Alexa, what is there to know about love?

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Pub Date 21 Jan 2021 | Archive Date 14 Feb 2021

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Description

'Brian Bilston is a laureate for our fractured times.' Ian McMillan

'Someone who knows their way round both a joke and a bittersweet narrative.' The Times

'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank Sidebottom . . . all brilliant.' Esquire

'Bilston is a magician with words' Guardian

Alexa, what is there to know about love? is a wonderful collection of poems about love in all its forms, covering everything from romantic love to familial love, to long-distance love, and even love on the internet.
The collection also features poems about the true passions for many booklovers, reading and literature, and the odd one about the subject causing many of us heartbreak: politics. With titles like ‘Hold My Hand While We Jump Off This Cliff’ and ‘Remembrance of Things Pasta’, there’s something for even the most jaded romantic within these pages.
The perfect, witty gift for Valentine’s and beyond.

'Brian Bilston is a laureate for our fractured times.' Ian McMillan

'Someone who knows their way round both a joke and a bittersweet narrative.' The Times

'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank...


Advance Praise

'If you like a) laughing or b) words which rhyme with each other,

you will love Brian Bilston' - RICHARD OSMAN


'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank Sidebottom . . . all brilliant.' - ESQUIRE

'In the future a new word will enter the language: a Bilston, which will denote one of those times in the day when we see the world from a perspective that is strange, wonderful and packed with a kind of gleaming joy.'

IAN McMILLAN


'If you like a) laughing or b) words which rhyme with each other,

you will love Brian Bilston' - RICHARD OSMAN


'Part John Cooper Clarke, part Frank Sidebottom . . . all brilliant.' - ESQUIRE

'In...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781529051629
PRICE £12.99 (GBP)
PAGES 96

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)

Average rating from 22 members


Featured Reviews

I absolutely loved this book. Brian Bilston is my favourite modern day poet. I laughed out loud reading this book and I was genuinely disappointed when I had finished. I love his way with words. This book would put a smile on the grumpiest persons face.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this amazing book! 5+stars!

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This is the first of Brian Bilston’s work I have read and after initially being drawn in by the title I’ve got to say the book did not disappoint.
I loved this witty, clever book of poetry, there was a lot to connect with, a lot of “yes, absolutely!” moments of agreement or comparison. I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite piece, there are so many successes throughout this book

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In all honesty, I cannot remember the last time I read poetry. I was instantly drawn to the title of this book thought and OH WOW I am so glad that I was. It is an absolute gem. So much humour and I really enjoyed the word play and everything about this book. I have flown through it. Brian Bilston you are very clever-loved it.

Some of my favourites were...
Three Postcards
Love in the Age of Google
There's a supermarket where once the library stood
Lonely Hearts

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I devoured this book - and then immediately read the whole thing. Bravo Brian Bilston – I absolutely loved it. So many new favourite poems. Special mentions to:

Love in the Age of Google - loved loved
There's A Supermarket Where Once the Library Stood - a perfect blend of funny and sad (so sad)
To Do lIst - never a truer word
Poetic Justice - perfection
Varieties - especially the Farage mention
Penguins - thought-provoking brilliance
An Exchange of Similies - wonderful linguistic cleverness

I could go on. A very, very good book indeed

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Bilston is a genius and his work is always so readable and clever and enjoyable. Another excellent collection from the Twitter Poet Laureate

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This is the first time that I have encountered Brian Bilston and I now wonder where he has been all my life. His word play, his humour is infectious. This collection of poems explores aspects of love, from the caveman to an elderly couple. The poems are in all shapes and sizes, from the opticians chart to a Google search. There is laughter, incisive comment and even, for me at least, a tear. He plays with words and with the reader. You start reading a poem, for example 'In Absentia, and you think that you know exactly what he is going to say, only to find you have been mislead, beautifully. He explores first dates, dates that work, dates that go wrong, marital arguments, romance and loss. He also takes us on a journey around our world, even giving Brexit a mention. If you ask me for my favourite poem in the collection, I'm sorry that I can't give an answer. There are too many that I adore all for different reason and it is impossible to choose between them. I love 'Three Postcards' for its poignancy, I adore the title poem ' Alexa, What is There to Know about Love' for the way it plays with our relationship with technology, 'Bird Watching' for the way it twists the expected, 'Drudge Work' for it's exploration of the word 'Love' and finally, 'She'd Dance' for its beauty. I am so glad that I have finally discovered Brian Bilston.

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Brian Bilston is the poet for people who don't like poetry. The People's Poet, if you will. He's a master of words and always manages to strike just the right emotional balance in his work.

In this latest collection we see a melding of ancient and modern, for example Plato and Google. The poem which lends the book its title is superb - funny, moving and poignant. There were a few stand outs for me, as follows:

"There's A Supermarket Where Once The Library Stood" is an important piece of social and political commentary.
"Serenity Prayer" is particularly relevant in this first month of 2021.
"57 Varieties" is Brexit in a tin.
The final line in "The White House" is shockingly brilliant.
Homelessness and domestic violence slipped into a poem about "Metrics" is skilful and striking.
"Composition" hit me right in the feels.
"She'd Dance" casts ageing and bereavement in a beautiful light and brought a tear to my eye.

Overall a great collection and a lovely gift for someone special, starting with yourself.

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