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The Guardian view on booming poetry sales: Homer, meet the Instapoets
In an unexpected twist, a Hollywood epic has contributed to Britain’s best-ever half-year in poetry sales
TL;DR
- Poetry sales in the UK are at a historic high.
- Christopher Nolan's film 'The Odyssey' has boosted sales of Homer's works.
- Contemporary "Instagram poets" like Rupi Kaur and Lucas Jones are major contributors to the sales surge.
- The appeal of these new poets lies in their directness and relatable themes.
- A debate exists between critics who view this poetry as therapy and those who see it as a healthy challenge to traditional canon.
- There is a concern that poets like Philip Larkin are being co-opted by the poetry-as-therapy movement.