![]() ![]() He lived myriad lives – a religious outsider, a celebrity preacher, a social disaster, but also an establishment darling. I was familiar with some of the poetry of John Donne but, unaware of what shaped some of this brilliant writing. In this complex period of English history, Katherine Rundell is a careful and considerate guide – always being clear about what we can know, and what is informed speculation based on the best evidence. Reading it was to be deeply nourished and enlarged by the skill, tenacity and energy of this researcher and writer. ![]() It is one of those books that manages to combine depth with clarity of thought and accessibility. Katherine Rundell, a fellow of All Souls College Oxford and specialises in Renaissance literature opens up Donne with skill, insight and a playful grasp of the paradoxes and ambiguities of this and our human life. I was a little put off by the most comprehensive set of adjectives on a front cover possible ( marvellous, sparkling, brilliant etc, etc …) but as pages were turned the book was just what this bed bound reader needed. Being confined to quarters while a bout of flu ( or something – I have never been very good at diagnosis ) and amidst cancelling appointments ( sorry ) and searching for paracetemol brings some gifts. Determined to leave the e mails to answer themselves ( wouldn’t that be nice) I decided to have a deep dive into ![]()
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