Selected Poems from Les Fleurs du mal: A Bilingual Edition - Hardcover

Baudelaire, Charles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0226039250 ISBN 13: 9780226039251

Publisher: University Of Chicago Press, 1998

Synopsis

In a masterly translation by Norman Shapiro, this selection of poems from Les Fleurs du mal demonstrates the magnificent range of Baudelaire's gift, from the exquisite quatrains to the formal challenges of his famous sonnets. The poems are presented in both French and English, complemented by the work of illustrator David Schorr. As much a pleasure to look at as it is to read, this volume invites newcomers and devotees alike to experience Baudelaire's genius anew.

"A fine, formal translation of the best poems of France's founder of the symbolist movement."—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"It's rare to find a rewarding translation of a masterwork, particularly a collection of groundbreaking poetry. . . . Through Shapiro's skillful wordsmithing, the reader can fully appreciate Baudelaire's control of the soul and the word which is the ancient and indefatigable ambition of all great poets. . . . Shapiro's interpretations set the standard for future English translations."—Virginia Quarterly Review

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"Felix Leakey's ambition...to write 'the kind of poem that Baudelaire himself might have written if English had been his native tongue'...has led him to some wonderfully satisfying renderings.... There are lines in this translation that leap out at the reader.... There are wonderful examples of rhythmic virtuosity.... Baudelaire's genius at finding the pithy formula is also finely represented.... Many readers will certainly gain pleasure from Felix Leakey's inspired selection and translation." (French Studies)

"Felicitous renderings abound in this...volume, some of them miracles of poise, invention and intelligent attention to the originals.... Professor Leakey's translations provide not just an aesthetic experience, but a deeper insight into Baudelaire's world, an interpretation, and a lesson in how to read his poetry." (New Comparison)

"...renderings that are a tribute to Leakey's virtuosity as well as Baudelaire's...this selection of translated poems sustains the essence of Baudelairean drama and melody...such is the sense of the mingling of two creativities in two languages, as well as of poetry and scholarship." (The Modern Language Review)

About the Author:

F. W. Leakey is an Emeritus Professor of French at the University of London. He is the author of three previously published books on Baudelaire and has specialized in this field for over fifty years. He is a practiced poet and verse speaker in both English and French.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0226039250
• ISBN 13: 9780226039251
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 248