Four hundred years ago the first edition of Shakespeare’s sonnets appeared in print. The John Rylands University Library in Manchester holds in its collection one of the thirteen remaining original copies of the sonnets. This very special book is at the centre of an exhibition currently on display at the Rylands Library, A Small Eternity: The shape of the sonnet through time, which celebrates the anniversary and the sonnet form.

In the podcast Stella Halkyard, Modern Literary Archivist at the library and the curator of A Small Eternity, gives Carcanet a personal tour of the exhibition. Its highlights range from Petrarch to Edwin Morgan via Anthony Burgess and Elizabeth Jennings, all of whose work has been published by Carcanet. The podcast also features readings of several sonnets from the exhibition by Carcanet Editorial and Managing Director Michael Schmidt, including 'Whoso list to hunt...' by Sir Thomas Wyatt and 'Beech' by Elizabeth Jennings.

Click HERE to listen to our podcast.

OR read along with the podcast script by clicking the document below: