The Sappho Companion

About this book

Born around 630 BC on the Greek Island of Lesbos Sappho is the greatest lyrical poet of Greece and one of the greatist artists of any age. Her poems exist only as fragments and her life is not much more than speculation but Sapphos pull-as writer voice and image-affects every era. Ovid Baudelaire and Jeanette Winterson are just a few of the writers who each generation claim Sappho as their own. Who is Sappho? Lesbian mother poet lover suicide warning and icon. In this innovative blend of personal reflection and cultural history Margaret Reynolds illuminates Sapphos genius her life her sexuality and the extraordinary influence she has had across centuries. Built on key themes this book features a rich offering of poems plays essays and stories by leading writers that bring Sapphos legacy to life.