How to Read The Brubury Tales by Frank Mundo
A lot of people have told me that they want to read my poetry book The Brubury Tales but that they feel intimidated because of its size (the Brubury Tales is a 65,000-word rhyming poem that reimagines Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Los Angeles after the 1992 Riots). They say they've never read such a large poem before and aren't sure how to go about it.
Usually I send them a link to a video of me reading or invite them to one of my readings to hear it live. And, once they hear me read a little of it, it seems they find that it's really very accessible -- and not much different than reading other novels.
With this in mind, check out this recording of The General Prologue, the opening chapter of The Brubury Tales I did in a recording studio a while back. The studio time was a prize I won for winning a Spoken Word poetry contest at the Rapp Saloon in Santa Monica, California.
Check it out and see for yourself how a novel-in-verse sounds.
https://soundcloud.com/frank-mundo
Usually I send them a link to a video of me reading or invite them to one of my readings to hear it live. And, once they hear me read a little of it, it seems they find that it's really very accessible -- and not much different than reading other novels.
With this in mind, check out this recording of The General Prologue, the opening chapter of The Brubury Tales I did in a recording studio a while back. The studio time was a prize I won for winning a Spoken Word poetry contest at the Rapp Saloon in Santa Monica, California.
Check it out and see for yourself how a novel-in-verse sounds.
https://soundcloud.com/frank-mundo
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Cleo
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Dec 15, 2015 12:45PM
I'm halfway through reading it and am having a blast! It was so helpful to read The Canterbury Tales beforehand which enhances my enjoyment of your poem. I'm actually blown away ....... you've managed to follow in Chaucer's footsteps very magnificently, I think ..... :-)
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Awesome, Cleo!Yay. Thank you so much. You made my day. I'm so happy. I've been following your reviews and posts of The Canterbury Tales on your blog and really enjoying your insights -- I think you're going to encourage a lot of people to finally take the plunge and give it a go. It's such an amazing book that changed my life for the better. I go back to The Canterbury Tales all the time for inspiration and always find something new :) Thanks for stopping by and making my day. I hope all is well. By the way, your reading list is so inspiring and hope people check out your blog and follow your lead --> http://cleoclassical.blogspot.com
I have to admit I had the same trepidation concerning this story, as Frank well knows. But I have to tell you that the way Frank writes this book makes it very accessible and easy to read. So I say go for it, read this book. You won't be as intimidated as you think you will be. Honest! It's an easy read and you won't be sorry.
Thank you, Linda.I'm so glad you posted. And I'm so glad you went for it. You're a great reader and supporter of writers. I've heard from so many people something similar -- that it's just the idea of a big poem that freaks them out a little at first. I think the audio will really help to see that it's not much different than reading other novels. Other people tell me that they never read The Canterbury Tales, so they thought they wouldn't be able to understand my adaptation. But, while it helps to have read it to get all the nuances and such, it's completely not necessary at all. My goal, of course, is a homage and to get more people to read The Canterbury Tales if they haven't. It's such a wonderful work, especially if you take it on in Middle English at least once :)
