Martin Figura Book order

Acutely observed, incisive and precise, The Remaining Men sees Martin Figura combining precision, wit and compassion to produce a collection that is linguistically dexterous and deeply effective.

Martin Figura's riveting sequence of poems about his childhood, his father killing his mother, and the consequences of that upon the whole family is remarkable for the story he doesn't tell, as much as for the story he does. Exercising a humanising restraint, delicately balanced, these poems are an attempt to excise memory, to fill in some of the missing gaps, but the sense one is left with most of all is absence and loss. Moving, brave, unsentimental, Whistle doesn't blow the whistle on the family. Instead it rather heartbreakingly tries to piece together the fragments of a life, shattered by murder. Sometimes lyrical, rarely angry, often tender, Figura's soul-mate throughout is the understanding and watchful eye of the camera: 'One day I shall hold them with white gloves, / carefully brush away the dust and look / through their shadows and fingerprints' - Jackie Kay.

Poetry collection and stage show. Covering the latter half of the 20th Century - the 'post war, mod or rocker generation' of which Figura (an occasional mod) is part, it blurs the edges of personal and collective memory to explore family, relationships and belonging against a social, historical and political backdrop.