Kirjahaku

The Goldsmith's Apprentice is Keith Chandler's first collection since moving to the West Midlands, an area which, with its industrial and craft heritage, has influenced many of the new poems.As Will Daunt has written in Envoi: "In his craft, Chandler has been patient rather than prolific and is the better writer for it. He has been uncompromising in the development of a style that is literate as it is accessible. He deserves an ever-expanding readership." 'The Goldsmith's Apprentice opens with a wonderful sequence of poems about work. From glassworkers to glass eye fitters, these poems understand the routines and insanities of what people do to earn a crust, revealing with great empathy the impact of industry on lives. This wide-ranging collection moves outwards from there to a broad scope of subjects, from ties to lost campervans, from an old man at the gym to a moving final sequence about a grandchild. Now humorous, now powerful, crammed with good ideas and great endings, these are accessible poems which are deeply engaged with both the ephemera and the big issues of ordinary lives. More than anything, I value them for their great humanity, their understanding of the power of poetry to celebrate the importance of lives lost to history, tough work or a duff education system. To appropriate the ending of a wonderfully moving poem about a nurse, these poems, coming as they do out of the best motivations and the deepest artistic rigour, are The Real Thing: Jonathan Edwards, Winner of The Costa Award for Poetry'This is a fresh, nuanced and humane collection of poems with its eye and ear to the world - to the world of work in particular, and to the craft of survival. It is a wonderful and generous book. The poems welcome you in and hold your attention with their deftness, attentiveness and joy-in-making.' David Morley, Winner of The Ted Hughes Award

Murrell Brandon aka Uno and his team of street bosses are on a die-hard mission to control the drug game in their city, at all cost. Uno devises a plan that's called THA TAKEOVER, in which they will look to eliminate RED, the present big dog in the hoods. But Red is no simp and the task won't be a cakewalk. Backed by his hitters and PUNKIN, his beautiful and thorough ride or die woman, Uno is destined for street riches and fame. But the game is nothing to take lightly. Will Uno learn the hard way that sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for? Will fame turn to infamy and cause heartache and despair? In the streets, all acts of aggression are met with fierce opposition. Both sides have gunners that are willing to kill or die for perceived power. But can anyone match Uno's unquenchable appetite to conquer them all?

In the heart of Indianapolis, Uno rises from the trenches to build an empire that stretches from the streets to the boardroom. With his loyal crew-Nasty, LR, Lil' E, Reese, and others-he dominates the drug trade, invests in real estate, and transforms his crew into a feared and respected syndicate. But power comes at a price. As rival factions led by Man-Man, Black, and Jimmy threaten his reign, Uno faces betrayal, heartbreak, and war. From surviving federal indictments and prison time to uncovering a hidden son and confronting a lover turned informant, Uno's journey is a relentless battle for loyalty, legacy, and survival. With the city in chaos, blood on the pavement, and millions buried beneath the surface, Uno must outthink, outfight, and outlast everyone-including the feds-to protect his family and secure his throne. Will THA TAKEOVER end with success? Or has Uno underestimated the opps? This is a story of grit, ambition, and redemption, where every move is calculated, and every misstep could be fatal. Welcome to the world of WSF-where legends are made, and loyalty is everything.