Reviews

The Best Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis by Caroline Kennedy

jgintrovertedreader's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 Stars

I don't read a lot of poetry and don't really feel that I have the tools to review it. All I can say is that I know what I like when I read it. I'm not someone who is going to devote a lot of time to dissecting a poem and wrenching every ounce of meaning from it. I had enough of that in school.

I can't even remember what prompted me to add this title to my to-read list but it's been on there since June 2007. I was excited to finally find a copy at the library.

I liked a little more than half the poems presented in this collection, at a guess. I was familiar with a few poets and even specific poems already (Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams, etc.) but more of them were new to me.

There are seven sections in the book, each featuring poems fitting a theme. The sections were entitled America, First Poems [poems for children], Adventure, Escape, Romance and Love, Reflection, and In Her Own Words, which featured a couple of Mrs. Kennedy-Onassis's own writings. Some of the selections seemed odd for the theme. For example, Merry-Go-Round by Langston Hughes is in the Adventure section. I read that as a condemnation of the Jim Crow South, not any great adventure. The Romance section consists almost entirely of Elizabethan poetry, based on an event held in JFK's White House focused on that very theme. It seems odd to limit such a universal topic to such a very specific timeframe. But most placements did make sense to me.

There are casual photos of the Kennedy family scattered throughout the book. I've never been particularly intrigued with the family but those who are will surely enjoy these pictures as an added bonus.

This is a mixed bag for me, as most anthologies are, but it was nice to pick up this slim volume and read a few poems over breakfast. It's inspired me to grab another poetry collection from the library and try to continue the practice.

mimipolston's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

4.0

novelesque_life's review against another edition

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4.0

4 STARS

A great collection of poetry.

anderson65's review against another edition

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4.0

A collection of poetry enjoyed by Jackie-O as well some of her beautifully written poems. Includes poems she read/recited to her children.

chava81's review against another edition

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inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

cwhalen1988's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.0

I enjoyed the idea of this book more than the actual poems chosen. Some of them were really great but I guess I was hoping for my inspiration. The stories behind the poems are really the best part of this book.

kerryann's review against another edition

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5.0

I love the forward in this book. The collection of poems you might find elsewhere, Caroline Schlossberg picks popular poems. This book's value lies in making appealing poetry accessible to a person new to poetry. It also shows how one family made poetry part of their life growing up. I give this book as a baby shower present with an interview by Caroline Schlossberg promoting the book inside.

lovmelovmycats's review against another edition

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4.0

A good set of poems. Very accessible.

burnman325's review

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5.0

loved it. Jackie was very classy and the selection of poems shows
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