Ellen Cranitch readings
'Utterly mesmerising... This is what poetry at its best and truest can do. A wonderful achievement.’ – Stephen Fry
Ellen Cranitch's Crystal traces the arc of one woman’s experience after the discovery that her partner is addicted to crystal meth. In a highly original poetic act of reclamation, it plunders the drug itself and makes of it an overarching conceit to articulate the devastating impact of living with a loved one who is utterly changed. Deeply felt, tirelessly inventive, this collection gives voice to addiction’s explosive effect within a family. At the same time it speaks universally and with urgency of the power of poetry to take one through the darkest of times.
Crystal is Ellen Cranitch's second poetry book, following The Immortalist (Templar Press), which was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Prize for Best Collection 2018. Crystal was published by Bloodaxe in April 2024, and was launched online at Bloodaxe's joint reading and discussion event on 30 April. Scroll down to see the video.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
The Laugharne Weekend: 28-30 March 2025
Ellen will be reading from Crystal at this year's Laugharne Weekend, an annual literary and arts festival in West Wales. The festival is held in the spring at venues throughout the town of Laugharne.
More details available here from early March.
Weekend tickets for the festival are available here.
PAST EVENTS
ONLINE LAUNCH READING, 30 APRIL 2024
Ellen Cranitch launched Crystal online at Bloodaxe’s joint live-streamed reading and discussion event on 30 April 2024, together with Helen Farish and
Okinawan-Irish American poet Brenda Shaughnessy.
Available to watch now via YouTube - click on the arrow below. Ellen read first in each set.
[04 February 2025]
