Grief Is the Thing with Feathers
Author | Max Porter |
---|---|
Language | English |
Publisher | Faber and Faber |
Publication date | 2015 |
Publication place | United Kingdom |
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]
Details
[edit]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]
Awards
[edit]Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Guardian First Book Award | — | Shortlisted | [9] |
Goldsmiths Prize | — | Shortlisted | [10][11][12] | |
2016 | Books Are My Bag Readers' Award | Fiction | Won | [13][14] |
Dylan Thomas Prize | — | Won | [15][16] | |
Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award | — | Won | [17] | |
2017 | Europese Literatuurprijs | — | Won | [18] |
Adaptions
[edit]Grief Is the Thing with Feathers was adapted into a play of the same name, directed by Enda Walsh and starring Cillian Murphy.[19]
In 2024, a film adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch, titled The Thing with Feathers, began production. Principal photography was underway by early 2024.[20][21]
References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ Hulbert, Ann (17 May 2016). "Exploring the Facets of Grief". The Atlantic. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, by Max Porter - book review: In". The Independent. 13 September 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ "Ted Hughes' 'Crow' provides backbone for 'Grief Is the Thing With Feathers'". Chicago Tribune. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ Lea, Richard (25 November 2015). "Guardian first book award 2015 goes to poet Andrew McMillan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Goldsmiths Prize 2015 Shortlist". Goldsmiths Prize. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "The Goldsmiths Prize 2015 shortlist". New Statesman. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Books Are My Bag Readers' Award 2016". Books Are My Bag. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Books Are My Bag Reading Awards". National Book Tokens. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
- ^ "Dylan Thomas Prize 2016 Winner". Dylan Thomas Prize. Retrieved 10 August 2024.[dead link ]
- ^ Flood, Alison (14 May 2016). "Dylan Thomas award goes to Max Porter's 'extraordinary feat'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ "Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award 2016 Winner". The Times. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ "Europese Literatuurprijs 2017 Winner". Europese Literatuurprijs. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ Lukowski, Andrzej (29 March 2019). "'Grief Is the Thing with Feathers' review". Time Out London. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.