Tidings

Tidings

A Christmas Journey

Summary

Beautifully illustrated and exquisitely musical, Tidings is a poem to be read out loud and cherished.

‘Come with me
to St Pancras Old Church, on a little London hill...’


It’s Christmas Eve and on this enchanted night Charoum, the Angel of Silence, can speak. As night turns to day, he unfolds a resonant story of a little girl, a homeless man and a fox...

In the tradition of Charles Dickens and Dylan Thomas, Tidings takes us on a journey into the heart of Christmas, showing us celebrations down the ages and across the globe – as dawn sweeps from East Australia to Bethlehem, from London to the Statue of Liberty in New York.

This is Christmas in all its magic, reminding us that it is a time not only of good tidings, but of loneliness and longing, compassion and connection.

Reviews

  • A literary and emotional feat… Tidings is an eloquent reminder that life is hard, kindness is all and that the Christmas story goes deep… A moving poem just asking to be read aloud, with different people playing each part – angel, child, tramp, fox and helper – this Christmas.
    Kate Kellaway, Observer

About the author

Ruth Padel

Ruth Padel is a prize-winning poet, author of twelve acclaimed poetry collections and prose works including much-loved books on reading contemporary poetry, a travel-memoir on wild tiger conservation, and a study of the influence of Greek myth on rock music. Awards include a British Council Darwin Now Award, a Travel Bursary and Cholmondley Award from The Society of Authors, and First Prize in the National Poetry Competition. She is Professor of Poetry at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
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