Azaleas

A Book of Poems

Fiction & Literature, Poetry, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Azaleas by Kim Sowol, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Kim Sowol ISBN: 9780231511452
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: April 3, 2007
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Kim Sowol
ISBN: 9780231511452
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: April 3, 2007
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

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.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Eye of the Century by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Cinema of Terrence Malick by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book They Still Pick Me Up When I Fall by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book Governance in the New Global Disorder by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book Speaking for Buddhas by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Best American Magazine Writing 2014 by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Fracking Debate by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book A Tragedy of Democracy by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book Protest with Chinese Characteristics by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Quotidian Revolution by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book O God of Players by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book Writings from the Golden Age of Russian Poetry by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Protestant Ethnic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Kim Sowol
Cover of the book The Children's Film by Kim Sowol
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy