James Carney

Hi, I’m James and I’m a recent graduate of English Literature and Classics BA from King’s College London. My main research interests were classical epic and 20th century poetry, together with connections between the two! I can speak French as well as English, and can translate Latin proficiently. I’ve published articles for the global archival publisher Gale about literature, politics and culture on their blog The Gale Review. Moreover, I’ve published poetry for the KCL magazine Satyrica as well as with King’s Poetry Society on their Instagram!

My main literary area of interest is poetry, from ancient works to American modernism, and right up to contemporary writing. I am fascinated by Greek and Roman epic and their reception by poets from all over the globe. For example, I wrote my dissertation on Derek Walcott’s postcolonial Caribbean epic Omeros. I find poetic form fascinating and endlessly fruitful for innovation – so reading writers like Walcott or the earlier modernists like William Carlos Williams experiment and challenge readers’ expectations constantly intrigues me! Challenges to traditional forms and the creation of new ones renews my hope in poetry’s endurance everyday.

My favourite poetry books are, naturally, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Walcott’s Omeros, Williams’ Spring and All. However, some more contemporary favourites are The Tradition by Jericho Brown, Sonnets for Albert by Antony Joseph and Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith. While I read poetry more than novels, I have to mention Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Barrie’s Peter and Wendy as these have massively influenced my own writing.

Outside of literature, I love listening to music, cooking and hanging out with friends. I am also passionate about social justice, and work for Vodafone as part of their Diversity and Inclusion team in London.