It takes the average reader 1 hour and 28 minutes to read A Garland of Many Years by Donald Davie
Assuming a reading speed of 250 words per minute. Learn more
The poems gathered here were composed by Donald Davie for his wife Doreen, to whom he was married and devoted for fifty years. The earliest of them were copied out by hand and presented to Doreen as a tribute on the occasion of her 54th birthday, and this "garland" was then added to over the years. Of the 43 poems, ten are published here for the first time, two others in new versions. They span the five decades of the couple's marriage, and because of this portray an enduring but complex relationship as it changes over time. To some readers the poems will seem unusual as love poems because they do not idealize love and marriage. Their strength lies in their honesty and intimacy and in the openness to the pain and self-understanding that both ardor and conflict ("We, we throve on friction") can produce. This is a relationship in which each knows the other too well to be assuaged by a sentimental lyricism. For this special edition, twelve of Doreen's photographs from their travels together have been included, so that her sensibility may be present, too, as an artist in her own right. Donald's handwritten poems are reproduced both in facsimile and in type.
A Garland of Many Years by Donald Davie is 86 pages long, and a total of 22,016 words.
This makes it 29% the length of the average book. It also has 27% more words than the average book.
The average oral reading speed is 183 words per minute. This means it takes 2 hours to read A Garland of Many Years aloud.
A Garland of Many Years is suitable for students ages 10 and up.
Note that there may be other factors that effect this rating besides length that are not factored in on this page. This may include things like complex language or sensitive topics not suitable for students of certain ages.
When deciding what to show young students always use your best judgement and consult a professional.
A Garland of Many Years by Donald Davie is sold by several retailers and bookshops. However, Read Time works with Amazon to provide an easier way to purchase books.
To buy A Garland of Many Years by Donald Davie on Amazon click the button below.
Buy A Garland of Many Years on Amazon