Friends, today I’m thrilled to share my most recent piece for Plough Quarterly, a review of Malcolm Guite’s new book of poetry, Galahad and the Grail, the first in a projected four-book series retelling the story of Logres in verse. (The book is doing exceptionally well, having breached the top fifty of all books on Amazon.) In the essay I discuss the loss of cultural memory and the growing likelihood that the tales of King Arthur (and innumerable other great myths, legends and folktales) will be forgotten—a fear that seems to have animated the writing of this book:
That sense of loss ripples through the pages of Galahad and the Grail, investing the narrative with a sense of urgency commensurate to our present moment. What would it mean for our children to grow up in a world where Lancelot, Nimue, Sir Balin, Sir Bors, Camelot, the Grail, the Green Knight, and the Dolorous Stroke are forgotten and unknown? That would be a tragedy on par with the hunting to extinction of whales and the logging of the last forests.
Malcolm Guite seems to have much enjoyed the essay, calling it “one of the best and most insightful reviews of my book so far!” and adding, “It’s so good when a reviewer (in this case SketchesbyBoze) completely understands both the tradition and the contemporary context in which you’re writing. Result: a really in depth review.”
You can read the full review here.
Great accolades from Malcolm Guite, Boze! Excellent work. It's vital to forge alliances with others who share our concern about the loss of cultural literacy--such a bleak impoverishment.
And, to echo the famous poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, "Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward springs--"