| Azaleas: A Book of Poems Contributor(s): Sowol, Kim (Author), McCann, David (Translator) |
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ISBN: 023113973X ISBN-13: 9780231139731 Publisher: Columbia University Press OUR PRICE: $26.73 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2007 Annotation: Available for the first time in English, "Azaleas" is a captivating collection of poems by a master of the early Korean modernist style. Published in 1925, "Azaleas" is the only collection Kim Sowol (1902-1934) produced during his brief life, yet he remains one of Korea's most beloved and well-known poets. His work is a delightful and sophisticated blend of the images, tonalities, and rhythms of traditional Korean folk songs with surprisingly modern forms and themes. Sowol is also known for his unique and sometimes unsettling perspective, expressed through loneliness, longing, and a creative use of dream imagery-a reflection of Sowol's engagement with French Symbolist poetry. "Azaleas" recounts the journey of a young Korean as he travels from the northern P'yongyang area near to the cosmopolitan capital of Seoul. Told through an array of voices, the poems describe the young man's actions as he leaves home, his experiences as a student and writer in Seoul, and his return north. Although considered a landmark of Korean literature, "Azaleas" speaks to readers from all cultures. An essay by Sow?o's mentor, the poet Kim Ok, concludes the collection and provides vital insight into Sowol's work and life. This elegant translation by David R. McCann, an expert on modern Korean poetry, maintains the immediacy and richness of Sowol's work and shares with English-language readers the quiet beauty of a poet who continues to cast a powerful spell on generations of Korean readers., reviewing a previous edition or volume |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Poetry | Asian - General |
| Dewey: 895.713 |
| LCCN: 2006029591 |
| Series: Weatherhead Books on Asia |
| Physical Information: 0.44" H x 5.29" W x 8.93" (0.56 lbs) 216 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Asian - Cultural Region - Southeast Asian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Available for the first time in English, Azaleas is a captivating collection of poems by a master of the early Korean modernist style. Published in 1925, Azaleas is the only collection Kim Sowol (1902-1934) produced during his brief life, yet he remains one of Korea's most beloved and well-known poets. His work is a delightful and sophisticated blend of the images, tonalities, and rhythms of traditional Korean folk songs with surprisingly modern forms and themes. Sowol is also known for his unique and sometimes unsettling perspective, expressed through loneliness, longing, and a creative use of dream imagery-a reflection of Sowol's engagement with French Symbolist poetry. Azaleas recounts the journey of a young Korean as he travels from the northern P'yongyang area near to the cosmopolitan capital of Seoul. Told through an array of voices, the poems describe the young man's actions as he leaves home, his experiences as a student and writer in Seoul, and his return north. Although considered a landmark of Korean literature, Azaleas speaks to readers from all cultures. An essay by Sowol's mentor, the poet Kim Ok, concludes the collection and provides vital insight into Sowol's work and life. This elegant translation by David R. McCann, an expert on modern Korean poetry, maintains the immediacy and richness of Sowol's work and shares with English-language readers the quiet beauty of a poet who continues to cast a powerful spell on generations of Korean readers. |
Contributor Bio(s): McCann, David: - David R. McCann is Korea Foundation Professor Emeritus of Korean Literature at Harvard University. His books of translations of Korean poetry include The Temple of Words: An Anthology of Modern Korean Buddhist Poetry (Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, 2017), Azaleas, Poems by Kim Sowŏl (Columbia University Press, 2007), Enough to Say It's Far, Poems by Pak Chaesam (with Jiwon Shin; Princeton University Press, Lockert Library of Poetry in Translation, 2006), Traveler Maps: Poems by Ko Un (Tamal Vista Press, 2004); and The Columbia Anthology of Modern Korean Poetry (Columbia University Press, 2004). |