Description:
A sharp, wry look at late 20th-century Englishness through poetry.
Christopher Reid distills Charles Boyle's six books of poems into The Disguise: Poems 1977-2001, showcasing a notable voice known for sharp, wry observations of social mores. Recovered from poetic neglect, Boyle's work offers a disabused perspective on quintessential white male Englishness, alongside the allure of abroad, particularly North Africa. Themes of ghosts, absences, exile, and evasions hint at the poet's eventual disappearance from the scene.
These poems offer a unique blend of introspection and social commentary, exploring memory, identity, and the passage of time. For readers of contemporary poetry and those interested in insightful reflections on society and self, this collection provides a compelling journey through the late 20th century. Discover a lost voice with The Disguise, a time capsule of English verse.
Review Quotes: 'This is the business. From the start, you realise that you are in the presence of a sharp, subversive and observant intelligence, a writer with an ear for a story and the easy narrative manner of someone who - it comes as an instant relief to notice this - isn't going to bore you once.' Nicholas Lezard, The Guardian