(Corrupted extracts from John Donne's poems add to the intrigue of Tony Thistlewood’s contemporary mystery Stealing Tomorrow’s Thunder – apologies, Mr Donne, for the use and abuse of your wonderful words!)
John Donne was an enigma: he preached to kings, yet he wrote saucy ballads to his patroness, Lucy Countess of Bedford; he was a devote Catholic, yet he became the Protestant Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral; he eulogised peace, yet he went to war against Spain, serving under the Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh at Cadiz and in the Azores; he fathered twelve children in sixteen years, yet he never remarried when his wife died only days after their twelfth child was stillborn.
It is fair to say that this man was not one of the flamboyant characters that strutted the early 17th century stage such as William Shakespeare, Robert Cecil or Sir Walter Raleigh. Rather, he floated in the background writing, procreating (twelve children in sixteen years!), struggling to feed his large family and eventually questioning his Catholic faith. Even so, his writing output was as prolific as it was varied and much of it has survived to this day. (See summary below)
Most of us have
probably quoted, or read, something from his work at one time or
another, even if it was only the title of a book… What? Oh, yes you
have! Remember this…
This is a quote from Meditation XVII of Devotions
Upon Emergent Occasions (1624) – catchy title!
Snapshot Bio of John Donne
Date of Birth:
Parents:
Date of Death:
Education:
Positions held:
Literary Works:
Click here to read the plot outline of Stealing Tomorrow's Thunder
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