Synopses & Reviews
Return to the distant, glittering world of the Spanish Renaissance with forty great poems in a remarkable new translation.
Nothing is harder
than to render a classic in contemporary idiom yet retain its sense of time and space
.Edith Grossman delivers.--Carlos Fuentes, New York Times Book Review
The Spanish Renaissance--a period of glory that endured from the late fifteenth century through the seventeenth century--comes to life in its greatest poems, rendered with passionate fervor and a stylistic brilliance. Edith Grossman includes in this beautiful, collection-worthy volume facing-page Spanish, a historical introduction, and biographies of the poets: Jorge Manrique (not translated since Longfellow); Garcilaso de la Vega, a soldier and courtier who wrote love poetry; Fray Luis de Leon, a converso Jew; San Juan de la Cruz, whose poems are the finest exemplars of Christian mysticism; Luis de Gongora, the great sensualist; Lope de Vega, the great rival to Cervantes; Francisco de Quevado, the ultimate Baroque poet; and Sor Juana, the nun whose haunting poetry embodied the voice of Mexico. 10 illustrations.
Synopsis
Celebrating the Spanish Renaissance's greatest poems and offering a new appreciation of Spain's "Golden Age, " Edith Grossman turns her passionate fervor and stylistic brilliance to the works of Jorge Manrique; Garcilaso de la Vega, a soldier and courtier who wrote love poetry; Fray Luis de León, a converso Jew; San Juan de la Cruz, whose poems are the finest exemplars of Christian mysticism; Luis de Góngora, a great sensualist; Lope de Vega, Cervantes' rival; Francisco de Quevedo, the ultimate Baroque poet; and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, the nun whose haunting poetry embodied the voice of Mexico. Through these glorious voices, presented in facing-page Spanish and English, offers a new way to connect with the literary heritage of the Spanish-speaking world.
Synopsis
The Spanish Renaissance--a period of glory that endured from the late 15th century through the 17th century--comes to life in 40 of its greatest poems collected in this remarkable new translation, rendered with passionate fervor and a stylistic brilliance.
Synopsis
"Edith Grossman again demonstrates that she indeed is the Glenn Gould of translators."--Harold Bloom
About the Author
Acclaimed for her best-selling translations of Cervantes, Gabriel García Márquez, and Mario Vargas Llosa, Edith Grossman received the 2006 PEN/Ralph Manheim Award for Translation. She lives in New York City.
Billy Collins was a Poet Laureate of the United States.