Iridescent and intransigently nuanced, these aphorisms collected by students show the worldly intelligence of an inspiring teacher and a highly accomplished poet. The wisdom encoded in this book challenges us to rethink our craft as writers and our preconceptions as readers. It’s a book I’ll keep returning to year after year
- Kit Fan,
A brilliant and beautiful book; new required reading for all of us as we continue on in our life-long study of poetry and the world
- Andrew McMillan,
As pragmatic as it is beautiful … Hur’s translation is limpid and witty
Tablet *Books of the Year*
Provocative … There’s a reason Lee’s students have been scribbling down his every word
- Jeremy Noel-Tod, Prospect
Provocative and inspiring, this is a new poetry essential
- Fiona Sampson, Guardian
Produktdetaljer
Biographical note
Lee Seong-Bok (Author)
Lee Seong-bok, often referred to as a poet’s poet, was born in Sangju, Korea. He managed to enter the prestigious Gyeonggi High School in Seoul where he was inspired to write by his Korean teacher, the poet Kim Won-ho, as well as the work of poet Kim Soo-young. After graduating from Seoul National University with a degree in French, he worked at Keimyung University in Daegu for forty years, interrupted by a stint of living in Paris, where he studied the poststructuralists as well as the tenets of Seon Buddhism. He has written eight collections of poetry and numerous other books including academic and mainstream literary criticism, creative writing, and two books of essays on photography.
Anton Hur (Translator)
Anton Hur was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the translator of the runaway Korean bestseller, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, he won a PEN Translates award for Kang Kyeong-ae's The Underground Village, and his translation of Bora Chung's Cursed Bunny was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. He lives in Seoul, South Korea.