The French have long had a love affair with the cat,
expressed through centuries of poetry portraying the animal's wit and wonder.
Norman R. Shapiro lionizes the felines' limitless allure in this one-of-a-kind
collection. Spanning centuries and styles, he draws on she-cats and toms, and
an honor roll of French poets, well known and lesser known, who have served as
their devoted champions. He reveals the remarkable range of French cat poems,
with most works presented here for the first time in English translation.
Scrupulously devoted to evoking the meaning and music of the originals, Shapiro
also respects the works' formal structures. Pairing his translations with Olga
Pastuchiv's elegant illustrations, Fe-Lines guides the reader through the
marvels and inscrutabilities of the Mystique féline .
My review:
The French aren’t the only ones that love cats, but this
book shows how much their love affair with the cat is. I love cats and poetry.
Hence, this was a natural read for me. I love this book and highly recommend
it. Author Norman Shapiro translates the poems, and then provides the originals
in the back of the book, making this volume ideal for those who read either or
both English and French. Of course, this book is all about cats. The poems
cover the modern and classic. One does not have to love cats to enjoy the prose in this book.
Overall, for anyone that adores poetry and/or cats, I highly
recommend this book for you.
About the author:
Norman R. Shapiro, translator of French poetry and theater,
is Distinguished Professor of Literary Translation at Wesleyan University. As
Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la République Française and
member of the Academy of American Poets, he has published numerous
award-winning collections, including The Complete Fables of Jean de La
Fontaine. Olga Pastuchiv's art enlivens a number of volumes, among them her
children's picture book Minas and the Fish.
Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Be a voice for the voiceless! Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family." Released from Black Opal Books Oct. 24th, 2015 and available at all on-line retailers and indie booksellers.
My Black Opal Books Author Page:
Until next review, stay safe. Smile! Show compassion to others. Be nice to one another. Read a book and pass it on. Review it. Be a voice for the voiceless! Cheers!
Regards,
S.J. Francis
In Shattered Lies: "It's All About Family." Released from Black Opal Books Oct. 24th, 2015 and available at all on-line retailers and indie booksellers.
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And now for some legal stuff: Copyright 2016 by S.J. Francis. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, S. J. Francis and are meant to entertain, inform and enlighten, and intend to offend no one.
