{"product_id":"spanish-points-antologia-poetica-edicion-bilingue-by-john-liddy","title":"Spanish Points. Antologia Poetica Edicion Bilingue, by John Liddy","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book was first presented at the \u003cb\u003eFeria del Libro de Madrid\u003c\/b\u003e- the Madrid Book Fair - in June 2026\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Madid event placed this book in front of a very large Spanish reading public at one of the country’s leading book events.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe book is published by Huerga y Fierro, a long-established independent publisher in Madrid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe significance of the publisher \u003cb\u003eHuerga y Fierro\u003c\/b\u003e is that it has sustained an independent editorial voice for half a century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe  publication of the book  by Huerga y Fierro places the book within a \u003cb\u003eserious Spanish literary list\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe  translations in the book are \u003cb\u003emagnificent.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe American poet Kenneth Koch said\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003ethat \"the literature of Britain and America may seem to include everything until we read European, Latin American, Eastern and other fiction and poetry in translation.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e What Koch means is that English-language literature can feel wonderfully broad and complete, when it is all we read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTranslated writing \u003cb\u003eunsettles\u003c\/b\u003e that impression: it brings in different histories, different ways of seeing, different literary styles and different sounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe John Liddy book \u003ci\u003eThe Angling Cot\u003c\/i\u003e, which is translated here was first published in 1991.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd even in a slightly reverse way, it confirms\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eKenneth Koch's point about literature in translation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are the opening lines of the poem:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNoon tide in the orange lights \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDrifting out to sea\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ewhich in Spanish translation becomes\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMarea Alta de luces naranjas\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ea la deriva hacia el mar.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eangling cot\u003c\/strong\u003e is a distinctive, traditional wooden fishing boat associated with the Shannon river around Limerick. And only around Limerick. It is very local.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet here is John Liddy writing lines that could be straight out of Garcia Lorca to describe a local experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNoon tide in the orange lights\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDrifting out to se\u003c\/em\u003ea\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomebody said that when God prays, he prays in Spanish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll those Spanish \u003cb\u003eaudible vowels\u003c\/b\u003e and the consonants that give them shape, are just wonderful to hear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd again, from the Angling Cot the phrase:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUna palabra desvelaba...from one word was gathered a kind of Spanish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSometimes when I am on a street in Madrid or Malaga, and I hear people talking on the street, I think they must be having the most profound and poetic conversations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpanish can sound solemn and expansive, as if it was made for addressing the heavens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOrdinary conversation becomes a kind of music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI said that to a Spanish friend one time and he said “no, they are mostly talking about Coronation Street or some other soap op\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Liddy is the founder of The Stony Thursday book: one of Ireland’s longest-running literary journals which this year is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJohn is the author of 13 standalone poetry collections, with \u003ci\u003eTrue to Form\u003c\/i\u003e the title of his most recent. As that title suggests, John Liddy takes poetic form seriously, with the book including a haiku, a ghazal, a villanelle, a sestina, and a sonnet.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI am a great believer in formalist poetry, and I think we need more of it. Look at the poem published every Saturday in the Irish Times and you will rarely encounter the craftmanship of a formalist poet. John Liddy is a fine craftsman who works with traditional forms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has been correctly said that the \u003ci\u003eStony Thursday\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eBook 50\u003c\/i\u003e is a testament to John's enduring poetic vision and his dedication to the poetic form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a beautifully produced book, and I want to briefly mention its designer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe designer was Ángel Luis Vigaray.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eVigaray was very closely associated with Huerga y Fierro, the publishers.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e   \u003c\/span\u003eBut he was more than a book designer: he was a Spanish poet and editor.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eHe helped shape the Huerga y Fierro poetry publishing projects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe designed\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eand directed very many of their books which were praised for their careful and handsome production.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe helped give the publisher’s books their distinctive editorial identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe did not design individual books. Rather, he was involved in the overall series design of the poetry publications: giving the whole collection a distinctive, consistent look. The poetry series is noted for its restrained white and off-white covers and laid paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHe ensured that books felt carefully made while keeping attention on the writing. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design used here in John’s book is described as taking its cue from Gallimard, the great French publishing house, using that distinctive pointed shield at the centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overall spare look came to suggest a seriousness and confidence in the text itself...representing a carefully maintained visual tradition - understated and tactile for poetry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe designer Vigaray’s contribution was about shaping Huerga y Fierro’s visual identity and it continues to this day, as evidenced by this book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis book is a remarkable achievement: 233 pages of poetry, beautifully printed on quality paper and presented with the care and imagination of a fine publisher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(This is the text used by Pat McMahon at the presentation of the book at Quay Books in Limerick on October 21st 2026.)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Quay Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":60083218350425,"sku":null,"price":19.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0692\/6021\/files\/1540-1.jpg?v=1792667522","url":"https:\/\/www.quaybooksstore.com\/products\/spanish-points-antologia-poetica-edicion-bilingue-by-john-liddy","provider":"Quay Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}