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If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho | 
| Author: Sappho
Creator: Anne Carson
Publisher: Vintage
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy Used: $6.99
You Save: $8.96 (56%)
Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 159408
Media: Paperback
Pages: 416
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0375724516
Dewey Decimal Number: 808
EAN: 9780375724510
ASIN: 0375724516
Publication Date: August 12, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Of the nine books of lyrics the ancient Greek poet Sappho is said to have composed, only one poem has survived complete. The rest are fragments. In this miraculous new translation, acclaimed poet and classicist Anne Carson presents all of Sappho’s fragments, in Greek and in English, as if on the ragged scraps of papyrus that preserve them, inviting a thrill of discovery and conjecture that can be described only as electric—or, to use Sappho’s words, as “thin fire . . . racing under skin.” By combining the ancient mysteries of Sappho with the contemporary wizardry of one of our most fearless and original poets, If Not, Winter provides a tantalizing window onto the genius of a woman whose lyric power spans millennia.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 intelligence, for sho', but does it sing? May 29, 2008
Binh H. Nguyen (NY, NY USA)
mary barnard's translations of sappho's fragments are most musical (i discovered barnard via a powerful and moving essay by paul monette). carson's don't sing as much, but anne carson, as we all know, is a genius in her own right.
 A very readable translation August 16, 2007
Piper vonSederholm (Kentucky)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Sappho, an ancient lyricist, is often looked over in her works because very little of them remain. I bought this on a whim when I saw it actually in a bookstore (unless special ordered her writings are very hard to simply come across), and it has proven to be very readable. I cannot translate myself, but the editor has put together a very comprehensive version with clear indications of where text is missing. Some lyrics are merely a single, provoking word, while only one is complete. This may seem to be a waste to some when they open the book and find pages and pages with only a word or a phrase, but for me the enjoyment is imagining what Sappho herself was thinking and feeling as she sang that single line.
From her one complete lyric it is obvious she was extremely competent in her field, and the fragments allow one a glimpse into the themes that played such a great role in her life. I have read and re-read this book over and over, often spending the majority of the time I have it open building the rest of what is missing.
It would be my sincerest hope that someday perhaps more of Sappho's beautiful lyrics are found, but until they are I satisfy my craving with her later admirer who took to writing in a similar fashion, Catullus. He is romantic, cynical, and even amusing in his works, providing even greater entertainment than some of Sappho's fragments.
But this review is for Sappho, not Catullus. The book itself is of good quality with a sturdy binding, especially for a softcover, which is necessary because this is a collection you will want to read over and over again. I have read somewhat more descriptive and dramatic translations, although I feel these are accurate in their representation and still very enjoyable. Overall, this book is excellent for really showing what little remains of Sappho and the dramatic presence her works still evoke, despite all attempts others have made to suppress her.
A Beautifully Constructed Book April 19, 2007
A. Danger (Brooklyn, NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Anne Carson approached the project of translating fragments of Sappho's work with as much care and respect as possible. The result is something truly intelligent & lovely. I recommend this book to anyone who has an appreciation for poetry, both modern and classic, and translation.
Haunting and beautiful November 22, 2006
doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Sadly, much of Sappho's work is lost to the ages. Fortunately, Anne Carson has translated what survives in a wonderful, comprehensive collection. All of Sappho's extant works are here in a dual-language book - the original Greek on one page, Carson's translations on the other. Having read several translations (I do not read Greek), Carson's is my favorite - the images are immeadiate, the sense of urgency and romance clearly communicated in lyric prose. Some apparently are frustrated by the equal attention Carson gives to each fragment - remnants of poems (even a single word) are given their own page just as longer bits. I enjoyed this, wondering what has been lost, haunted by a voice over 2,000 years old, marveling at the beauty of what remains. If you, like me, are a lover of poetry, I highly recommend this collection above all other translations.
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