Third book of poetry out
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Updated: November 06, 2009 12:55 PM
Libros Libertad Publishing in Surrey announces the publication of longtime Courtenay resident Ilya Tourtidis’ third book of poetry, The Path of Descent and Devotion.
Tourtidis will be at Laughing Oyster Book Shop from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday to sign copies of his book.
Tourtidis, who was a teacher and school counsellor in the Comox Valley until retirement, has been writing for several decades. He was born in Greece, moved to Australia when he was four and to Canada when he was 15. He was the co-winner of the prestigious Gerald Lampert Award for his first book of poetry in 1994.
The Path of Descent and Devotion chronicles the spiritual journey of the soul as it descends into the murky depths of doubt, despair and madness to finally emerge into the light. His poems chart the ebb and flow of the poet’s mind at the interface where consciousness and the subconscious meet and merge into each other.
Tourtidis’ language is rich and metaphorical but it avoids sentimentality and nostalgia. Close attention to the emotional progress of these poems allows the reader to “feel” the meaning rather than simply understand it.
The colourful cover of the book is from a painting by Liz Tourtidis, the poet’s daughter.
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