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Poems That Make Grown Men Cry: 100 Men on the Words That Move Them by Anthony Holden, Ben Holden
notnotnoble's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
steph_84's review against another edition
I know this is a ridiculous thing to say about a book by and for British people but it’s very… British? I found all the cottages and cobbled streets and war poems a bit difficult to relate to. There was very little contemporary poetry and even the small number written this century were mostly by poets born in the ‘50s or earlier.
Oh well, I rediscovered some poems I read in highschool, seeing them in a new light, found a few poems I liked that I hadn’t read before, and reaffirmed that I’m not much of a classics person.
Oh well, I rediscovered some poems I read in highschool, seeing them in a new light, found a few poems I liked that I hadn’t read before, and reaffirmed that I’m not much of a classics person.
rosalind's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Grief, and War
Moderate: Racism, Death, Genocide, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Confinement
Minor: Suicide and Abandonment
norrin2's review against another edition
3.0
I found a couple of poems that I love and know will stick with me forever, but too many of these poems are about war and patriotism and suchlike that interest me not in the slightest.
woolfardis's review against another edition
3.0
This is an anthology of poetry created alongside Amnesty International, presumably with the intention to shatter the stereotype that men do not cry. Whilst it feels rather like a gimmick, and just another way for men to showcase other men's work, it was a lovely way for me to find more poems and explore a medium of writing that I've never previously had time for and am very new to loving.
I'm not sure if I love poetry yet, but there are certainly some poems that I love. One of my absolutely favourites is included in this collection (C.P. Cavafy's Ithaka) though it certainly doesn't make me cry. None of the poems made me cry, though there was a theme of melancholy and loss running throughout. There are 100 poems with 100 men telling us why, when and how their chosen poems make them cry. Some are extremely personal which, whilst aren't going to make me shed a tear just because they make some masculine-type cry, do give a lovely insight to how other people enjoy poetry, which is something I'm quite interested in.
It's a good collection of poetry, from modern contemporaries to the romantics of the 18th Century; from English to Indian and all over the rest of the globe, with a good selection of celebrities who aren't all heart-throbs or muscular, Real Men who are the obvious candidates to never cry. Whilst I can't get behind the naming and execution of the collection, I think it's great these prominent men are sharing their feelings and adding to the belief that it's okay for everyone to cry, not just women and children, but men, too. It's a lovely collection to delve in and out of, to read aloud and see if these can spark some kind of emotion like they did with those who have chosen them.
Notice how none of them analyse too deeply. That's the mistake we make with poetry: you should feel them with your heart, they should reach deep down in to your metaphorical soul and tug at it-or, at least, the ones you enjoy should. If they don't do that they are not worth your time.
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I'm not sure if I love poetry yet, but there are certainly some poems that I love. One of my absolutely favourites is included in this collection (C.P. Cavafy's Ithaka) though it certainly doesn't make me cry. None of the poems made me cry, though there was a theme of melancholy and loss running throughout. There are 100 poems with 100 men telling us why, when and how their chosen poems make them cry. Some are extremely personal which, whilst aren't going to make me shed a tear just because they make some masculine-type cry, do give a lovely insight to how other people enjoy poetry, which is something I'm quite interested in.
It's a good collection of poetry, from modern contemporaries to the romantics of the 18th Century; from English to Indian and all over the rest of the globe, with a good selection of celebrities who aren't all heart-throbs or muscular, Real Men who are the obvious candidates to never cry. Whilst I can't get behind the naming and execution of the collection, I think it's great these prominent men are sharing their feelings and adding to the belief that it's okay for everyone to cry, not just women and children, but men, too. It's a lovely collection to delve in and out of, to read aloud and see if these can spark some kind of emotion like they did with those who have chosen them.
Notice how none of them analyse too deeply. That's the mistake we make with poetry: you should feel them with your heart, they should reach deep down in to your metaphorical soul and tug at it-or, at least, the ones you enjoy should. If they don't do that they are not worth your time.
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maricat12's review against another edition
3.0
love!! definitely discovered new favourite poems & poets I'd love to read more from!
actualresultsmayvary's review against another edition
2.5
Historic
Rating and review from notebook
- A couple of them did make me cry
- A lot of boring poems which did nothing for me
- Interesting to see the things which different people find moving
- Some of the intros were a bit long and analytical
- Actual book is stunning
Rating and review from notebook
- A lot of boring poems which did nothing for me
- Interesting to see the things which different people find moving
- Some of the intros were a bit long and analytical
- Actual book is stunning
aurorabear's review against another edition
4.0
This book has been an enjoyable part of my year. I forced myself to take my time, reading one poem a day at most and sitting with it.
Did I like every poem? No, and that isn’t the point. I experienced poetry and poets that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and the short essays from accomplished women recommending each poem provided another layer of meaning, another frame through which to experience them.
I reencountered some favorite poets (William Shakespeare, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Elizabeth Bishop) but better yet I was moved by new-to-me poets (Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, Susanna Tomalin, Douglas Dunn, Imtiaz Dharker, Katha Pollitt, Warsan Shire). I look forward to reading their poetry in more depth and am grateful for the experience I had with their words this year.
Did I like every poem? No, and that isn’t the point. I experienced poetry and poets that I wouldn’t have found on my own, and the short essays from accomplished women recommending each poem provided another layer of meaning, another frame through which to experience them.
I reencountered some favorite poets (William Shakespeare, John Keats, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, Elizabeth Bishop) but better yet I was moved by new-to-me poets (Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, Susanna Tomalin, Douglas Dunn, Imtiaz Dharker, Katha Pollitt, Warsan Shire). I look forward to reading their poetry in more depth and am grateful for the experience I had with their words this year.
tonnguyen's review against another edition
3.0
Poems That Make Grown Men Cry is a nice anthology that allows the reader to discover more poetry. The addition of commentary (by a different person each time) and brief information on the writers makes it a bit more interesting, but in the end felt a bit gimmicky so ultimately I only read the poems themselves.
schwarzer_elch's review against another edition
4.0
Un gran libro.
Es cierto que no llegué a conectar con todos los poemas citados, pero sí he descubierto a muchos autores nuevos y, sobre todo, me ha servido para reconectarme con la poesía, el género literario que me resulta menos afín.
Creo que la participación de los “grown men” es fundamental, no solo porque se trata de personalidades destacadas en sus áreas de trabajo (lo cual siempre es un plus a nivel marketing), sino porque contextualizan, de forma bastante personal en muchos casos, los textos que han elegido como aquellos que los hicieron “llorar”. La experiencia de leer un poema sobre la muerte de un hijo o la independencia de una nación, solo por poner algunos casos concretos, es completamente diferente cuando se hace de manera aislada a cuando se leen conociendo el significado que tienen para una persona que ha vivido aquello que el texto evoca.
Un libro que resulta de una idea que, desde mi opinión, es sumamente interesante y acertada y que, a la vez, llevará al lector a un viaje tan especial como conmovedor.
Es cierto que no llegué a conectar con todos los poemas citados, pero sí he descubierto a muchos autores nuevos y, sobre todo, me ha servido para reconectarme con la poesía, el género literario que me resulta menos afín.
Creo que la participación de los “grown men” es fundamental, no solo porque se trata de personalidades destacadas en sus áreas de trabajo (lo cual siempre es un plus a nivel marketing), sino porque contextualizan, de forma bastante personal en muchos casos, los textos que han elegido como aquellos que los hicieron “llorar”. La experiencia de leer un poema sobre la muerte de un hijo o la independencia de una nación, solo por poner algunos casos concretos, es completamente diferente cuando se hace de manera aislada a cuando se leen conociendo el significado que tienen para una persona que ha vivido aquello que el texto evoca.
Un libro que resulta de una idea que, desde mi opinión, es sumamente interesante y acertada y que, a la vez, llevará al lector a un viaje tan especial como conmovedor.