Rotten Days in Late Summer

by Ralf Webb
Rotten Days in Late Summer cover
Good Books rating 3.9
Poetry
Technical:
  • ID: 754
  • Added: 2025-09-19
  • Updated: 2025-09-20
  • ISBN: 9780141992747
  • Publisher: Penguin UK
  • Published: 2021-05-27
  • Formats: 12
  • Reviews: 3
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Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99

Rotten Days in Late Summer is a profound and poignant debut poetry collection by Ralf Webb, delving into the intricate textures of class, youth, and adulthood within the working communities of the West Country. The poems vividly capture the raw and lustrous world of mobile home parks, factory workers, and saleswomen, alongside the complexities of young love and the struggles of masculinity. The collection features three prominent sequences: 'Love Stories,' which navigates the dreams and lies of relationships; 'Diagnostics,' a poignant account of the poet's father's death from cancer; and 'Treetops,' a long poem that weaves together grief and mental health struggles in a quest to understand the overwhelming data of a life./n/n Webb's poetry is both direct and heart-breaking, offering a frank and vital exploration of existence and the search for light within almost-inescapable fates. This collection has been widely acclaimed, with praise from notable authors and critics, and has been recognized with several prestigious nominations and awards.

Reviews
Katie Louise Poetry · Katie Louise · 2022-08-17
impactful 3.50

The first part of the collection is praised for its vivid imagery and craftsmanship. Some sections may feel repetitive, but the overall collection is impactful.

Katie Louise highlights the strong imagery and craftsmanship in the first part of the collection, which stands out for its vivid and concrete descriptions. She notes that while some sections may feel repetitive, the overall impact of the poetry is significant. The themes of class, youth, and adulthood are explored with a raw and honest perspective, making the collection a memorable read. The reviewer appreciates the emotional depth and the way the poems capture the essence of working-class life.

Quick quotes

    The first part of Rotten Days in Late Summer by Ralf Webb had poems with the most concrete imagery and were well crafted.

    The collection is impactful, capturing the essence of working-class life with raw honesty.

    Some sections may feel repetitive, but the overall impact is significant.

The Guardian · 2021-06-04
thought-provoking 4.00

The collection is more than just teenage angst; it delves deeply into the textures of class and fate.

The Guardian reviewer notes that the title might suggest a collection focused on teenage angst, but it goes far beyond that. The poetry delves deeply into the textures of class, youth, and the almost inescapable fates that shape lives. The reviewer appreciates the depth and complexity of the themes explored, finding the collection to be a rich and thought-provoking read. The poems are described as close, dangerous, and lustrous, capturing the essence of working-class communities.

Quick quotes

    The title of Ralf Webb's Rotten Days in Late Summer seems to warn of a debut in thrall to teenage angst; titles such as “The World is Not Enough” and “A Brief History of Your Time on Earth” are not promising.

    The world of these poems is close, dangerous, lustrous and difficult: a world in which whole existences are lived in the spin of almost-inescapable fates.

    The collection delves deeply into the textures of class, youth, and the almost inescapable fates that shape lives.

Poetry Books · 2021-05-27
compelling 4.20

The poems are described as close, dangerous, and lustrous, capturing the essence of working-class communities.

The reviewer from Poetry Books describes the world of these poems as close, dangerous, and lustrous, highlighting the almost inescapable fates that shape the lives depicted. The collection is praised for its ability to capture the essence of working-class communities, making it a compelling read. The reviewer appreciates the raw and honest portrayal of class, youth, and adulthood, finding the poems to be both impactful and evocative. The collection is seen as a powerful exploration of the textures of life in working communities.

Quick quotes

    The world of these poems is close, dangerous, lustrous and difficult: a world in which whole existences are lived in the spin of almost-inescapable fates.

    The collection captures the essence of working-class communities with raw and honest portrayal.

    The poems are both impactful and evocative, making it a compelling read.

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