Howard Nemerov – författare

The former Poet Laureate of the United States, Nemerov gives us a lucid and precise twist on the commonplaces of everyday life. The Collected Poems of Howard Nemerov won both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. "Howard Nemerov is a witty, urbane, thoughtful poet, grounded in the classics, a master of the craft. It is refreshing to read his work. . . . "—Minneapolis Tribune "The world causes in Nemerov a mingled revulsion and love, and a hopeless hope is the most attractive quality in his poems, which slowly turn obverse to reverse, seeing the permanence of change, the vices of virtue, the evanescence of solidities and the errors of truth."—Helen Vendler, New York Times Book Review

"These new poems of Howard Nemerov are the poems of a master at his best. What is more, they are accessible. They speak out in a beautiful unclouded voice of the experience of a flyer of the Second World War. Although as 'war poems' they take their place among the best of that genre, they resonate far beyond their history with an arresting immediacy."--Karl Shapiro

The former Poet Laureate of the United States, Nemerov gives us a lucid and precise twist on the commonplaces of everyday life. "Howard Nemerov is a witty, urbane, thoughtful poet, grounded in the classics, a master of the craft. It is refreshing to read his work..."--Minneapolis Tribune "The world causes in Nemerov a mingled revulsion and love, and a hopeless hope is the most attractive quality in his poems, which slowly turn obverse to reverse, seeing the permanence of change, the vices of virtue, the evanescence of solidities and the errors of truth."--Helen Vendler, New York Times Book Review

"The only way out," writes Howard Nemerov, "is the way through, just as you cannot escape death except by dying. Being unable to write, you must examine in writing this being unable, which becomes for the present—henceforth?—the subject to which you are condemned." This is the record of the struggle to compose a novel; a struggle transformed by Nemerov into a far-reaching exploration of the creative process itself. "He often shows bravery and shrewdness; the book is full of fine criticism and psychological insight. As always, his prose has that ease and transparency that make one forget one is reading; one seems simply to hear a voice speaking. Nemerov's improvised self-analysis has weaknesses, but few that he himself doesn't eventually recognize."—New York Times Book Review "In an age of explicitness, Nemerov's Journal of the Fictive Life is explicitly without vulgarity; in an age of revelation, it reveals only what counts. More then a book about creativity, it is a beautiful creation."—Richard G. Stern

Howard Nemerov—poet laureate of the United States, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, and chancellor of the Academy of American Poets—was one of the most prolific and significant American poets of the twentieth century. By the time of his death in 1991, he had published fourteen collections of poetry.Judiciously selected and introduced by poet Daniel Anderson, The Selected Poems of Howard Nemerov represents the broad spectrum of Nemerov's virtues as a poet—his intelligence, his wit, his compassion, and his irreverence. It stands as the retrospective collection of the best of what Nemerov left behind, which is some of the finest poetry that the twentieth century produced."To keep his errors down to a minimum," W. H. Auden wrote, "the internal Censor to whom a poet submits his work in progress should be a Censorate. It should include, for instance, a sensitive only child, a practical housewife, a logician, a monk, an irreverent buffoon a nd even, perhaps, hated by all others and returning their dislike, a brutal, foul-mouthed drill sergeant who considers all poetry rubbish."Such are the readers to whom the poetry of Howard Nemerov might appeal. He distinguished himself on the landscape of American letters as a writer of great versatility. More than a decade after his death, that claim still holds true.In this, the only edition of Nemerov's work that surveys his entire poetic output, first-time readers of these poems will find an introduction to a truly remarkable creative mind. Longtime admirers of Nemerov will be reminded once again of his significance as a craftsman and philosopher, and as a poetic steward of the many ways in which we experience the world.

Foreword by Howard Nemerov

Nemerov’s first novel, ‘The Melodramatists’ is a parody of life in 20th Century America. When wealthy Nicholas Boyne is committed to a mental health facility, his two daughters, Claire and Susan, are left to their own devices. Susan embarks on an ill-fated affair with her psychiatrist, while Claire undergoes a spiritual awakening and sets about a plan to convert the family home into a retreat for the rehabilitation of prostitutes. Brutally funny and packed with wry observations, this is an ideal read for anyone curious about the works of this celebrated writer.Howard Nemerov (1920 – 1991) was an American novelist and poet, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. His novels are characterised by the use of self-deprecating wit and an ongoing sense of irony. While his books tended to satirise 20th Century American life, his poems often focussed on the beauty and innocence of nature. In addition, Nemerov also worked as a scriptwriter, most notably on the film, ‘Tall Story,’ starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda.

Nemerov’s first novel, ‘The Melodramatists’ is a parody of life in 20th Century America. When wealthy Nicholas Boyne is committed to a mental health facility, his two daughters, Claire and Susan, are left to their own devices. Susan embarks on an ill-fated affair with her psychiatrist, while Claire undergoes a spiritual awakening and sets about a plan to convert the family home into a retreat for the rehabilitation of prostitutes. Brutally funny and packed with wry observations, this is an ideal read for anyone curious about the works of this celebrated writer.Howard Nemerov (1920 – 1991) was an American novelist and poet, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. His novels are characterised by the use of self-deprecating wit and an ongoing sense of irony. While his books tended to satirise 20th Century American life, his poems often focussed on the beauty and innocence of nature. In addition, Nemerov also worked as a scriptwriter, most notably on the film, ‘Tall Story,’ starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda.

Shot through with his trademark humour, ‘Trying Conclusions’ is the fourteenth collection of poems from the lauded writer. Containing twenty-three poems, the topics vary wildly, from short verses on waiting rooms and fast cars to longer musings on his family, war, and the US Congress. Nemerov’s sense of the satirical is best seen in shorter offerings, where he takes a literary look at life from the other end of the telescope. A superb introduction to the works of one of the 20th Century’s most subversive scribes.Howard Nemerov (1920 – 1991) was an American novelist and poet, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. His novels are characterised by the use of self-deprecating wit and an ongoing sense of irony. While his books tended to satirise 20th Century American life, his poems often focussed on the beauty and innocence of nature. In addition, Nemerov also worked as a scriptwriter, most notably on the film, ‘Tall Story,’ starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda.EPUB3: Reflowable

Widely considered to be among his best works, ‘War Stories’ is a collection of poems detailing Nemerov’s observations and personal experiences of the Second World War. From the grand, sweeping reflections of ‘The War in the Heavens’ to the haunting verses of ‘The War in the Streets,’ this anthology is as pertinent now as it was when it was first published. A superb book for those with an interest in World War II, or those who want to see a different side to this usually-satirical poet. Howard Nemerov (1920 – 1991) was an American novelist and poet, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. His novels are characterised by the use of self-deprecating wit and an ongoing sense of irony. While his books tended to satirise 20th Century American life, his poems often focussed on the beauty and innocence of nature. In addition, Nemerov also worked as a scriptwriter, most notably on the film, ‘Tall Story,’ starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda.EPUB3: Reflowable

A wizard with words, Nemerov presents this collection of poems in his typical, sardonic style. However, the humour is used to slide more important themes under the radar, making this both a funny and reflective read. Poems such as ‘Fish Swimming Amid Falling Flowers,’ and ‘Graven Images’ see his haunting observations on nature, while others, such as ‘Acts of God,’ and ‘Striders’ deal with more epic ideas. A superb introduction to one of the greatest American poets of the 20th Century.Howard Nemerov (1920 – 1991) was an American novelist and poet, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1978. His novels are characterised by the use of self-deprecating wit and an ongoing sense of irony. While his books tended to satirise 20th Century American life, his poems often focussed on the beauty and innocence of nature. In addition, Nemerov also worked as a scriptwriter, most notably on the film, ‘Tall Story,’ starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda.EPUB3: Reflowable