Slanderous Tongues: Essays on Welsh Poetry in English 1997-2005

Slanderous Tongues addresses a shameful gap in Welsh literary studies: English language poetry over the last forty years. This is a book which for the first time looks at that subject in the round, and in its many diversities. It is distinctive too for being the work of younger critics, who bring a fresh perspective to the subject. Slanderous Tongues adopts a thematic approach, exploring the field through the prisms of politics, nationhood, gender, the environment, external influences (particularly Welsh language, American and Irish), experimentation in form and language. Among the many poets whose work is considered are RS Thomas, Nigel Jenkins, Mike Jenkins, Gillian Clarke, Oliver Reynolds, Mike Jenkins, Duncan Bush, Robert Minhinnick, Harri Webb, Idris Davies, Ruth Bidgood, Deryn Rees-Jones, Gwyneth Lewis, Menna Elfyn, Evan Boland and Medbh McGuckian. Lively and informed, provocative and perceptive, this specially commissioned book is a superb guide to English language poetry in Wales It will be invaluable for students and their teachers and lecturers, in addition to the engaged general reader.