Sunbathing in the Rain

Reviews / Votes

'While many books about depression bring one down with their tales of dark mood states, and others bring one down with artificial and unconvincing messages of hope, Gwyneth Lewis's Sunbathing in the Rain is both witty and wise: a profound musing on the problem of depression that is deeply informed yet full of hope and cheer.' Andrew Solomon, author of the award-winning THE NOONDAY DEMON 'Sunbathing in the Rain is undoubtedly the best book I have ever read about one person's experience of depression.' Dorothy Rowe, author of BREAKING THE BONDS 'I started reading the book on a rainy afternoon and read it right through without stopping to late evening. I was seized by its rhythm of discovery, its humour, courage and sharp-eyed insight. Gwyneth truly draws on literature, bringing to bear writers from everywhere and every time as part of present experience. She gives you confidence in poetry. And she is wonderfully down-to-earth in her advice.' Dame Professor Gillian Beer, President of Clare Hall, Cambridge University 'None of the famous universities Gwyneth Lewis attended set exams so merciless as depression did, or taught her such finally luminous wisdom. That's why we get sent on that largest and most hideous course, and why life is so delicious if we live to graduate.This new book by Wales' premier young poet is one of the very best of the many survivor testimonies appearing today.' Les Murray 'Felicitous, urbane, heartbreaking, the poems of Gwyneth Lewis form a universe whose planets use language for oxygen and are thus inhabitable' Joseph Brodsky