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Poems Of Fernando Pessoa

Fernando Pessoa is Portugal’s most important contemporary poet. He wrote under several identities, which he called heteronyms: Albet Caeiro, Alvaro de Campos, Ricardo Reis, and Bernardo Soares. He wrote fine poetry under his own name as well, and each of his “voices” is completely different in subject, temperament, and style. This volume brings back into print the comprehensive collection of his work published by Ecco Press in 1986.

Paperback: 240 pages

Publisher: City Lights Publishers; Reprint edition (January 1, 2001)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0872863425

ISBN-13: 978-0872863422

Product Dimensions: 7 x 1 x 9 inches

Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #320,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #45 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Regional & Cultural > European > Spanish & Portuguese #71 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Regional & Cultural > European > Spanish #1026 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Themes & Styles

Fernando Pessoa is surely the most important 20th century Portuguese poet. The critic Harold Bloom considers Fernando Pessoa (along with Pablo Neruda) the "most representative" poet of the 20th century. This is a considerable feat if one considers other 20th century poets like: T.S. Eliot, Rilke, Valery, Yeats, Lorca etc.Gabriel Garcia Marquez considers Neruda the "best poet of the 20th century, in any language." I highly admire Neruda, but Pessoa has done more for me, has influenced me much more than has Neruda. Pessoa's invention of several "selves" is a feat of originality without precedent.Perhaps what most characterizes Pessoa is his strangeness. His strangeness is partly explained by his own life: Pessoa has been called "the man who never was." This is accurate: he is one of the most solitary literary geniuses of modern times. This sense of estrangement is all-pervasive in most of his poems.The Noble Laureate Gao Xinjiang recently called Pessoa "the most profound poet of the 20th century." I concur with him. ---Concerning this selection: I suggest the reader buy both the Zenith and Hong translations. It would be best ofcourse if one read his poetry in the original Portuguese. P.S: (Pessoa's complete poems can be found online, in both English, Spanish & Portuguese...)

Do yourselves a favour and read the unforgettable poems of the century's least acknowledged, but greatest, poet.

I'm about halfway through the book, and I have to say that Pessoa's poems are excellent. The distinguishing styles and themes of each of his characters that he writes as are very interesting. Unlike anything I've read in a very long time. He has a lot of provocative imagery especially as Álvaro de Campos. The font is pretty easy on the eyes as well for being something other than Times New Roman too.I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy poetry, this book is like 6 from 6 different poets in one.I can imagine, how much better these poems are in original Portuguese because I looked up some originals and since I can read Spanish and understand enough to know the essence it leaves behind when it gets translated. I wish I was literate, at least, enough in Portuguese to get these poems in their original form.Overall, great book with an incredible assortment of poems!

Great stuff. Get it and read it. I here want to register a more general complaint: the lack of dual-language versions of Pessoa's works. Even if relatively few English speakers know Portuguese, anybody who knows another Romance language can work through the Portuguese. Those who can read Spanish, especially, will be able to work through the original with little trouble, especially, of course, with the help of an English translation on the facing page. So let's see some bilingual editions, please! Either that, or could start making more foreign language books available.

It's telling of the miserable state and status of the Portuguese -- "a brilliance lacking luster" -- that only an enlightened few are privileged to know (posthumously) that Pessoa ranks among the greatest writers of recent centuries. (Yes.) Become one of the privileged few to enter Pessoa's universe, and make sure it's initially through the translations of Honig and Brown.

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