Playing House

A poetry book.

Playing House, the debut collection of poetry from Katherine Stansfield, features a concise wit, a distinct voice, and an unsettling view of the domestic with ordinary subjects viewed through the author’s satirical yet sympathetic eye. John Lennon’s tooth, an imaginary Canada, bees in Rhode Island, and office politics are all peculiar grist to this author’s mill. She presents both historical subjects, such as Captain Scott of the Antarctic, and common objects, such as household bleach, with a skewed perspective, adding humor, drama, and a quietly distinctive pathos.

‘Striking imagery, strange leaps of thought, wit and menace aside, the unmistakeable thrill of Katherine Stansfield’s poetry is in the voice. It addresses the world directly, takes it personally, and comes at the reader from constantly unexpected angles, a tangible, physical thing.’ – Philip Gross

‘Tightly-wrought and multi-layered, Katherine Stansfield's poems are a wonderful alchemy, touching on a range of experiences, each one lit with rhythm and wordplay, from the "laminated skin" of the library card to the hymn to bleach.’ – Samantha Wynne-Rhydderch