The Phoenician Sonnets

Stephen Stockwell

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English

Publicious Pty Ltd
13 June 2023

Poetry; Social & cultural history; Political structures: democracy

Phoenicians are amazing. Sea farers, artisans and entrepreneurs from Lebanon around 1000 BCE, they had bit parts in the Bible, Homer and Egyptian and Roman history then pop out of ancient books on great adventures, spreading trade and ideas across the Mediterranean and contributing to the development of global civilisation. They had an impact on humanity that we still benefit from, and learn from, today. We also explore their dark side: slavery, child sacrifice and institutional prostitution. This book is unlike any other: it is an epic poem, a travel guide, a history book, a self-help manual, an auto-biographical memoir and a speculative political essay. It is told in 54 sonnets with footnotes, maps and illustrations guiding the reader through Phoenician history and culture, along their trading routes from China to the Baltic and into the origins of the alphabet, art, religion, philosophy, science, democracy and the colour purple plus much more. It's educational, mind-expanding and fun.

By: Stephen Stockwell
Imprint: Publicious Pty Ltd
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 148mm, Spine: 11mm
Weight: 195g
ISBN: 9780645184822
ISBN 10: 0645184829
Pages: 156
Publication Date: 13 June 2023
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Stephen Stockwell is Professor Emeritus in Journalism and Communication at Griffith University. He has been a wordsmith courting controversy for more than 50 years. Previously he worked as a journalist, press secretary and political campaigner, played in Brisbane punk band, The Black Assassins, wrote for the Cane Toad Times 1983-91 and made independent films and videos such as BrainBlast. He taught at Griffith on the Gold Coast 1996-2016 and produced over 50 academic papers and book chapters and five books including The Secret History of Democracy (with Ben Isakhan). Since retiring he has been travelling and writing poetry. His epic poems about the explorer Magellan and beat poet Allen Ginsberg were published in The Voyage and the Vision in 2021. He lives at Burleigh Heads on the land of the Kombumerri clan of the Yugambeh people.