What do you think?
Of Love and Desire by Louis de Bernieres
A beautiful gift book of poems on the subjects of love and desire by one of the UK's best-loved writers.
Following the success of his first poetry collection, Imagining Alexandria, Louis de Bernières' second collection offers much of the poetry that he has written about love and desire throughout his life, under the influence, it seems, of everybody from the classical Persian poets, to Neruda, to Quintus Smyrnaeus, to Brian Patten, sometimes passionate and romantic, sometimes cynical and angry. He captures all the moods from rapture to sorrow, to disillusion.
Poetry was Louis de Bernières' first and greatest literary love, and he is particularly interested in exploiting the natural musicality of language in order to create the emotional effect for which he believes poetry ought to be striving. As you might expect from someone who has made his name as a storyteller his poetry is packed with narrative.
His hope is, that in reading these poems, you will find your own experiences echoed and reflected, and that they will cause you to think all over again about what they mean.
Following the success of his first poetry collection, Imagining Alexandria, Louis de Bernières' second collection offers much of the poetry that he has written about love and desire throughout his life, under the influence, it seems, of everybody from the classical Persian poets, to Neruda, to Quintus Smyrnaeus, to Brian Patten, sometimes passionate and romantic, sometimes cynical and angry. He captures all the moods from rapture to sorrow, to disillusion.
Poetry was Louis de Bernières' first and greatest literary love, and he is particularly interested in exploiting the natural musicality of language in order to create the emotional effect for which he believes poetry ought to be striving. As you might expect from someone who has made his name as a storyteller his poetry is packed with narrative.
His hope is, that in reading these poems, you will find your own experiences echoed and reflected, and that they will cause you to think all over again about what they mean.
- GenresPoetry
Hardcover
First published January 28, 2016
About the author
Louis de Bernières
69 books2,288 followersLouis de Bernières is an English novelist. He is known for his 1994 historical war novel Captain Corelli's Mandolin. In 1993 de Bernières was selected as one of the "20 Best of Young British Novelists", part of a promotion in Granta magazine. Captain Corelli's Mandolin was published in the following year, winning the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book. It was also shortlisted for the 1994 Sunday Express Book of the Year. It has been translated into over 11 languages and is an international best-seller.
On 16 July 2008, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by the De Montfort University in Leicester, which he had attended when it was Leicester Polytechnic.
Politically, he identifies himself as Eurosceptic and has voiced his support for the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.
On 16 July 2008, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by the De Montfort University in Leicester, which he had attended when it was Leicester Polytechnic.
Politically, he identifies himself as Eurosceptic and has voiced his support for the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 2, 2016
Like so many, I enjoyed Captain Corelli’s Mandolin but haven’t tried much else from de Bernières. These are love poems: many of them Greek-influenced; most of them sentimental and not very interesting. I marked out one passage I liked, but even it then turns into a clichéd relationship poem: “I looked behind and saw the long straight line of my mistakes, / Faithful as hounds, their eyes alert, trailing in my wake. But / They weren’t dogs, they were women, some fair, some dark …” (from “Mistakes”). I read the first 25 pages before giving up.
Featured on my blog in a post about books abandoned recently.
Featured on my blog in a post about books abandoned recently.
August 3, 2020
Since I have not read much English poetry and I thought of the cover as intriguing, I was quite excited to read this book. Unfortunately, this excitement did not persist and eventually turned into disappointment- I really did not enjoy the reading experience. This was mainly caused by the following points:
1. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫:
As a queer woman, I do not often struggle to identify with and understand heterosexual, female, or male authors, because I view love as a universal feeling, which at its core is the same for everyone. Sadly, this was not the case with these poems. Like another commenter has already pointed out, they seemed to follow the observations of a stereotypical “male gaze”- I would assume that the latter was the main reason for the fact that they did not resonate with me.
2. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝:
Related to the aspect above, the characterization of women seemed to me very repetitive and slightly objectifying. Almost always were breasts, thighs, skin, or eyes mentioned. The latter was the most intimate observation made, which was not much in my 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈 (pun intended). Therefore, the persons mentioned did not appear very much alive or decked with emotions to me. In a few poems I even felt like women were reduced to their fertility and body type.
3. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬:
In addition to the repetitive descriptions, the schemes were somewhat recurring too. Often the lyrical narrator was betrayed by the woman he loved, or an existing age difference was mentioned. More than once the word “gypsy” was used, which to my knowledge is a racial slur. This appeared to be quite non-reflecting by the author to me.
In conclusion, I would not necessarily recommend this book- mainly because of its, in my opinion, boring repetitiveness and single-mindedness. Although I would like to add that I perceive poems to be really personal and subjective- therefore, my opinion is of course highly subjective as well.
As English is not my mother tongue, I would like to apologize in advance for any mistakes that were made.
1. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫:
As a queer woman, I do not often struggle to identify with and understand heterosexual, female, or male authors, because I view love as a universal feeling, which at its core is the same for everyone. Sadly, this was not the case with these poems. Like another commenter has already pointed out, they seemed to follow the observations of a stereotypical “male gaze”- I would assume that the latter was the main reason for the fact that they did not resonate with me.
2. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐝:
Related to the aspect above, the characterization of women seemed to me very repetitive and slightly objectifying. Almost always were breasts, thighs, skin, or eyes mentioned. The latter was the most intimate observation made, which was not much in my 𝑒𝓎𝑒𝓈 (pun intended). Therefore, the persons mentioned did not appear very much alive or decked with emotions to me. In a few poems I even felt like women were reduced to their fertility and body type.
3. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬:
In addition to the repetitive descriptions, the schemes were somewhat recurring too. Often the lyrical narrator was betrayed by the woman he loved, or an existing age difference was mentioned. More than once the word “gypsy” was used, which to my knowledge is a racial slur. This appeared to be quite non-reflecting by the author to me.
In conclusion, I would not necessarily recommend this book- mainly because of its, in my opinion, boring repetitiveness and single-mindedness. Although I would like to add that I perceive poems to be really personal and subjective- therefore, my opinion is of course highly subjective as well.
As English is not my mother tongue, I would like to apologize in advance for any mistakes that were made.
January 29, 2019
Some were really good.
Others, might have been but I was too distracted by the constant theme of him loving so much but all these cruel women leave him.
Dude, if woman after woman is leaving you, it’s probably you. Stop complaining and fix yourself.
Others, might have been but I was too distracted by the constant theme of him loving so much but all these cruel women leave him.
Dude, if woman after woman is leaving you, it’s probably you. Stop complaining and fix yourself.
Did Not Finish
August 10, 2024Sealy Challenge 2024 Day 10: Of Love and Desire by Louis de Bernières
OH NO!
DNF @ 5%
So... Yeah. This was the only poetry my local library had available as an an audiobook on libby and I made it less than six minutes in (bearing in mind I was playing Elden Ring at the time so I was delayed), but this was just a massive dud of misogyny, imho bad/ cringe love poems, and explanations before each poem to let you know he had hot girlfriends and he absolutely fucks. I couldn't DNF this harder!
OH NO!
DNF @ 5%
So... Yeah. This was the only poetry my local library had available as an an audiobook on libby and I made it less than six minutes in (bearing in mind I was playing Elden Ring at the time so I was delayed), but this was just a massive dud of misogyny, imho bad/ cringe love poems, and explanations before each poem to let you know he had hot girlfriends and he absolutely fucks. I couldn't DNF this harder!
July 29, 2016
There were a few poems that were beautiful and a couple that made me cry but, for me, this read a little too much like a list of conquests, a catalogue of notches on the bedpost, and made my heart feel empty.
October 4, 2016
De Bernières' poetry is rich in narrative, evocative & beautiful, so, so, beautiful
April 17, 2026
Throughly enjoyed this collection of poetry, such deep love and lust penned by the author.
My favourite poems were:
On giving a silver heart to a crue lady
Last Autumn, very sad but beautifully written
Tropical Passion
In Colombia , the last poem of the book which finishes it off really nicely.
My favourite poems were:
On giving a silver heart to a crue lady
Last Autumn, very sad but beautifully written
Tropical Passion
In Colombia , the last poem of the book which finishes it off really nicely.
September 27, 2025
2⭐ (book 70/25 - 2025)
January 8, 2022
I didn’t know Louis de Bernières wrote poetry, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. This is like his novels: soaked in Mediterranean sun, love-laced, mythic.
There were a few too many classical allusions for my taste, and the line drawings felt a bit sixth-form-art-project.
But for every handful here, there’s a startling gem.
There were a few too many classical allusions for my taste, and the line drawings felt a bit sixth-form-art-project.
But for every handful here, there’s a startling gem.
January 20, 2019
The Male Gaze: A Collection. Or that's what this should have been called.
Lots of poems. In technique, nothing special. In content, boring to repulsive.
How dare this idiot write such heteronormative poems, with three or more subtitled "After Sappho" even? What the actual fuckety-fuck?
"Poem on the Back of a Scrap" sums this book up quite well:
Young woman, I see how lovely you are
With your black hair and your slick jeans
And your fake gold Gypsy jewels.
Young woman, your mother is with you
And I see how lovely she was, and my heart hurts
And I wonder what man it was who took her beauty
To make your beauty.
And I wonder what man it will be
Who will take your beauty,
So that one day, in a dark café,
A man like me will see your daughter
And write on the back of a scrap from a file
"Young woman, I see how lovely you are."
It's also not the first poem in which he used the word "Gypsy" as if it's not a racial slur. Except it is, you twatwaffle.
Women only seem to matter to him in their fuckability, and their ability to create more fuckable women. He sees an attractive woman, and his first thought is "Her mother must have been hot, her daughters will be hot". The only person whose personhood he seems to even see as existing and valid, is the men who impregnate these women.
With the women it's "loveliness". With the men, it's "what man", aka "what kind of man". Plus the undertones of "hrr, I wish this was me fucking you making more pretty girls", like *vomit*.
Also, he assumes that all of those women will want to fuck men. Or will want to fuck anyone. Or will want to have children, or go on to have children.
Also, he puts the emphasis in the "making" of the new hottie on the man making it. Not the woman who is doing the actual work there. Nope. A man jizzing into a vagina is so much harder than sharing your body for 9 months with another person at the risk of your health and even life.
Women only seem to exist for this guy so he can admire them, pursue them and fuck them.
And this wasn't just this specific poem. Pretty much all of the poems (except a handful at the beginning) gave me that impression. They all were very "You exist for my pleasure"-ish.
Plus, of course, a heteronormative poem being associated with Sappho, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! Get thee away from the Empress! Don't you even dare say her name!
Also also, in his Acknowledgments, he mentioned that his father would have been a poet if not for Hitler. I may just be particularly ungenerous after sitting through those sexist poems, but that feels rather like begging for sympathy points to me.
And sorry, Louis, you ain't getting your father's sympathy points for yourself.
And also, you're not any kind of king. You're just an orang-utan with an unhealthy obsession.
Lots of poems. In technique, nothing special. In content, boring to repulsive.
How dare this idiot write such heteronormative poems, with three or more subtitled "After Sappho" even? What the actual fuckety-fuck?
"Poem on the Back of a Scrap" sums this book up quite well:
Young woman, I see how lovely you are
With your black hair and your slick jeans
And your fake gold Gypsy jewels.
Young woman, your mother is with you
And I see how lovely she was, and my heart hurts
And I wonder what man it was who took her beauty
To make your beauty.
And I wonder what man it will be
Who will take your beauty,
So that one day, in a dark café,
A man like me will see your daughter
And write on the back of a scrap from a file
"Young woman, I see how lovely you are."
It's also not the first poem in which he used the word "Gypsy" as if it's not a racial slur. Except it is, you twatwaffle.
Women only seem to matter to him in their fuckability, and their ability to create more fuckable women. He sees an attractive woman, and his first thought is "Her mother must have been hot, her daughters will be hot". The only person whose personhood he seems to even see as existing and valid, is the men who impregnate these women.
With the women it's "loveliness". With the men, it's "what man", aka "what kind of man". Plus the undertones of "hrr, I wish this was me fucking you making more pretty girls", like *vomit*.
Also, he assumes that all of those women will want to fuck men. Or will want to fuck anyone. Or will want to have children, or go on to have children.
Also, he puts the emphasis in the "making" of the new hottie on the man making it. Not the woman who is doing the actual work there. Nope. A man jizzing into a vagina is so much harder than sharing your body for 9 months with another person at the risk of your health and even life.
Women only seem to exist for this guy so he can admire them, pursue them and fuck them.
And this wasn't just this specific poem. Pretty much all of the poems (except a handful at the beginning) gave me that impression. They all were very "You exist for my pleasure"-ish.
Plus, of course, a heteronormative poem being associated with Sappho, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! Get thee away from the Empress! Don't you even dare say her name!
Also also, in his Acknowledgments, he mentioned that his father would have been a poet if not for Hitler. I may just be particularly ungenerous after sitting through those sexist poems, but that feels rather like begging for sympathy points to me.
And sorry, Louis, you ain't getting your father's sympathy points for yourself.
And also, you're not any kind of king. You're just an orang-utan with an unhealthy obsession.
October 21, 2016
Beautiful, not surprisingly. Bernieres certainly has a way with words. Very much sticks to the title subject. A very quick read.
August 8, 2020
Self-indulgence and universality are time-honoured components of brilliant poetry, and while de Bernières masters the former in this spare collection that compares modern heartbreak to Greek mythological heartbreak, there is an underwhelming portion of the latter.
Despite taking inspiration from Neruda, there is little of the raw, erotic passion that is a lynchpin for so much of Pablo's poetry. Instead, de Bernières relies on the invocation of 'Afrodite' and other Greek metaphors for love, interspersed with lukewarm musings about the 'half-wild, half-tame' women he has loved and lost.
Many are genuinely sweet ('How Once, When Young' among them), but the poems ultimately fall short of the promise made on the cover: to embody the passionate remembrances of those universal human emotions - love and desire.
A pleasant, unspectacular read.
Despite taking inspiration from Neruda, there is little of the raw, erotic passion that is a lynchpin for so much of Pablo's poetry. Instead, de Bernières relies on the invocation of 'Afrodite' and other Greek metaphors for love, interspersed with lukewarm musings about the 'half-wild, half-tame' women he has loved and lost.
Many are genuinely sweet ('How Once, When Young' among them), but the poems ultimately fall short of the promise made on the cover: to embody the passionate remembrances of those universal human emotions - love and desire.
A pleasant, unspectacular read.
March 30, 2018
There are some real diamonds in this, like 'As The Child', however, most of the poems are sweet but not memorable. De Bernières himself is quite self-effacing in some of his introductions, which probably added to my impression. A lot of them also have an unfinished feel, like this review.
September 19, 2018
I didn't particularly enjoy reading these. I found about 4 out of 85 or so poems more interesting than the others. There were a lot of poems influenced by Greek mythology, religions and quite odd personal experiences.
May 15, 2020
Some absolutely beautiful poems but others were a bit too much like sentimental memories for my liking.
On the whole hit and miss.
On the whole hit and miss.
February 3, 2022
Some really good ones, others that I didn’t like as much. A lot felt objectifying, and the recurring theme of older man/younger woman wasn’t one I liked.
Read
September 11, 2023DNF at 22%
July 2, 2024
Some beautiful lyricism, literary allusions to Greek mythology, and evocative vignettes, but many poems were a little too male-gazey for my taste. I suppose it was in the title.
March 26, 2026
i like the poem about briseis but the rest are such male-gazy word-wasting self-indulgence. i hate how this guy sees women.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews