This is a story of life in the age of Mandelson: politician, aesthete, director of communication. Is it possible to be happy in the age of Mandelson? Moderniser, trouble-shooter, king-maker, architect of New Labour, power-broker, agent, asset, confidant: Peter Mandelson is emblematically, and maybe literally, the major political figure of our age. But who's happy? Whatever happened, Mandelson! Mandelson! wants to know, to happiness as a political imperative? And whatever happened to the public good? Oh, and while we're at it, how come some people are more answerable than others? And anyway, who said work was more important than pleasure? And what should my end be? And what form should I take? And who's welcome? And who isn't? Mandelson! Mandelson! A Memoir wants answers to these questions and more: an account - why not? - of an unaccountable age. Since David Herd began writing this book Peter Mandelson has twice had to resign from cabinet office, and has thrice come back, defying all political gravity. He is unique, amazing, charmed, doomed. Mandelson! Mandelson! is formally a various book; this is very much part of its point. It incorporates, among other forms: the sonnet, the villanelle, a noh play, a prose poem, diagrams, pictures, poems in quatrains, lists, haiku-like observations, non-haiku-like observations, free verse, a photograph, a bank statement and a disclaimer.
David Herd is a poet, critic and teacher. His recent essays on poetry and politics have appeared in Almost Island, Parallax and PN Review. He lives in Kent.
Disclaimer About These Parts My Young Youth A Statement of Intent In which the Poet, Trying to Come up with a Title for the Book he is Writing, becomes Anecdotal; and his Loyal Companion of Several Years' Standing Helps Out by Throwing a Log on the Fire Notes Towards a New Method of Institutional Audit Cherries Modern Love Mass Observation On Once Seeing Gary Humes's 'Daffodils' in Hoxton (I Wanted to Whistle) To E.P. Almonds Apples March 9th, 2001 In which the Poet Speaks of Time Spent in America, while Noting, in Passing, an Alimentary Complaint Exile's Letter Mass Observation Prudence Peter's Poem Peter! Peter! How to Breathe Tuesday My Life The Poet's Dream In Which the Poet and his Wife Address the State of the Nation Untitled On First Listening to Mahler's Second Symphony, otherwise known as the 'Resurrection' Builder Sings January 20th, 2003 In Person Note to Self Shops and Houses A Poem by Walter de la Mare Two Figures To a Friend A Note on the Title
'...a dizzy and disorienting chain of teasing, clever, breezy challenging, ingratiating, and infuriating poems...there are many poems here that will put a spring in your step, and make your mind dance.' - Tower Poetry. 'A scintillating first collection of poems' - Scotland on Sunday. '...a tour de force display of wit and technique, terrific poem after terrific poem.' - Poetry Review
