Overview

A madcap literary mission across England 'A book that knocks on doors of language, of possibility, of love and of humanity. Open your door and let this book in ... it's as though the angel of poetry has written a knock knock joke that finds its way to your heart' Ian McMillan What would you do if a stranger knocked on your door and offered to write you a poem? Rowan McCabe wanted to find out. In doing so, he became the world's first Door-to-Door Poet. He banged on people's doors and asked what was important to them. He then went away and wrote a poem about it, free of charge, which he brought back and performed on their doorstep. Rowan tried the project with his neighbours in Newcastle upon Tyne. Emboldened to find that nobody punched him in the face, he then set out on a tour of England, knocking on the doors of Moss Side in Manchester, Jaywick in Essex, the remote island of Lundy and many places in between. This book is a funny and uplifting account of that journey. It tells the stories of the residents Rowan met and is punctuated by the thoughtful and often laugh-out-loud poetry that he wrote for them.The Door-to-Door Poetis a joyful and compelling portrayal of one very unusual mission and the many and varied voices that make up a nation.

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9781785634543

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Reviews

‘Honest, whimsical, thoughtful and poetic. A cracking idea, well executed. I can't wait for McCabe to knock on my door’ -- Ben Aitken, author of The Gran Tour ‘A very funny, very charming book with lots of madcap adventures which becomes a book about modern Britain in its diversity, and that’s what I love about it’ -- Stuart Maconie * BBC Radio 4 Loose Ends * ‘I love all of this. I love this idea, I love the book’ -- Gaby Roslin * BBC The Make a Difference Show * ‘It’s fabulous to see poetry brought to life in this way. It’s so relevant and meaningful’ -- Rachel Burden * BBC Breakfast * ‘Rowan McCabe’s memoir, peppered throughout with his warm and delightful poetry, displays the best of human connection and compassion’  ‘A funny, self-aware chronicle of the year McCabe spent in pursuit of a madly brilliant project’ -- NARC Magazine ‘Absolutely riveting’ -- Attila the Stockbroker ‘Ingenious’ -- BBC Radio Scotland ‘Highly talented with verse’ -- Broadway Baby ‘A book that knocks on doors of language, of possibility, of love and of humanity. Open your door and let this book in ... it’s as though the angel of poetry has written a knock knock joke that finds its way to your heart’ -- Ian McMillan

‘Honest, whimsical, thoughtful and poetic. A cracking idea, well executed. I can't wait for McCabe to knock on my door’ -- Ben Aitken, author of The Gran Tour ‘A very funny, very charming book with lots of madcap adventures which becomes a book about modern Britain in its diversity, and that’s what I love about it’ -- Stuart Maconie * BBC Radio 4 Loose Ends * ‘I love all of this. I love this idea, I love the book’ -- Gaby Roslin * BBC The Make a Difference Show * ‘It’s fabulous to see poetry brought to life in this way. It’s so relevant and meaningful’ -- Rachel Burden * BBC Breakfast * ‘Rowan McCabe’s memoir, peppered throughout with his warm and delightful poetry, displays the best of human connection and compassion’  ‘A funny, self-aware chronicle of the year McCabe spent in pursuit of a madly brilliant project’ -- NARC Magazine ‘Absolutely riveting’ -- Attila the Stockbroker ‘Ingenious’ -- BBC Radio Scotland ‘Highly talented with verse’ -- Broadway Baby

Author Information

Rowan McCabe was raised by a punk and a hippy on a Tyneside council estate. Showing an interest in poetry from an early age, he went on to study English Literature at Newcastle University. He is the creator of North East Rising, a show of performance poetry about his love/hate relationship with his home town, and co-devised and starred in a short film for Channel 4's Random Acts. He has toured the country in two stage shows based on his door-to-door poetry project. His work is the subject of a BBC Radio 4 programme to be aired in October 2025.

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