious, but ultimately warm and humanistic work, and a welcome introduction both to TranstrÃļmerâs poetry and in the debates over how best to translate it into another tongue.â âBiographile