Echoes in the memory: the T S Eliot Prize and readings

The 2013 T S Eliot Prize winner will be announced this evening, and with Picador's own Robin Robertson on the shortlist this year we've been reminiscing about readings gone by.


The 2013 T S Eliot Prize winner will be announced this evening, and with Picador’s own Robin Robertson (pictured above) on the shortlist this year for his collection Hill of Doors, we’ve been reminiscing about readings gone by. 

The evening of the T S Eliot Prize readings is a very special event in the poetry calendar. Each year, a distinguished group of poets are brought together to read from their shortlisted work in front of a large audience of poetry lovers. The size of the audience is a heartening sign that poetry – and particularly the performance of poetry – is a valued part of British culture.

Thinking back to last year’s Eliot readings, it was a brilliant line-up and a particularly powerful set of readings. Here are a few of my favourite performances from last year. Award yourself a few minutes’ break and have a listen to these:

Sean Borodale reads from Bee Journal (Jonathan Cape)

Picador's own Jacob Polley reads from The Havocs

Another Picador poet, Kathleen Jamie, was shortlisted for her collection, The Overhaul 

The eventual 2012 winner Sharon Olds reads from Stag’s Leap (Jonathan Cape)

And Paul Farley, also a Picador poet, reads from The Dark Film