On April 19, 2009, Spokane will have the amazing opportunity to listen to Simon Armitage reading his work. Critics love his poems, but he is a prolific writer who also writes non-fiction, novels, and scripts for film, TV, and theater.He has received numerous awards for his poetry including: the Sunday Times Author of the Year, one of the first Forward Prizes and a Lannan Award. Rumor has it that he is also short listed to be the new UK Poet Laureate next year.
You would think that someone as talented and prolific would have gone through an extensive writer’s program, but although he has taught writing at the University of Leeds and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and is a current senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, his own academic foundation is not in Comp., Lit., or even English.
Maybe because his biography includes a Geography degree at Portsmouth Polytechnic and a postgraduate qualification in social work at Manchester University, as well as a variety of non-writing careers, Simon Armitage work speaks to people from all groups of life. We are ecstatic that he is going to be speaking to the people of Spokane.
For more information about Simon’s work visit his website at: http://www.simonarmitage.com/
Our favorite areas of the site are the Poem of the Day and the Audio & Video clips of the author reading his work.
Fans on this side of the pond includes Gwyneth Paltrow. Here she is, reading Simon’s poem "The Gift" which was commissioned by UNICEF for their Born Free from HIV campaign, created to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
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