MATTHEW HOLLIS was born in Norwich in 1971. Ground Water (Bloodaxe, 2004) was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, the Whitbread Prize for Poetry and the Forward Prize for Best First Collection. He is co-editor of 101 Poems Against War (Faber, 2003) and Strong Words: Modern Poets on Modern Poetry (Bloodaxe, 2000), and editor of Selected Poems of Edward Thomas (Faber, 2011). Now All Roads to France: the Last Years of Edward Thomas (Faber, 2011) is his first prose book.
‘Hollis writes a knowing, lyrical poetry set against a landscape of big skies and battened-down horizons. He combines worldly wisdom with more detailed, vernacular understanding to produce poems that speak with a sense of purpose and place.’
Simon Armitage
Forthcoming Events + News
New poem in New Statesman
‘The Staithe’ has been published in New Statesman, 12 December 2011
Now All Roads Lead to France shortlisted for Costa Biography Award
NOW ALL ROADS LEAD TO FRANCE: The Last Years of Edward Thomas has been shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award. For details click here
Now All Roads Lead to France wins H. W. Fisher Best First Biography Prize
NOW ALL ROADS LEAD TO FRANCE: The Last Years of Edward Thomas has won the Biographers’ Club H. W. Fisher Best First Biography Award. For details click here
BBC Radio 4, Book of the Week, 15-19 August 2011, 9.45am
Read by Tobias Menzies
Abridged by Richard Hamilton
Produced by Emma HardingTo listen to the broadcast, click here
Publication, 4 August 2011
NOW ALL ROADS LEAD TO FRANCE: The Last Years of Edward Thomas, a biography by Matthew, is published by Faber and Faber on 4 August 2011 simultaneously with his edition of Thomas’s SELECTED POEMS.
Read Matthew’s specially commissioned pieces on the friendship of Edward Thomas and Robert Frost for the Guardian, and on the composition of Thomas’s poem ‘Adlestrop’ in the New Statesman.
Download the Faber podcast and watch Matthew talking about the book here.
Read the first reviews: Sunday Telegraph, Independent, Financial Times, Daily Mail, Guardian, Independent (Selected Poems), New Statesman, Literary Review, Irish Times, Irish Examiner, Daily Telegraph and Guardian (Selected Poems), Herald and Spectator. A summary of comments by the Sunday Times, Independent and Mail on Sunday appears here. Commenteries on Thomas appear in the Irish Independent and Independent.
Now All Roads Lead to France has been recognised with a Royal Society of Literature Jerwood Award for Non-Fiction, and has been shortlisted for the HW Fisher Best First Biography Prize.
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EVENTS
25 May-3 June 2012 (tbc)
CHARLESTON, Sussex
Charleston Literary FestivalDetails: Box Office, tel 01273 709709
www.brightonticketshop.com
11-13 May 2012 (tbc)
WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA, The Maltings, Norfolk
Poetry-next-the-SeaDetails: Box Office, tel 01328 738243
fmfraser@bmkt.freeserve.co.uk
http://www.poetry-next-the-sea.com
12-15 April 2012 (tbc)
CAMBRIDGE, Wordfest, Cambridgeshire
WordfestDetails: Box Office, tel 01223 515335
admin@cambridgewordfest.co.uk
http://www.cambridgewordfest.co.uk
Saturday 17 March 2012, 11.30am & 3.30pm
ST ANDREWS, Brye Theatre, Fife
StAnzaRound Table (The Green Room, St Leonards Quad, South Street, 11.30am-12.15pm)
In conversation with Joyce McMillan about Edward Thomas and Robert Frost (Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, 3.30-4.30pm)Details: Box Office, tel 01223 515335
info@stanzapoetry.org
http://www.stanzapoetry.org
Friday 9 March 2012, 3.30pm
KESWICK, Main House, Cumbria
Words by the Water
in association with The Wordsworth TrustDetails: Box Office, tel 017687 74411
http://www.theatrebythelake.co.uk
Thursday, 26 January 2012, 6.30pm
LONDON, The George, The Strand
The Biographers’ ClubDetails:
secretary@biographersclub.co.uk
http://www.biographersclub.co.uk
Thursday 24 November 2011, 8pm
WIVENHOE, The Greyhound, Essex
Poetry Wivenhoe
with Philip TerryDetails: Poetry Wivenhoe
chair@poetrywivenhoe.org
http://poetrywivenhoe.org
Monday 21 November 2011, 7pm
LONDON, Kings Place
Robert Frost: A Poet in the City event
with Tim Kendall and Jo ShapcottDetails: Box Office, tel 020 7520 1490
info@kingsplace.co.uk
http://www.kingsplace.co.uk
Saturday 29 October 2011, 3pm & 7.30pm
SWANSEA, Dylan Thomas Centre
Dylan Thomas Festival
A talk on Edward Thomas, and a reading with Simon ArmitageDetails: Box Office, tel 01792 463980
http://www.dylanthomas.com
Saturday 15 October 2011, 4.30pm
ILKLEY FESTIVAL, West Yorkshire
Now All Roads Lead to France: Edward Thomas, with Antony DunnDetails: Box Office, tel 01943 816714
boxoffice@ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk
http://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk
Monday 10 October 2011, 5pm
LONDON, Geological Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly
Poetry and Geology: A Celebration
with Alyson Hallett , Michael McKimm, Helen Mort and Penelope ShuttleDetails: Georgina Worrall, tel 020 7434 9944
georgina.worrall@geolsoc.org.uk
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/geopoetry
Friday 7 October 2011, 6.30pm
CHELTENHAM LITERATURE FESTIVAL, Gloucestershire
The last years of Edward Thomas, with Graeme RoseDetails: box office, tel 01242 505 444
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/Contact
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature
Thursday 22 September 2011, 7.45pm
LONDON, Southbank Centre, Purcell Room
Celebrating Edward Thomas
with Gillian Clakre, Sarah Hall, Michael Longley and Andrew MotionDetails: box office, tel 0844 875 0073
customer@southbankcentre.co.uk
http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk
Wednesday 13 July 2011, 1pm
WAYS WITH WORDS FESTIVAL, Dartington Hall, Devon
A talk on Edward Thomas: HIs Final Five YearsDetails: box office, tel 01803 867373
http://www.wayswithwords.co.uk/festivals
Thursday 7 July 2011, 6.45pm
LEDBURY POETRY FESTIVAL, Burgage Hall, Ledbury, Herefordshire
A talk on Edward ThomasDetails: box office, tel 0845 458 1743
http://www.poetry-festival.com
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The Poetry Archive
Matthew’s recording of Ground Water for The Poetry Archive is now available on CD and online. To visit the Archive click here, or to purchase the CD click here.
Trees in the City
In 2007, Lloyd’s of London and Poet in the City commissioned Patience Agbabi, John Burnside and Matthew Hollis to write a suite about climate change. Click here to read or listen to the poems.
The poems have been incorporated into a seating area, made from untreated ‘windblown’ Welsh oak, in Fenchurch Place, adjacent to the station. Click here for a map.