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Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary audio
Review: The message resonates, but even more satisfying than Whyte's commentary is his vocal interpretation of Dante, Yeats, Hopkins, Rilke (in German and English). This is an audio pleasure for people who regularly feast on poetry, but also for anyone willing to examine the power of language and the spoken word; listening to this tape brings back all the pleasure of being read to as a child.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiration without the schmaltz
Review: These CDs put me in mind of an American friend who once said that she wasn't interested in anyone not transforming themselves. They've been spinning in my diskman ever since arriving in the post, and I've been listening to them during my long seaside walks, which is when I slough my skins. In my view, the language of transformation has been devalued by the self-help industry. It's been so bled of meaning or beauty or both that it's of no use to any of us anymore. Whyte has directed me towards a language that'll always have blood in its veins, and that's sharp still - the language in poetry. There're no easy slogans here, no pastiched wisdom. Nor are there any gags or attention-grabbers or bullet-points of formulaic action. Whyte just rolls on like a sea lapping steadily at the shore; he gives the listener an ocean of language to contemplate, to immerse themselves in - it's up to you to find what you need for whatever transformation you're currently attempting. His words are generous, intelligent, considered, and often deeply moving. Plus there are dozens of "eureka!" moments to be had: one of mine was when I first heard him say, "I think that boredom is a failure of the imagination." Another was when he introduced then read Yeats' poem "Song of wandering Aengus."
He's not saying much that's new - but he speaks with an eloquence that has woken me up. And he has a lovely voice, and speaks with a soothing cadence. Buy these CDs. It's worth it.
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