Prospect of the sea and other stories and prose writings

by Dylan Thomas

1966. Paperback Edition. 136 pages. Paperback book with pictorial cover. Binding remains firm. Pages have light tanning and foxing throughout. Water staining to some page edges, text remains unaffected. Paper cover has mild edgewear with curling to corners. Light tanning to spine and edges. Water staining to rear cover.

Genres: Short Stories, Poetry, Fiction, Literature

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914-1953) was a Welsh poet who wrote in English. Many regard him as one of the 20th century's most influential poets.

In addition to poetry, Thomas wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, with the latter frequently performed by Thomas himself. His public readings, particularly in America, won him great acclaim; his booming, at times, ostentatious voice, with a subtle Welsh lilt, became almost as famous as his works. His best-known work includes the "play for voices" Under Milk Wood and the celebrated villanelle for his dying father, "Do not go gentle into that good night." Appreciative critics have also noted the superb craftsmanship and compression of poems such as "In my craft or sullen art" and the rhapsodic lyricism of Fern Hill.

Reviews

[Luís · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this volume of stories are collected from the first stories of Dylan Thomas, some beautiful texts in which he uses prose of deep poetic roots. A collection of stories in which, with his intense style, he draws vivid passages from his childhood in Wales.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dylan Thomas nasceu no País de Gales e morreu, em Nova Iorque, aos 39 anos, vítima de alcoolismo. A sua morte trágica e prematura originou manifestações de pesar sendo, então, reconhecido como um dos grandes poetas da sua geração.
Da sua obra constam, além da poesia, contos, guiões de filmes e peças de rádio.

Apresentar o autor não foi muito difícil; falar sobre os contos reunidos neste livro é bem mais complicado.
A prosa é muito bela sendo, em certas partes, pura poesia;
O tema é recorrente: o Homem e a sua interacção com a religião e a natureza, da qual o mar e as árvores são elementos que se repetem;
As histórias são oníricas e surreais e a sua forma de as contar é de tal forma elaborada, que cheguei ao fim do livro com a sensação frustrante de o ter entendido muito pouco, ou nada.

Como compensação, encontrei na internet um poema escrito por Dylan Thomas, quando o seu pai estava gravemente doente, que me tocou profundamente pela sua beleza, simplicidade, tristeza e realidade:

"Não Entres Docilmente Nessa Noite Escura

Não entreis docilmente nessa noite serena,
porque a velhice deveria arder e delirar no termo do dia;
odeia, odeia a luz que começa a morrer.

No fim, ainda que os sábios aceitem as trevas,
porque se esgotou o raio nas suas palavras, eles
não entram docilmente nessa noite serena.

Homens bons que clamaram, ao passar a última onda, como podia
o brilho das suas frágeis acções ter dançado na baía verde,
odiai, odiai a luz que começa a morrer.

E os loucos que colheram e cantaram o vôo do sol
e aprenderam, muito tarde, como o feriram no seu caminho,
não entram docilmente nessa noite serena.

Junto da morte, homens graves que vedes com um olhar que cega
quanto os olhos cegos fulgiriam como meteoros e seriam alegres,
odiai, odiai a luz que começa a morrer.

E de longe, meu pai, peço-te que nessa altura sombria
venhas beijar ou amaldiçoar-me com as tuas cruéis lágrimas.
Não entres docilmente nessa noite serena.
Odeia, odeia a luz que começa a morrer."

[Οδυσσέας Μουζίλης · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://pepperlines.blogspot.gr/2016/1...

[Sonia189 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se pensar neste conjunto de contos apenas pela prosa, pelas palavras escolhidas e pela metáfora que, suponho, está escondida por entre as cenas algo indecifráveis, diris que é soberbo.
Mas ou não consegui entrar no "espirito" ou a extrema sensação de surreal não me fez ver para além do vago. Os contos até são sugestivos e em alguns deu que pensar nisto e naquilo mas no geral fica o apreço apenas pela maneira como estão apresentados, não tanto o objectivo do conteúdo.

[Jordan Iordanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Μαγικές εικόνες με τρόπο που μόνο ο γλωσσοπλάστης Ντίλαν Τόμας μπορεί να περιγράψει.
Εξαιρετική και η μετάφραση της Μιράντας Σταυρινού.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This he had dreamed before the blossom's burning and the putting-out, before the rising and the salt swinging-in, was a dream no longer near these orchards. He kissed the two secret sisters, and a scarecrow kissed him back."

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are twisted, dark, lilting, lyrical, dream-like and nightmarish by turns. They are disturbing and wondrous. They are poetry.

The five star rating is to be taken with the usual grain of salt. It has been noted my tastes run toward the Byronic and insane.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last summer, I walked up to the house by Cwmdonkin Park in Uplands, Swansea where Dylan Thomas was born and bred. Long ago as a Uni student, I'd lived in Uplands Crescent, so close by. Last year, my wife and I also stayed at Brown's, Laugharne, the Hotel where Dylan Thomas and his wife regularly got drunk and fought. We've stayed there before, in beautiful Laugharne, and walked up the lane to the writing shed overlooking the Estuary, where he did so much of his writing.
That's why I was intrigued to read his short stories.
He fascinates me, mystifies me, and moves me to pity for him, with so many nods of his head towards his chapel background and bible references, while being so far away. So near yet so lost and so needy. I think I understand him, even though I find his writing frequently bizarre, like William Shakespeare meets Leonard Cohen.
But his descriptive power is astonishing, his power with words, to convey images in such raw and graphic words.
Here's his description of the scene in a public house (maybe Brown's in Laugharne in his day), from a short story called 'The Followers' :
'The peeling, liver-coloured room might never have been drunk in at all. Here, socials told jokes and had Scotches and sodas with happy, dyed, port-and-lemon women; dejected regulars grew grand and muzzy in the corners, inventing their pasts, being rich, important, and loved; reprobate grannies in dustbin black cackled and nipped; influential nobodies revised the earth; a party, with earrings, called 'Frilly Willy' played the crippled piano, which sounded like a hurdy-gurdy playing under water, until the publican's nosy wife said, "No." Strangers came and went, but mostly went. Men from the valleys dropped in for nine or ten; sometimes there were fights; and always there was something doing, some argie-bargie, giggle and bluster, horror or folly, affection, explosion, nonsense, peace, some wild goose flying in the boozy air of that comfortless, humdrum, nowhere in the dizzy, ditchwater town at the end of the railway lines. But that evening it was the saddest room I had ever known.'

[James]

Reading this I realise Dylan Thomas isn’t for me. The first section is filled with short stories which have several beautiful passages but which also didn’t work for me as they are written as surreal dreams. The second section fared a bit better, with the final two pieces The Followers, and A Story, very enjoyable. These two are easier to follow and had the rest been like these two I would have enjoyed the collection more.

That being said there are again several beautiful sections, such as the description of the witch in A Prospect of the Sea.

[Ricardo Lopes Moura · Rating 2 out of 5]

A escrita de Dylan Thomas é uma confusão de metáforas e contrassentidos que confundem intencionalmente o leitor, especialmente quando as histórias são demasiado pequenas par a se criar um ligação com personagens e eventos.
Como é prosa poética, é uma questão de gosto pelos ritmos da construção frásica. Pessoalmente, prefiro o estilo mais realista das três últimas histórias, mais acessíveis gramaticalmente, mas igualmente simples.
Serve para conhecer a escrita do autor, mas poderá não fazer fãs.

[Natasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Κοίτα, εκατομμύρια άστρα, της είπε. Κεντούν σχέδια στον ουρανό. Υπάρχει ένα σχέδιο με γράμματα που σχηματίζουν μια λέξη. Μια νύχτα θα κοιτάξω ψηλά και θα διαβάσω τη λέξη".

Κεντάει με τις λέξεις. Τις ξαναβαφτίζει και σου τις ξανασυστήνει απροσδόκητα. Κι εσύ διαβάζεις και δεν ξέρεις αν είναι πρόζα ή ποίηση. Αν είναι όνειρο ή πραγματικότητα. Αν είναι ασφαλές ή επικίνδυνο. Αν είναι όαση ή έρημος. Αν είναι σωτηρία ή εφιάλτης. Αν είναι με τον θεό ή τον διάβολο. Αυτός είναι ο Ντύλαν Τόμας.

[lottie❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

the way dylan thomas writes about a village, about earth and about people being connected to it and to each other ..!! and about death, and life, and eerie and morbid things but also about love and desire. . and in such an earthly way-king!! although only 4* because i skipped some of the stories they didn’t all hit/could be quite similar . also enjoyed some of the prose- conversation about xmas and how to be a poet- so good.

[Dark Star · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prose was simply wonderful. The stories beautiful, quirky and indulging.

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

*A prospect of the sea --
The lemon --
*After the fair --
The visitor --2
*The enemies --
The tree --
The map of love --
The mouse and the woman --
The dress --
*The orchards --
In the direction of the beginning --
Conversation about Christmas --
How to be a poet --
The followers --
*A story --
***
The old woman upstairs --3
*The burning baby --

[Fernando]

Reading a Portuguese translation by Diana Almeida, editor Relógio D'Agua 2003

[Mason Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Stop the bus, I'm dying of breath!'