Canongate to publish Michel Faber's poetry on grief

Canongate is to publish Undying, a collection of poetry from Michel Faber in which he honours the memory of his late wife.

World rights excluding North America were acquired from Claire Conrad at Janklow and Nesbitt.

In Undying, Faber remembers his wife Eva, who died in 2014 after a six-year battle with cancer. "Bright, tragic, candid and true, these poems are an exceptional chronicle of what it means to find the love of your life. And what it is like to have to say goodbye", the publisher said.

Publishing director Francis Bickmore said: “These poems cut straight to the heart. They offer an honest and generous account of the stages of grieving, rendered in Michel Faber’s fearless and unflinching lucidity. This book will speak to anyone who has loved and lost and I challenge anyone not to be moved by it.”

Faber said: "When Canongate began publishing my work 18 years ago, it was Eva they always spoke to. It's strange, for all of us, to be doing this without her."

Canongate will publish Undying in hardback in July.