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Title: The Poet's Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry by Kim Addonizio, Dorianne Laux ISBN: 0-393-31654-8 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: 20 October, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.56 (16 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: a great guide
Comment: It comes as no surpise (since Dorianne Laux is a great poet and Addonzio is one of the best of her generation) that this is a great guide to writing poety (I love the subtitle: "A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry"-- note the pleasures). And it's good for any level of experience. It has a lot to teach the beginner, a help to the intermediate, and even the advanced student of poetry can get some ideas from this book. The first section of the book covers some subjects for writing, including family, death, and the erotic. Most of the book discussing the craft of poetry. The chapters deal with images, simile and metaphore, the line, voice, dreams and experiments, meter and rhyme, repetition and rhythm, the villanell, panotoum, and sestina, grammr, and revision. Then they have a section titled "The Writing Life" which deals with self-doubt, writer's block, getting published, and the internet. Most of the chapters end with writing exercises, to help give you ideas for poems and practice at writing. And at the end of the book they have their "Tweny-Minute Wriitng Exercises." Addonizio and Laux chose, in general, great poems to illustrate whatever they are discussing. And the book even has several useful appenices: Books on Poetry and Writing; Anthologies for Further Reading; Finding Markets for Your Poems; and More Resources for Writers. It's a great guide and useful teaching tool, and told in a conversational, interesting voice. It's a purchase no poet will regret.
Rating: 5
Summary: Think "Dead Poets Society" ...
Comment: I've grown a little cynical at the plethora of "How to Write Poetry" books that are out there - I've either read or bought well over two dozen of the things. Most of them are simply saying the same thing over and over and over, and leave you wondering whether the writers are all reading and recycling each other's How To books ...
But this one is different. It is incredibly readable for a start, manages to be warm and friendly and funny at the same time as showing new ways to look at the craft of writing. The best example I can give you is the chapter on grammar ... a terrifying ordeal for a great many of us. But somehow this pair have managed to make it INTERESTING and INSPIRING! They are like the sort of English teacher you wish you could have had at High School. Remember Robin Williams in "Dead Poets Society"? Now you get the picture.
Look, I could go on for hours on this book. Beg, borrow or steal a copy for yourself. This book brought me to tears - all I kept thinking was that it was exactly the book that I needed right now. Try it. You'll agree.
Rating: 4
Summary: Almost Stopped Before I Started: So Glad I Didn't!
Comment: I almost ruled out reading this book when I read the author's (to me) bold statement on page 225: "Can you write a poem in 20 minutes? We seriously doubt it."
Being, at times, a very fast poet, I *gasped* when I read that assertion! (Don't ask me how I got to page 225 before I read the rest of the book but nonetheless, it stuck out to me!)
I kept at it, though, and found my way through the original assessment and into many of the glorious exercises, the truth in words that I so resonate with such as "We don't believe in writer's block. We believe there are times when you are empty and times when you are full."
The section on Metrical poetry is truly magical - I enjoyed learning about how Free-Verse as a form blossomed as well.
There are also many, many valuable resources in the appendices such as Books on Poetry and Writing, Finding Markets for Your Poetry and More Resources for Writers.
Finally, this book is chock full of exercises so that you can continue picking it up and revisit, use, revisit, use some more, revisit over and over again. Definitely worth the investment AND I am so glad I didn't toss it all because of one difference in opinion.
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Title: In the Palm of Your Hand:The Poet's Portable Workshop by Steve Kowit ISBN: 0884481492 Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers Pub. Date: 01 June, 1995 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Practice of Poetry : Writing Exercises From Poets Who Teach by Robin Behn ISBN: 006273024X Publisher: HarperResource Pub. Date: 23 September, 1992 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver ISBN: 0156724006 Publisher: Harcourt Pub. Date: 01 January, 1995 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: 2004 Poet's Market (Poet's Market, 2004) by Nancy Breen, Vanessa Lyman ISBN: 1582971870 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.99 |
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Title: The Discovery of Poetry: A Field Guide to Reading and Writing Poems by Frances Mayes ISBN: 0156007622 Publisher: Harvest Books Pub. Date: 09 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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