NPR's Book of the Day
Don Paterson and Michael Ondaatje's new books meditate on poetry, time and memory
Mar 29, 2024
Scottish poet Don Paterson discusses his new memoir 'Toy Fights' with NPR's Scott Simon, highlighting his descent into madness and the absence of his poems in the book. Then, Simon talks to Booker Prize-winning poet Michael Ondaatje about his book 'A Year of Last Things' and the fluidity between fiction and poetry.
16:08
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Quick takeaways
- Don Paterson's memoir 'Toy Fights' focuses on childhood memories sans poetry, offering insight into his early life.
- Michael Ondaatje's poetry collection 'A Year Of Last Things' explores themes of childhood, loss, and language with a focus on poetic expression.
Deep dives
Don Patterson: Memoir and Poetry
Don Patterson, an acclaimed Scottish poet, discusses his memoir titled Toy Fights, which surprisingly doesn't mention poetry much. Growing up in a working-class neighborhood in Dundee, Scotland during the 1970s, Patterson shares humorous anecdotes like his father's incentivizing strategy to stop bed-wetting. Despite his accolades in poetry, Patterson's memoir focuses on childhood recollections devoid of poetic references, offering insight into his early life and upbringing.
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