Ancient History Matters (1): Roman Culture

Viroconium: Wroxeter Roman Town
(hypocaust heating in the middle ground)

What does the name Caesar conjure up in your mind? Conquest, perhaps or a leafy salad. Peter Jones has written a book on why the culture of Caesar's day seemed to 'function' more satisfactorily than our own. His novel and amusing book, Vote for Caesar: How The Ancient Greeks & Romans Solved The Problems Of Today, published by Orion, is available from the Guardian Bookshop. Jones takes a wide and lively sweep through Roman culture: encounter Juvenal and his frustration over the crowds in Rome. Explore the cult of celebrity through Roman eyes. John David Lewis of Duke University explores the marriage of ancient and modern themes in this intriguing book for the Brynmawr Classical Review.

Poetry Matters (2): Poetry or Prose?

I am not renowned for my astute political insights (the understatement of 2009), but a column in today's Guardian set me thinking. It hangs on a statement from the former Governor of New York, Mario Cuoma, in relation to the recent inauguration of President Barack Obama. Do we all agree that poetry is the perfect vehicle for a campaign; but that once the campaign has been won, a ruler should revert to prose?

In the make-believe (or sometimes quasi-reality) world of literature, can we think of cultures that adopted poetry as their language of state or power? Homer comes to mind, but do the ring-cycle formularies of the bard have any 'linguistic' bearing on the Mediterranean world he was 'writing' about? Items like the tablets of Linear B are functional and hardly 'poetic' in the sense I have in mind.

Abraham Lincoln scholar, Ronald C. White Jr, believes that there is a connection between US Presidents and poetry: 'Our best speakers have an ear for poetry. Lincoln loved to read Robert Burns, Lord Byron, Shakespeare.' (UCLA Today).

The future of the book ... your chance to air your views in a poll

A bookworm at Hay

The Poetry Society alerted me to the If Book: London site, run by Chris Meade. Many of us are faced with a dilemma as paper magazines become electronic. Our work is much easier to submit electronically and there can be real ecological benefits, but the whole process can seem more ethereal despite the fact that the readership comprises the world at large. It would be great to know your views, and what goes through your mind when you try to decide whether to submit to a book or hardcopy journal, or to an electronic zine. The poll (see right column) is just for interest and will run until the end of January. You can leave comments, too.

My recommended online magazines:

• 3 Lights Gallery
• Bolts of Silk
• Modern Haiga

More online magazines at The Poetry Kit

My friend, Wendy Webb of Norfolk Poets and Writers has just started an electronic version of her popular Tips for Writers magazine (details in box below). Issue 2 is due out in February. Issue 1 carried an interview with Sophie Hannah.



My thanks to Matt of Polyolbion for recommending the following web-based magazines:

• Horizon Review
• Umbrella
  

On a slightly different but related note, I am grateful to Professor David Morley for pointing me in the direction of President Obama's Bookshelf. How much can we tell about a person from the books he or she reads? What do our books tell others about us?

You might like to check out the Green Book Festival.

The President

The world is poised for the inauguration of a new US President. Barack Obama enters the White House today.

• The new President's line on key issues
• The Inaugural Poems (a post on Chris Carroll's Bookmarking blog)
• The President's letter to his family
  

Obama-Mentum: Call for Submissions

Can you pen a poem to celebrate some aspect of the new US presidency? Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah, professor and chair of African American studies at Western Illinois University, is calling for submissions from global wordsmiths for a new anthology.

Realated topic:

• National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke, writes for the new President (Western Mail)
  

• An earlier presidential anthology
• American Odes for Obama