Reviews

A Garland: The Poems and Fragments of Sappho by Jim Powell, Sappho

asburris325's review

inspiring mysterious reflective

4.25

krethanthemum's review

hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective

4.0

jackieeh's review

reflective

3.5

I am comparing this to Anne Carson’s Sappho, and it’s coming up short. Still, it’s always lovely to reencounter the woman herself. 

elizzza's review

reflective fast-paced

3.0

lolyaygtg's review

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

I really enjoyed reading Sappho’s work, it felt insightful and powerful. Even if almost all of Sappho’s work is taken out of context it still is wonderfully worded and beautiful. Note that I’ve never read her works in Greek, but I do think English translation is really well done.

caitlin_a's review

5.0

in theory this book is not a 5 star since it’s super fragmented but since it’s like that due to how long ago her poems where originally written and the original poetry itself has become fragmented due to time the sapphic queen herself gets 5/5(also did not realize how fruity her poems actually are)

karatedrummer's review

4.0

Arresting, beautiful in its incompleteness, and the only reason I fail to give this 5 stars is because I want to compare this translation to others, see which one captures the feel of Sappho's writing the best. Her writing packs a punch, and Powell certainly does a good job of letting us absorb that blow.

sydneyrose07's review

mysterious reflective fast-paced

5.0

manwithanagenda's review

emotional reflective slow-paced

3.0

There's not much to say about this, its beautiful poetry. Right from the start I was reminded of an ancient Egyptian love poem ("I was simply off to see Nefrus my friend") that I'd read for a class once, not that it was so similar to Sappho, but in how I was suddenly hearing a voice--I read poetry out loud whenever I can get away with it--that has been dead for well over 2,000 years. 

I've never read Sappho before so I can't say if its this edition's translation and arrangement of her work that made me so entranced by it, but I was deeply disappointed when the poetry ended on page 28. 

The rest of the book is a detailed biography, bibliography and history of Sappho, her poetry and its influence. It's such a slim thing, perfect for a quiet moment.

dorian's review

5.0

you've come and you –

oh, i was longing for you –

have cooled my heart

which was burning with desire