Keith Bosley
Encyclopedia
Keith Bosley is a British
poet and language expert.
Bosley was born in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
, grew up in Maidenhead
, Berkshire
. He was educated at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
in Marlow
(1949 – 1956) and the Universities of Paris
, Caen, and Reading
(1956 – 1960), where he read French.
In 1961 he began working for the BBC
, mainly as an announcer on the World Service
, but the work for which he perhaps best known is as a poet and translator. In 1978 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translators. In 1980 he became a Corresponding Member of the Finnish Literature Society
, and a year later he undertook a Middle East lecture tour for the BBC and the British Council
. Other accolades include first prizes in the British Comparative Literature Association's translation competition in 1982 and, in the same year, in the English Goethe Society's translation competition. In 1991 he was made a Knight First Class of the Order of the White Rose
of Finland
.
Bosley retired from the BBC in 1993 and lives in Berkshire
. In 2001 he was awarded a pension from the Royal Literary Fund
, and continues in his role as organist at St Laurence's Church, Upton-cum-Chalvey
. He is married to harpist Satu Salo and has three sons, Ben, Sebastian and Gabriel.
Translations
Other works include contributions to numerous journals in the UK, France, Finland and the USA, and authorship of hundreds of radio scripts including The Poetry of Europe (9 x 30-min programmes, 1981), and The Kalevala (15 x 15-min programmes, 1992).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
poet and language expert.
Bosley was born in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
Bourne End, Buckinghamshire
Bourne End is a village predominantly in the parish of Wooburn and Bourne End, but also in the parish of Little Marlow, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated close to the border with Berkshire, near where the River Wye meets the River Thames...
, grew up in Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. He was educated at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a selective state grammar school accepting girls and boys aged 11–18 located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated on West Street, close to the town centre and also accepts students from nearby towns...
in Marlow
Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Marlow is a town and civil parish within Wycombe district in south Buckinghamshire, England...
(1949 – 1956) and the Universities of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, Caen, and Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
(1956 – 1960), where he read French.
In 1961 he began working for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, mainly as an announcer on the World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
, but the work for which he perhaps best known is as a poet and translator. In 1978 he was awarded the Finnish State Prize for Translators. In 1980 he became a Corresponding Member of the Finnish Literature Society
Finnish Literature Society
The Finnish Literature Society was founded in 1831 to promote literature written in Finnish. Among its first publications was the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic.-External links:* ...
, and a year later he undertook a Middle East lecture tour for the BBC and the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
. Other accolades include first prizes in the British Comparative Literature Association's translation competition in 1982 and, in the same year, in the English Goethe Society's translation competition. In 1991 he was made a Knight First Class of the Order of the White Rose
Order of the White Rose
The Order of the White Rose of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor,...
of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Bosley retired from the BBC in 1993 and lives in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. In 2001 he was awarded a pension from the Royal Literary Fund
Royal Literary Fund
The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund set up to help published British writers in financial difficulties. It was founded by Reverend David Williams in 1790 and has received bequests and donations, including royal patronage, ever since...
, and continues in his role as organist at St Laurence's Church, Upton-cum-Chalvey
Upton, Slough
Upton is a suburb of Slough in Berkshire, England. Until the local government reforms of 1974 it was in Buckinghamshire. It was one of the villages that developed into the town.-History:...
. He is married to harpist Satu Salo and has three sons, Ben, Sebastian and Gabriel.
Publications
Poetry- The Possibility of Angels (1969)
- And I Dance: for children (1972)
- Dark Summer (1976)
- Stations (1979)
- A Chiltern Hundred (1987)
- An Upton Hymnal (1999)
Translations
- Russia's Other Poets (1968)
- An Idiom of Night: Pierre Jean JouvePierre Jean JouvePierre Jean Jouve was a French writer, novelist and poet. No more info at the moment.-References:...
(1968) - The War Wife: Vietnamese poetry (1972)
- The Song of Songs (1976)
- Finnish Folk Poetry: Epic (1977)
- MallarméStéphane MallarméStéphane Mallarmé , whose real name was Étienne Mallarmé, was a French poet and critic. He was a major French symbolist poet, and his work anticipated and inspired several revolutionary artistic schools of the early 20th century, such as Dadaism, Surrealism, and Futurism.-Biography:Stéphane...
: The Poems (1977) - A Round O: André Frénaud (1977)
- The Last Temptations: opera by Joonas KokkonenJoonas KokkonenJoonas Kokkonen was a Finnish composer. He was one of the most internationally famous Finnish composers of the 20th century after Sibelius; his opera The Last Temptations has received over 500 performances worldwide, and is considered by many to be Finland's most distinguished national opera.-...
(1977) - Whitsongs: Eino LeinoEino LeinoEino Leino was a Finnish poet and journalist and is considered one of the pioneers of Finnish poetry. His poems combine modern and Finnish folk elements. The style of much of his work is like the Kalevala and folk songs. Nature, love, and despair are frequent themes in Leino's work...
(1978) - The Elek Book of Oriental Verse (1979)
- A Reading of Ashes: Jerzy FicowskiJerzy FicowskiJerzy Ficowski was a Polish poet, writer and translator .- Biography and works :During the German occupation of Poland in World War II, Ficowski who lived in Włochy near Warsaw was a member of the Polish resistance...
(1981) - From the Theorems of Master Jean de La Ceppède (1983)
- The KalevalaKalevalaThe Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
(1989) - Luís de CamõesLuís de CamõesLuís Vaz de Camões is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Vondel, Homer, Virgil and Dante. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas...
: Epic and Lyric (1990) - The Kanteletar: selection (1992)
- The Great Bear: Finno-Ugrian oral poetry (1993)
- Odes: Aleksis KiviAleksis KiviAleksis Kivi , born Alexis Stenvall, was a Finnish author who wrote the first significant novel in the Finnish language, Seven Brothers...
(1994) - A Centenary PessoaFernando PessoaFernando Pessoa, born Fernando António Nogueira de Seabra Pessoa , was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the Portuguese language.-Early years in Durban:On 13 July...
(1995) - Rome the Sorceress: André Frénaud (1995)
- Eve Blossom Has Wheels: German love poetry (1997)
- Skating on the Sea: poetry from Finland (1997)
Other works include contributions to numerous journals in the UK, France, Finland and the USA, and authorship of hundreds of radio scripts including The Poetry of Europe (9 x 30-min programmes, 1981), and The Kalevala (15 x 15-min programmes, 1992).
External links
- Reviews of "The Kalevala", as translated by Keith Bosley – ISBN 0-19-283570-X – (pub. Oxford University Press)
- "The Kanteletar" thisisFINLAND.fi – Finland's treasury of folk lyrics and ballads
- Rome the Sorceress – ISBN 185224318X – by André Frénaud, as translated by Keith Bosley