Grief Is the Thing with Feathers
{{Short description|2015 book by Max Porter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Grief Is the Thing with Feathers
| image = File:Grief_is_the_Thing_with_Feathers.jpg
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| author = Max Porter
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| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
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| publisher = Faber and Faber
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| pub_date = 2015
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| awards = Dylan Thomas Prize
| isbn = 9780571323760
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| preceded_by =
| followed_by = Lanny
}}
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers is the debut book by Max Porter, a novella about grief, published in 2015.{{Cite news |last=Kitamura |first=Katie |date=2016-07-01 |title=Their Grief Counselor Is a Crow. It's Fiction. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/03/books/review/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers-by-max-porter.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Hulbert |first=Ann |date=2016-05-17 |title=Exploring the Facets of Grief |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers/480753/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Wade |first=Francesca |date=2015-09-22 |title=Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter, review: 'deeply comic, hopelessly sad' |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/grief-thing-feathers-max-porter-review/ |access-date=2023-11-03 |issn=0307-1235}}
Details
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers is a "book about death and its grief-stricken consolations – love and art" through the story "of a grieving writer and father of two young boys, who is coming to terms with the death of his wife while writing a book about Ted Hughes". It uses text, dialogue and poetry.{{Cite news |last=Gunn |first=Kirsty |date=2015-09-18 |title=Grief Is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter review – words take flight |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/18/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers-by-max-porter-review-ted-hughes |access-date=2023-11-03 |issn=0261-3077}} The book is narrated from rapidly alternating perspectives: the Dad, the Boys, and Crow—a human-sized bird that can speak, "equal parts babysitter, philosopher and therapist" to the family.{{Cite web |last=Devers |first=A. N. |date=2016-06-03 |title=Review: Max Porter's debut 'Grief Is the Thing With Feathers' soars with complexity |url=https://www.latimes.com/books/la-ca-jc-max-porter-grief-20160523-snap-story.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=East |first=Ben |date=2016-09-11 |title=Grief Is the Thing With Feathers review – a fable of magic and mourning |language=en-GB |work=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/sep/11/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers-max-porter-paperback-of-the-week |access-date=2023-11-03 |issn=0029-7712}}
The title refers to a poem by Emily Dickinson, ""Hope" is the thing with feathers".{{Cite web |date=2015-09-13 |title=Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, by Max Porter - book review: In |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers-by-max-porter-book-review-in-hughes-shadow-10496877.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=The Independent |language=en}} Crow is the Crow from Ted Hughes' 1970 poetry book.{{Cite web |date=2016-06-07 |title=Ted Hughes' 'Crow' provides backbone for 'Grief Is the Thing With Feathers' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/books/ct-prj-grief-is-thing-with-feathers-max-porter-20160607-story.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Chicago Tribune}}
Awards
Adaptions
Grief Is the Thing with Feathers was adapted into a play of the same name, directed by Enda Walsh and starring Cillian Murphy.{{Cite web |last=Lukowski |first=Andrzej |date=2019-03-29 |title='Grief Is the Thing with Feathers' review |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/grief-is-the-thing-with-feathers-review |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=Time Out London |language=en-GB}}
In 2024, a film adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch, titled The Thing with Feathers, began production. Principal photography was underway by early 2024.{{cite web |last=Yossman |first=K.J. |date=November 16, 2023 |title=Benedict Cumberbatch Says Participating in His 'Letters Live' Stage Show Is 'An Immediate Shot in the Arm for a Performer' |url=https://variety.com/2023/theater/global/benedict-cumberbatch-letters-live-emma-watson-1235792570/ |accessdate=11 January 2024 |website=Variety}} {{cite web |date=24 February 2024 |title=Benedict Cumberbatch transforms into a grieving father as he films sombre scenes with two child actors for his new role in The Thing With Feathers |url=https://whatsnew2day.com/benedict-cumberbatch-transforms-into-a-grieving-father-as-he-films-sombre-scenes-with-two-child-actors-for-his-new-role-in-the-thing-with-feathers/ |accessdate=24 April 2024 |website=whatsnew2day}}