This really resonates with what we’re doing on Memories. The Costa Book of the Year 2009 award went to the poet Christopher Reid for his book, A Scattering. It consists of a series of poems about losing his wife to cancer in 2005. I haven’t read the book but it sounds extremely emotional, particularly considering that she died in his arms.

Poetry seems much maligned by many members of the public, but we like it and there are poems going into Memories alongside prose entries. It’s fanatastic that Reid wrote this book in the first place, and even more so that it has won a top award. Our congratulations go out to him. You can read the Guardian’s report here, or order a copy of the book here.