WE GO FAR BACK IN TIME: The Letters of Earle Birney and Al Purdy, 1947-1984 - Hardcover

BRADLEY N.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1550176102 ISBN 13: 9781550176100

Synopsis

"Tell me, how do I write better poetry? You can't? I'm not surprised. You can write it yourself but damned if you can tell someone else how, your classes to the contrary."—Al Purdy"The truth is none of us who write poetry should allow ourselves to make public critiques of the others, not in a small country like this where we know each other too well."—Earle BirneyThis collection of letters illustrates the long friendship between two of Canada's most highly regarded poets, Earle Birney and Al Purdy. Beginning with Purdy's lauding of, and jabbing at, a poet he admired but had never met, it captures the changing relationship between the writers, each of whom was fiercely committed to the other's work. The letters are full of mutual praise and stern criticism, as Purdy and Birney, relentless in their pursuit of poetic success, look to each other for advice and share their many dissatisfactions with the literary life. "We Go Far Back in Time" is an intimate look into the lives of two great poets who found common ground in their writing and in the changing fortunes of their literary careers.

About this title

About the Author:

Save the Al Purdy A-Frame Campaign
The Canadian League of Poets has declared a
National Al Purdy Day!
Al Purdy was born December 30, 1918, in Wooler, Ontario and died at Sidney, BC, April 21, 2000. Raised in Trenton, Ontario, he lived throughout Canada as he developed his reputation as one of Canada's greatest writers. His collections included two winners of the Governor General's Award, Cariboo Horses (1965) and Collected Poems (1986)
and other classics such as Poems for All the Annettes, In Search of Owen Roblin and Piling Blood. Later in life, he travelled widely with his wife Eurithe and settled in Ameliasburg, Ontario and Sidney, BC. In addition to his thirty-three books of poetry, he published a novel, an autobiography and nine collections of essays and correspondence. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1983 and the Order of Ontario in 1987. His ashes are buried in Ameliasburg at the end of Purdy Lane.

About this edition

• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1550176102
• ISBN 13: 9781550176100
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 1