{"title":"Simon Armitage","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimon Armitage, CBE is an English poet, playwright and novelist. Born on 26 May 1963 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, he has made significant contributions to the literary world through his powerful and thought-provoking works. With a career spanning several decades, Armitage has garnered numerous accolades for his exceptional talent and creativity. His unique writing style captivates readers and leaves a lasting impact. As an influential figure in the arts community, Armitage continues to inspire aspiring artists with his remarkable body of work.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"never-good-with-horses-selected-lyrics","title":"Never Good With Horses: Assembled Lyrics","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe first-ever collection of the Poet Laureate's lyric output.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Simon Armitage's work, there has always been a territory he identifies as 'a twilight zone' where poetry and song lyric converge. He has explored it through numerous enterprises - most recently with the 'ambient post-rock' band Land Yacht Regatta. Many of the lyrics collected here were written for LYR. Others are drawn from Armitage's days with the DIY indie band The Scaremongers, various film and theatre productions including Songbirds and\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe BAFTA-winning Feltham Sings, and other miscellaneous ventures. The volume's 'Intro' charts these projects and the blurred origins of ritualised language, while its 'Outro' offers contextualising notes and anecdotal insights.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNever Good with Horses further demonstrates the rich range of Armitage's\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003erepertoire and celebrates his ear for the music of language, harnessed here for\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ethe page.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Faber","offers":[{"title":"Hardback - 2001004","offer_id":50417039311179,"sku":"2001004","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":50417039507787,"sku":"2003819","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Screenshot_2022-10-26_at_15.18.46_271d9ef3_thumbnail_4096.png?v=1726714643"},{"product_id":"the-power-of-cute","title":"The Power of Cute","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn exploration of cuteness and its immense hold on us, from emojis and fluffy puppies to its more uncanny, subversive expressionsCuteness has taken the planet by storm. Global sensations Hello Kitty and Pokémon, the works of artists Takashi Murakami and Jeff Koons, Heidi the cross-eyed opossum and E.T.―all reflect its gathering power. But what does “cute” mean, as a sensibility and style? Why is it so pervasive? Is it all infantile fluff, or is there something more uncanny and even menacing going on―in a lighthearted way? In The Power of Cute, Simon May provides nuanced and surprising answers.We usually see the cute as merely diminutive, harmless, and helpless. May challenges this prevailing perspective, investigating everything from Mickey Mouse to Kim Jong-il to argue that cuteness is not restricted to such sweet qualities but also beguiles us by transforming or distorting them into something of playfully indeterminate power, gender, age, morality, and even species. May grapples with cuteness’s dark and unpindownable side―unnerving, artful, knowing, apprehensive―elements that have fascinated since ancient times through mythical figures, especially hybrids like the hermaphrodite and the sphinx. He argues that cuteness is an addictive antidote to today’s pressured expectations of knowing our purpose, being in charge, and appearing predictable, transparent, and sincere. Instead, it frivolously expresses the uncertainty that these norms deny: the ineliminable uncertainty of who we are; of how much we can control and know; of who, in our relations with others, really has power; indeed, of the very value and purpose of power.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":50992043196747,"sku":"2236817","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/61gAD8GhPXL._SY522__26942a7e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1734609309"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/collections\/test_f0733737_thumbnail_4096_a427b058-c195-4b9c-a8ad-dce4f4a5fb75.jpg?v=1726714616","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/simon-armitage.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}