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Words of Mercury

Format: Paperback

Condition: Very Good — £5.03
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  • Poor Condition - Usually this will have a specific problem such as writing inside, water damage, missing dust jacket, heavy staining, large creases or cuts. These are readable copies but not nice ones. On other websites this condition is called 'Acceptable' or 'Fair' , but we want to be more honest.
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In his fourth collection from Shearsman Books, Alasdair Paterson ranges as widely as ever - from the bewilderments of a Scottish childhood to the mixed messages of later life, from gnarly nature notes to an A-Z of lines salvaged from lost Russian novels. The spirit of Mercury - bringer of messages, patron of tricksters, keeper and crosser of boundaries - hovers invisibly and a tad unreliably overhead.



Critical responses -


"You can take the boy out of Leith but seemingly you can't stop him writing poems about it. Take a telling, pal!" -Leith Literary Gazette


"In this latest brazen provocation, the great Russian literary tradition is alphabetically disrespected. Needless to say, there will be consequences..."

-Kamchatka Hints and Tips


"Here's a city boy's take on the glories of the natural world. On the evidence of this, we have to ask: Mr Paterson, did you ever stand in a field of cows with the wind in your face?" -Forfar Farmer


Genre: Poetry, European
Format: Paperback
Published: 2024
Pages: 74
Publisher: Shearsman Books
ISBN: 9781848619067

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Our conditions mean the following:

  • New - a brand new book
  • Almost New - appears new but is actually secondhand.
  • Very Good - only minor imperfections such as minor scuffs to edge or cover or a price written in pencil or shop sticker.
  • Standard Secondhand - Clearly been read before, but not too bad. We do not recommend these for gifting. Spines usually creased. Could also include creases or folds to cover, some writing such as in the cover or elsewhere, underlining or highlighting, but might not do. Possibly some stains or marks. Similar in general to books in any secondhand shop or charity shop.
  • Poor Condition - Usually this will have a specific problem such as writing inside, water damage, missing dust jacket, heavy staining, large creases or cuts. These are readable copies but not nice ones. On other websites this condition is called 'Acceptable' or 'Fair' , but we want to be more honest.
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