Glyn Maxwell Books

Includes the plays The Lifeblood, Wolfpit, The Only Girl in the WorldA history, a legend, a rumour - three stories drawn from the shadows of England. The Lifeblood depicts the last days of Mary Queen of Scots, as four men weave about her a web of love and hatred; Wolfpit brings alive the extraordinary chronicle of the Green Children of Suffolk who appeared inexplicably one summer morning; and love comes to Mary Kelly, The Only Girl in the World otherwise known as the last victim of Jack the Ripper..

'The most compelling, original, charismatic and poetic guide to poetry that I can remember. A handbook written from the heart by one of the true modern masters of the craft.' Simon Armitage A collection of short essays and reflections on poetry from the acclaimed British poet Glyn Maxwell. These essays illustrate Maxwell's poetic philosophy, that the greatest verse arises from a harmony of mind and body, and that poetic forms originate in human necessities – breath, heartbeat, footstep, posture. He speaks of his inspirations, his models, and takes us inside the strange world of the Creative Writing Class, where four young hopefuls grapple with love, sex, cheap wine and hard work. With examples from canonical poets, this is a beautiful, accessible guide to the most ancient and sublime of the realms of literature.

Britain is reeling from reports of a terrorist bomb on a film set that has killed a hundred people and, possibly, the brightest star in Hollywood, Thomas Bayne. Caught up in the middle of the national mourning is Susan Mantle - a rather hopeless London tour-guide - who is seen crying on a park bench and is taken up by the media as a symbol of the blitz spirit, appearing on the rolling news with the headline 'beautiful but crying'. She is crying, though, for other reasons: she's just been told by a clairvoyant that she is about to die. Reason and the real world are quickly relinquished as Susan is swept into a media maelstrom, becoming the baffled and increasingly unwilling star of reality TV. Buffeted by the demands of her new public, and her private terrors about her own mortality, Susan starts to lose control of everything.

The brilliant new collection from a major voice in contemporary poetry

Celebrated as a leading poet of his generation, this collection showcases the finest works of Maxwell, offering readers insight into his poetic mastery and potential future contributions. It serves as a testament to his impact on contemporary poetry, highlighting themes and styles that define his unique voice.