Poetry Books

Explore a world of emotions through our Poetry collection at Thryft. Discover works by renowned poets like Rumi, Robert Frost, and Maya Angelou. Our selection also features contemporary voices such as Warsan Shire and Ocean Vuong.

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A Crackle of Flames, A Circle of Rainbow - Thryft

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If raw and unflinching poetry speaks to you, "A Crackle of Flames, A Circle of Rainbow" by Mohamed Latiff Mohamed may strike a chord. Each poem throbs with the visceral experiences of those cast aside in society. It’s poetry that doesn’t shy away from the bleak and somber realities, gripping readers with its intensity and truth. For anyone looking to explore a potent, socio-political commentary through verse, this could offer a compelling, immersive experience.
The Faerie Queene
Edmund Spenser, Abraham Stoll, Dorothy Stephens  | Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.

The Faerie Queene

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Goodreads rating: 3.84

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"The Faerie Queene" is a classic for anyone passionate about English literature and the tradition of epic poetry. Spenser's elaborate allegories and the depiction of moral virtues personified by knights make it a dense but rewarding read. It's like stepping into a vast, allegorical Renaissance painting, where every symbol tells a part of a larger human story.
I Once Met You But You Were Dead
S.J. Sindu | Split Lip Press

I Once Met You But You Were Dead

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Goodreads rating: 4.38

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This chapbook is like peering through a kaleidoscope of femininity under siege by societal norms and the harrowing backdrop of conflict. It's not just a read; it's an experience that meshes fiction with reality, leaving you to ponder the resilience and trials of womanhood across cultures. If you're drawn to narratives that challenge and enlighten, this one will resonate deeply.
Out of Fashion: An Anthology of Poems
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If fashion's ever-evolving tapestry captivates you, 'Out of Fashion' offers a unique lens to view it through. Carol Ann Duffy has curated a collection that weaves the thread of clothing into the fabric of poetry, providing not just a read but an experience that resonates with the tactile and the aesthetic. Both fashion aficionados and poetry lovers will find common ground in these pages, as it dresses the naked word in layered meaning.
The Journals of Susanna Moodie
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If you're intrigued by the interplay of history, identity, and nature in verse, "The Journals of Susanna Moodie" might resonate with you. Margaret Atwood not only charts Moodie's physical journey through the Canadian bush but also delves into her mental struggles as an immigrant. This is a profound contemplation on belonging and the perennial conflicts between civilization and wilderness.
We Make Spaces Divine - Thryft
Pooja Nansi | Math Paper Press

We Make Spaces Divine

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Goodreads rating: 4.2

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This book is a powerful collection of poems that beautifully capture the essence of personal identity, the experience of migration, and the magic of reclaiming space. Each poem is a journey, taking you through cities and moments in pop culture, while celebrating resilience and resistance. Through Pooja Nansi's exquisite words, this book will empower you to embrace your true self, dance in the face of adversity, and create divine spaces wherever you go. Whether you're a lover of poetry or simply looking for inspiration, "We Make Spaces Divine" is a must-read that will leave you feeling uplifted and fortified in your own unique journey.
Sheologies
Hannah Yerington | Minerva Rising Press

Sheologies

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Goodreads rating: 4.64

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"Sheologies" might resonate with you if you're drawn to the intersection of folklore, spirituality, and the empowerment of women's traditions in Judaism. Hannah Yerington weaves a tapestry of poetry that feels both ethereal and grounded, blending the fantastical with the deeply personal. It's a book that invites introspection and offers a unique perspective on lineage and healing through the lens of Jewish mysticism and feminine strength.
Dominant Genes
S.J. Sindu | Black Lawrence Press

Dominant Genes

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Goodreads rating: 4.38

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If you're intrigued by the delicate dance of identity, heritage, and expression, "Dominant Genes" could resonate with you. SJ Sindu masterfully intertwines poetry with lyrical essays to provide a deeply personal and reflective exploration of nonbinary and queer realities. It's a journey of understanding anger, hope, and empathy that might just change how you view the complexities of love and familial expectations.
Poems for the Sound of the Sky Before Thunder

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If you're drawn to the artistry of language with a capacity to express a spectrum of human emotions, Topaz Winters’ collection will likely resonate with you. The verses oscillate between the shadows and lightness of being, weaving a tapestry that reflects the complexity of life itself. It's for those quiet moments when you seek solace in words, finding comfort in the notion that someone else understands the ebb and flow of pain and joy.
Tender Delirium
Tania De Rozario | Math Paper Press

Tender Delirium

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Goodreads rating: 4.22

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This book could be a good read for you if you're looking for a collection of poetry and prose that fearlessly explores themes of love, longing, and societal norms. Tania De Rozario's Tender Delirium is a powerful and honest expression of queer desire, told through a confessional and often dark lens. With a mix of intensity and humor, this collection will captivate you and challenge your perception of what is considered "proper" subject matter in literature. It is a celebration of love and a rebellion against societal expectations, beautifully crafted by a talented writer.
New Selected Poems, 1984-2004
Carol Ann Duffy | Picador

New Selected Poems, 1984-2004

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Goodreads rating: 3.9

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New Selected Poems is a perfect collection for anyone who wants to experience Carol Ann Duffy's versatile and accessible poetry. Being selected by Duffy herself, the poems in the collection are a testament to the depth and breadth of her work. The collection contains poems from her first six collections, including the critically acclaimed Standing Female Nude and Feminine Gospels. The book is a must-read for poetry enthusiasts, students, and anyone who loves beautiful words crafted into meaningful poems.
Every Woman Loves a Russian Poet - Thryft
Elizabeth Dunkel | Harpercollins

Every Woman Loves a Russian Poet

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Goodreads rating: 3.49

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If you’re drawn to tales woven with wit and cultural zest, "Every Woman Loves a Russian Poet" may just transport you. Elizabeth Dunkel pens a sweeping romance that feels like a dance through vivid settings and passionate encounters. Think of it as a literary vacation with a side of humor and heartfelt connections.
Love and Misadventure
Lang Leav | Andrews Mcmeel Publishing

Love and Misadventure

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Goodreads rating: 3.93

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Love & Misadventure could be a good read for those who have experienced the rollercoaster ride of love. Lang Leav's evocative poetry beautifully captures the complexities of love and heartbreak, taking readers on a personal yet universal journey. Her ability to express profound emotions in simple yet powerful words will resonate with anyone who has loved and lost. Prepare to be moved by the raw honesty and hope that shines through this collection.
Keeping Skeletons
Tan Lixin | Math Paper Press

Keeping Skeletons

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Goodreads rating: 3.55

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"Keeping Skeletons" resonates with the rebel in you who cherishes dreams despite restraints. Blending the fight to be oneself with the struggle against exterior forces, this book can ignite your inner fire. Its brevity ensures a poignant, thought-provoking experience. If you're looking to be inspired in under a hundred pages, this might just be the spark you need.
New Selected Poems
Carol Ann Duffy | Macmillan

New Selected Poems

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Goodreads rating: 3.9

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If you're curious about how a poet's voice and themes evolve over time, this selection is like a time capsule of Carol Ann Duffy's work. Spanning two decades, you'll find variety and vibrancy, a rare mix of everyday scenarios and mythic references told through Duffy's distinctive, accessible verse. It's a refreshing dive into the poetic journey of an award-winning poet, ideal for enthusiasts looking to connect with a broad range of emotions and experiences.
Intruder - Thryft
Jerrold Yam | Ethos Books

Intruder

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Goodreads rating: 3.14

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Jerrold Yam's "Intruder" could resonate with you if you've ever felt like a traveler through your own life, searching for connection in a sea of fleeting encounters. His poetry delves into the core of what it means to be young, restless, and in search of meaning across diverse landscapes, both geographical and emotional. The vivid imagery and candid exploration of sensuality, displacement, and the contradictions inherent in seeking intimacy while fearing commitment, make it a compelling read for anyone who's grappled with the transient nature of relationships and self-identity.
Final Girl
Daphne Gottlieb | Soft Skull Press

Final Girl

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Goodreads rating: 3.99

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If you're into the gritty interplay between cultural critique and personal narrative, "Final Girl" may resonate with you. Daphne Gottlieb stitches together the horror genre's tension and thrill with intimate themes, crafting poetry that's as thought-provoking as it is eerie. With its raw emotion and cultural dissections, this book won't just chill your spine; it might also hijack your thoughts long after you've turned the last page.
Not All Princesses Dress in Pink - Thryft
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This book challenges traditional gender roles and encourages young girls to be themselves and embrace their individuality. Jane Yolen's playful rhymes and mischievous illustrations perfectly capture the spunky spirit of young princesses who march to the beat of their own drum. A must-read for parents looking to instill confidence in their young daughters and celebrate girl power in all its forms.
My Mother - Demonology - Thryft
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Kathy Acker | Pantheon

My Mother - Demonology

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Goodreads rating: 3.89

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My Mother - Demonology could be a great read for individuals looking to explore the complexities of feminism and sexuality, and how they intersect with personal experiences. Acker's writing style is raw and unapologetic, diving deep into the inner workings of the human psyche. The book's unique structure, a blend of memoir and fiction, allows for a fully immersive and engaging reading experience. Overall, My Mother - Demonology is a must-read for those who enjoy thought-provoking literature that challenges societal norms.
Ariel - Thryft
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Sylvia Plath | Faber And Faber

Ariel

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Goodreads rating: 4.19

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Ariel could be a good read for lovers of poetry looking for works that delve deep into the human psyche. Plath's poems are both raw and beautiful as they explore themes of mental illness, existentialism, and death. Her use of dark imagery effectively portrays the intensity of emotion displayed in the collection. Overall, Ariel showcases Plath's unique talent for putting into words the complexities of human nature.
Morning In The Burned House - Thryft
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Margaret Atwood | Mcclelland & Stewart

Morning In The Burned House

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Goodreads rating: 4.12

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Morning In The Burned House would be a good read for poetry lovers seeking a collection of versatile poems exploring a wide range of themes in a contemporary setting. Atwood's poems are deeply personal and often deal with love, nature, death, and history in a compassionate and insightful way. The elegiac series of meditations on the death of a parent is particularly moving. Atwood's technical virtuosity and clarity of vision make this collection a must-read for anyone seeking poetry that speaks to the heart of human experience.
"What I fear most, I think, is the death of the imagination.... If I sit still and don't do anything, the world goes on beating like a slack drum, without meaning. We must be moving, working, making dreams to run toward; the poverty of life without dreams is too horrible to imagine."-- Sylvia Plath, from "Notebooks, February 1956"Renowned for her poetry, Sylvia Plath was also a brilliant writer of prose. This collection of short stories, essays, and diary excerpts highlights her fierce concentration on craft, the vitality of her intelligence, and the yearnings of her imaginaton. Featuring an introduction by Plath's husband, the late British poet Ted Hughes, these writings also reflect themes and images she would fully realize in her poetry. "Jonny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" truly showcases the talent and genius of Sylvia Plath.
Bones And Murder - Thryft
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Margaret Atwood | Virago Press (uk)

Bones And Murder

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Goodreads rating: 3.88

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In this collection of miscellaneous writings by Margaret Atwood, Gertrude describes what really happened in Hamlet, an ugly sister and a wicked stepmother put in a good word for themselves, and a reincarnated bat explains how Bram Stoker got Dracula hopelessly wrong.
Selected Poems
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Carol Ann Duffy | Penguin Books Limited

Selected Poems

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Goodreads rating: 3.82

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If you're drawn to poetry that speaks with a raw, vibrant voice about the human experience, this collection will be a treasure. Carol Ann Duffy masterfully weaves her thoughts and observations into verse that's both accessible and profound, making this a compelling read for anyone looking to immerse themselves in contemporary poetry. Each poem is a window into a different facet of life, inviting reflection and connection.
The Complete Poems - Thryft
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Anne Sexton | Mariner Books

The Complete Poems

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Goodreads rating: 4.29

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From the joy and anguish of her own experience, Sexton fashioned poems that told truths about the inner lives of men and women. This book comprises Sexton's ten volumes of verse, including the Pulitzer Prize-winner Live or Die, as well as seven poems from her last years.
Why God Is A Woman - Thryft
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Nin Andrews | Boa Editions Ltd.

Why God Is A Woman

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Goodreads rating: 3.84

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Why God Is a Woman is a collection of poems written about a magical island where women rule and men are the second sex. It is also the story of a boy who, exiled from the island because he could not abide by its sexist laws, looks back with both nostalgia and bitterness and Why does God have to be a woman? Celebrated prose poet Nin Andrews creates a world both fantastic and familiar where all the myths, logic, and institutions support the dominance of women. Nin Andrews 's books include The Book of Orgasms and Sleeping with Houdini .
Cool, Calm, and Collected : Poems 1960-2000 - Thryft
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Selected as a "Best Book of the Year" by the Los Angeles Times and Booklist magazine, and winner of the Independent Publisher Book Award, Cool, Calm, and Collected is a tour de force from one of the nation’s premier poets. For four decades, Carolyn Kizer has been one of the most influential, controversial, and recognizable figures in American poetry. A feminist practically before the term existed, she has never been afraid to say what is on her mind, writing poems infused with sexual politics, social awareness, and literary irreverence.Cool, Calm, and Collected was reprinted four times in cloth and became one of Copper Canyon Press’s bestselling titles. It features new poems, work from all of Kizer’s previous volumes, translations "from a dizzying number of poets" (New York Times), and several prose pieces, including "Pakistan Journal" and "My Good Father.". . . We women, Outside, breathing dust, are still the Other. The evening sun goes down; time to fix dinner. "You women have no major phiolosophers." We know. But we remain philosophic, and say with the Saint, "Let me enter my chamber and sing my songs of love."—from "Pro Femina""We cannot do without Kizer and never could—here are four decades of compelling reasons why."—Los Angeles Times"Carolyn Kizer is a national treasure."—San Francisco Chronicle"The book will appeal to poetry lovers and activists of all stripes."—Publishers Weekly"No library should be without this collection."—Booklist (starred review)Carolyn Kizer, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, was educated at Sarah Lawrence College. She co-founded Poetry Northwest; served as the first director of the Literature Program at the National Endowment for the Arts; was a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets; and has been a poet-in-residence at Columbia, Stanford, and Princeton. Kizer lives in Sonoma, California.
Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson - Thryft
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This collection of Emily Dickinson's poems, compiled by the librarians most familiar with her work and complemented by several of the poet's handwritten letters, is illustrated with lithographs by Will Barnet and pen-and-ink drawings by Stephen Tennant, artists who have drawn inspiration from Dickinson's poetry. It is a beautiful and affordable celebration of the work of one of our favorite poets.In partnership with the New York Public Library, Doubleday is proud to introduce a very special collector's series of literary masterpieces. Lavishly illustrated with rare archival material from the library's extensive resources, including the renowned Berg collection, these editions will bring the classics to life for a new generation of readers. In addition to original artwork, each volume contains a fascinating selection of unique materials such as handwritten diaries, letters, manuscripts, and notebooks. Simply put, this series presents the work of our most beloved authors in what may well be their most beautiful editions, perfect to own or to give. Published on the occasion of Doubleday's 100th birthday, the New York Public Library Collector's Editions are sure to become an essential part of the modern book lover's private library.
When I Hit You - Thryft
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Meena Kandasamy | Juggernaut Publication

When I Hit You

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Goodreads rating: 4.09

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Seduced by politics and poetry, the unnamed narrator falls in love with a university professor and agrees to be his wife, but what for her is a contract of love is for him a contract of ownership. As he sets about reducing her to his idealised version of a kept woman, bullying her out of her life as an academic and writer in the process, she attempts to push back - a resistance he resolves to break with violence and rape. Smart, fierce and courageous When I Hit You is a dissection of what love meant, means and will come to mean when trust is undermined by violence; a brilliant, throat-tightening feminist discourse on battered faces and bruised male egos; and a scathing portrait of traditional wedlock in modern India.
Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams : and other prose writings - Thryft
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I lay there alone in bed, feeling the black shadow creeping up the underside of the world like a flood tide. Nothing held, nothing was left. The silver airplanes and the silver capes all dissolved and vanished, wiped away like the crude drawings of a child in coloured chalk from the colossal blackboard of the dark.The writings in this collection outline Plath's early preoccupation with issues of mental illness, creativity and femininity, all of which would become recurrent themes in her later work. They offer special insight into her development as a writer, and arguably paved the way for her only full-length piece of prose writing, the loosely veiled fictional autobiography, The Bell Jar.This second edition contains the thirteen stories included in the first edition together with five pieces of her journalism, as well as a few fragments from her journal; and a further nine stories selected from the Indiana archive.
Aurora Leigh - Thryft
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Elizabeth Barrett Browning | Oxford University Press

Aurora Leigh

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Goodreads rating: 3.74

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This verse-novel tells the story of a female writer, balancing work and love. It is and based on Elizabeth's own experiences.Excerpt from Aurora Leigh: A Poem in Nine Books Aurora Leigh. First Book. Of writing many books there is no end;And I, who have written much in prose and verseFor others' uses, will write now for mine, -Will write my story for my better self, As when you paint your portrait for a friend, Who keeps it in a drawer, and looks at itLong after he has ceased to love you, justTo hold together what he was and is. I, writing thus, am still what men call youngI have not so far left the coasts of lifeTo travel inland, that I cannot hearThat murmur of the outer InfiniteWhich unweaned babies smile at in their sleepWhen wondered at for smiling; not so far, But still I catch my mother at her postBeside the nursery-door, with finger up, "Hush, hush, here's too much noise!" while her sweet eyesLeap forward, taking part against her wordIn the child's riot. Still I sit, and feelMy father's slow hand, when she has left us both, Stroke out my childish curls across his knee, And hear Assunta's daily jest (she knewHe liked it better than a better jest)Inquire how many golden scudi wentTo make such ringlets. O my father's hand, Stroke heavily, heavily, the poor hair down, Draw, press the child's head closer to thy knee!I'm still too young, too young, to sit alone.
Hold Your Own - Thryft
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Kae Tempest | Picador

Hold Your Own

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Goodreads rating: 4.14

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Kate Tempest, winner of the Ted Hughes Prize for Brand New Ancients and widely regarded as the UK's leading spoken word poet, has produced a new poem-sequence of electrifying power. Based on the myth of the blind prophet Tiresias, Hold Your Own is a riveting tale of youth and experience, sex and love, wealth and poverty, community and alienation. Walking in the forest one morning, a young man disturbs two copulating snakes - and is punished by the goddess Hera, who turns him into a woman. This is only the beginning of his journey . . . Weaving elements of classical myth, autobiography and social commentary, Tempest uses the story of the gender-switching, clairvoyant Tiresias to create four sequences of poems: 'childhood', 'manhood', 'womanhood' and 'blind profit'. The result is a rhythmically hypnotic tour de force - and a hugely ambitious leap forward for one of the UK's most talented and compelling young writers.
little scratch - Thryft
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Rebecca Watson | Faber & Faber

little scratch

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Goodreads rating: 3.75

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little scratch tells the story of a day in the life of an unnamed woman, living in a lower-case world of demarcated fridge shelves and office politics; clock-watching and WhatsApp notifications. In a voice that is fiercely wry, touchingly delicate and increasingly neurotic, the protagonist relays what it takes to get through the quotidian detail of that single trajectory - from morning to night - while processing recent sexual violence.little scratch is about the coexistence of monotony with our waking, intelligent lives. It is a powerful evocation of how the external and internal aspects of our lives exist in a helix, and what it means to live out the course of a single day consumed by trauma.
The World's Wife - Thryft
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Jeanette Winterson, Carol Ann Duffy  | Picador

The World's Wife

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Goodreads rating: 4.13

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With an introduction by Jeanette WintersonThis unique collection of poems from the Poet Laureate, filled with her characteristic wit, is a feminist classic and a modern take on age-old mythology.Who? Him. The Husband. Hero. Hunk.The Boy Next Door. The Paramour. The Je t'adore.Behind every famous man is a great woman - and from the quick-tongued Mrs Darwin to the lascivious Frau Freud, from the adoring Queen Kong to the long-suffering wife of the Devil himself, each one steps from her counterpart's shadow to tell her side of the story in this irresistible collection.Original, subversive, full of imagination and quicksilver wit, The World's Wife is Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy at her beguiling best.
The Bell Jar - Thryft
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Sylvia Plath | Harper Perennial

The Bell Jar

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Goodreads rating: 4.05

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A Special Paperback Edition to Commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Publication of Sylvia Plath's Remarkable Novel.Sylvia Plath's shocking, realistic, and intensely emotional novel about a woman falling into the grip of insanity.Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.
Making Love With Scrabble Tiles - Thryft
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Joshua Ip | Math Paper Press

Making Love With Scrabble Tiles

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Goodreads rating: 3.6

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"Making Love With Scrabble Tiles" would be a good read for someone who enjoys poetry and wordplay. Joshua Ip's collection invites readers to explore the intricacies of relationships through the lens of language, with each poem crafted from the letters found in Scrabble tiles. The book's unique approach to love and intimacy is a refreshing departure from conventional romance literature.

Immerse yourself in the world of Poetry

At Thryft, we value the power of words. Poetry can encapsulate feelings that are hard to express, offering solace and clarity. Our collection includes timeless classics, vibrant modern works, and significant contributions from local poets. Delve into these verses to enrich your mind and soul. Whether you're a poetry novice or a seasoned reader, find the perfect piece that speaks to you.