Today's guest is a poet named Iona Lee, who I was lucky enough to meet at Glastonbury a few months ago. One night I was in a queue for an event, and Iona mentioned that she was about to publish her first collection of poems. Obviously, that peaked my interest and when I asked her if she would be willing to recite a poem, she delivered a really authentic, amazing performance, right there in the queue.

Iona generously shared with me a copy of her book, a collection of poems with the title “Anamnesis” which is an Ancient Greek word for recollection, especially a recollection of a previous life, it means an “unforgetting”. And I liked this collection a lot. For starters, I love anything that evokes memory and remembrance, but also I appreciate eclectic approaches to literature, and this collection is definitely that: eclectic. It weaves between classical & contemporary subjects, it’s playful and creative in the structure of the poems and above all, it feels really authentic, like this poet is putting her feelings, emotions and perhaps memories out there, which is what we ask of artists. 

I was so excited to speak to Iona about how she gets inspired, her path as an artist and what she recommends in the poetry world. 

Here is the list of books mentioned throughout the episode:

Her favourite poetry collections:

Her favourite book that I’ve never heard of: “Forests: The Shadow of Civilization” by Robert Pogue Harrison, (1992)

Her favourite book of the last 12 months: “The Dangers of Smoking in Bed” by Mariana Enríquez (2009)

Her most disappointing book in the last 12 months: “The Passion of New Eve”, by Angela Carter

The book she would take to a desert island: “The Encyclopedia Britannica”

The book that changed her mind: “Where Are The Women?” by Sara Sheridan
Follow me ⁠⁠⁠@litwithcharles⁠⁠⁠ for more book reviews and recommendations!