Grief is the Thing with Feathers

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Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Grief is the Thing with Feathers.jpg
Author Max Porter
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Faber and Faber
Publication date
2015
Awards Dylan Thomas Prize
ISBN 9780571323760
Followed by Lanny  

Grief is the Thing with Feathers is the debut book by Max Porter, a novella about grief, published in 2015. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Details

Grief is the Thing with Feathers is a "book about death and its grief-stricken consolations – love and art" through the story "of a grieving writer and father of two young boys, who is coming to terms with the death of his wife while writing a book about Ted Hughes". It uses text, dialogue and poetry. [4] The book is narrated from rapidly alternating perspectives: the Dad, the Boys, and Crow—a human-sized bird that can speak, "equal parts babysitter, philosopher and therapist" to the family. [5] [6]

The title refers to a poem by Emily Dickinson, ""Hope" is the thing with feathers". [7] Crow is the Crow from Ted Hughes' 1970 poetry book. [8]

Play

Grief is the Thing with Feathers was adapted into a play of the same name, directed by Enda Walsh and starring Cillian Murphy. [9] In 2024, a film adaptation, The Thing with Feathers began production, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. [10] [11]

Awards

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References

  1. Kitamura, Katie (1 July 2016). "Their Grief Counselor Is a Crow. It's Fiction". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. Hulbert, Ann (17 May 2016). "Exploring the Facets of Grief". The Atlantic. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  3. Wade, Francesca (22 September 2015). "Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter, review: 'deeply comic, hopelessly sad'". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  4. Gunn, Kirsty (18 September 2015). "Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter review – words take flight". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  5. Devers, A. N. (3 June 2016). "Review: Max Porter's debut 'Grief Is the Thing With Feathers' soars with complexity". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  6. East, Ben (11 September 2016). "Grief Is the Thing With Feathers review – a fable of magic and mourning". The Observer. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  7. "Grief is the Thing with Feathers, by Max Porter - book review: In". The Independent. 13 September 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  8. "Ted Hughes' 'Crow' provides backbone for 'Grief Is the Thing With Feathers'". Chicago Tribune. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  9. Lukowski, Andrzej (29 March 2019). "'Grief is the Thing with Feathers' review". Time Out London. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  10. Yossman, K.J. (16 November 2023). "Benedict Cumberbatch Says Participating in His 'Letters Live' Stage Show Is 'An Immediate Shot in the Arm for a Performer'". Variety. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  11. "Benedict Cumberbatch transforms into a grieving father as he films sombre scenes with two child actors for his new role in The Thing With Feathers". whatsnew2day. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  12. "Guardian first book award 2015 longlist – in pictures". The Guardian. 14 August 2015. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  13. "The Goldsmiths Prize 2015 shortlist". New Statesman. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  14. Armitstead, Claire (1 October 2015). "Goldsmiths book prize shortlist: Lennon, Jesus and life at the edges". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  15. Flood, Alison (14 May 2016). "Dylan Thomas award goes to Max Porter's 'extraordinary feat'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 3 November 2023.