Preversities: A Jacques Prevert Sampler (Black Widow Press Translations)

by Jacques Prévert, Norman R. Shapiro (Translator)

Comprehensive sampler of Jacques Prevert's poetry. Prevert (1900-1977) is one of the most widely read poets in France. Over one million copies of his poetry books have been published and his poems appear in countless anthologies worldwide. Bilingual edition, translated by Norman R. Shapiro. The most comprehensive anthology of Prevert's poems to appear in English.

Genres: Poetry

410 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2010

About the author

Jacques Prévert est un poète et scénariste français, né le 4 février 1900 à Neuilly-sur-Seine, et mort le 11 avril 1977 à Omonville-la-Petite (Manche). Auteur d'un premier succès, le recueil de poèmes, Paroles, il devint un poète populaire grâce à son langage familier et à ses jeux sur les mots. Ses poèmes sont depuis lors célèbres dans le monde francophone et massivement appris dans les écoles françaises. Il a également écrit des scénarios pour le cinéma où il est un des artisans du réalisme poétique.

Reviews

[Matthew Martens]

Finished, at least, a few sampler samples. Samples come and samples go, but sampling, like the art school dance, goes on forever.

[Tosh]

The poet of post-war Paris as well as a neighbor to Boris Vian. i'm never disappointed with Black Widow Press. Their taste in translated poetry is as perfect as one can be. Oddly enough, I have never sat down and read a whole book of Jacques Prevért's poetry before. A poem here and there, but it was a delight to read this collection from start to finish. i mostly know his work through music. His poetry or lyrics were sung by Juliette Gréco among others, and are clearly classics. His "Autumn Leaves" is one of my favorite tunes. He knows how to capture a specific moment or thought, and just add that Prévert magic to it. Nicely translated by Norman Shapiro, and his little footnotes about the translations are interesting as well.