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blackjack_ruby's review
3.0
I am really not into poetry but I found some of the poems quite nice. Others seemed to make absolutely no sense, but that is not an uncommon reaction to poetry for me.
jordan_dewey's review
3.0
This compilation contained some real winners. A few absolutely lovely poems that I will read again and again! However, it also contains verses so boring and irrelevant that I literally fell asleep once while reading it. ☕️
samanthajgfischer's review
3.0
A small, but pleasant collection of poetry. By no means, however, are these the best poems ever. Quite a notable few were missing.
Note: this book was given to be in grade school by my mother who had bought it at a book fair. Only now at 23 did I actually get around to reading it. How time flies.
Note: this book was given to be in grade school by my mother who had bought it at a book fair. Only now at 23 did I actually get around to reading it. How time flies.
iroxnica's review
emotional
slow-paced
1.75
This book may have history's greatest poets but, not history's best poems. Not to mention at the end of the book there was a racist poem.
williamsdebbied's review
3.0
I originally picked up this slim volume because I hoped it would be a good introduction to poetry for my middle grade students. Though several of my favorite poems are included here, the fact that there is no introduction or context provided was a turn-off.
trilobiter's review
3.0
Well, there are some pretty great poems in here. No one is denying that.
But the best poems ever? That's a big claim. They ought to be careful about such sweeping pronouncements. "(Some of) The Most Famous Poems Ever", perhaps. "Poems Likely to be Encountered in a Typical Anglophone Literature Class", perhaps. How curious that the majority of The Best Poems Ever would have been written in English, though we do get a few translated examples from the likes of Li Po and Pablo Neruda.
I don't know how exactly these poems were selected (though the inclusion of Poe's The Raven as opposed to any of his other works was probably a foregone conclusion). I'm a little puzzled at how they were arranged, careening as they do back and forth between old fashioned lyricism and terse modernist enigmas. A young student attempting to discover what poetry was by skimming this book might find themselves confused. Another student, perhaps more a more experienced reader, might find it very helpful in discovering the broad outlines of their taste in poetry.
I for one found it fascinating, and did discover a few classics that I was not already familiar with. It's not the definitive collection it makes itself out to be, but it is still a worthwhile read.
But the best poems ever? That's a big claim. They ought to be careful about such sweeping pronouncements. "(Some of) The Most Famous Poems Ever", perhaps. "Poems Likely to be Encountered in a Typical Anglophone Literature Class", perhaps. How curious that the majority of The Best Poems Ever would have been written in English, though we do get a few translated examples from the likes of Li Po and Pablo Neruda.
I don't know how exactly these poems were selected (though the inclusion of Poe's The Raven as opposed to any of his other works was probably a foregone conclusion). I'm a little puzzled at how they were arranged, careening as they do back and forth between old fashioned lyricism and terse modernist enigmas. A young student attempting to discover what poetry was by skimming this book might find themselves confused. Another student, perhaps more a more experienced reader, might find it very helpful in discovering the broad outlines of their taste in poetry.
I for one found it fascinating, and did discover a few classics that I was not already familiar with. It's not the definitive collection it makes itself out to be, but it is still a worthwhile read.
iceangel9's review
4.0
A small booklet of some of history's greatest poems. The collection includes poets such as Keats, Dickinson, Shelley, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Pablo Neruda, William Carlos Williams, Langston Hughes, and many others. A charming introduction to excellent poems by some of the world's greatest poets.
mfletcher's review
5.0
This book was just what it said it would be. A collection of fantastic poems. Poetry isn't really my thing and this is honestly kinda the first book of poetry I've read but I really enjoyed it and found quite a few new favorites. It was a quick read and a great collection with a plethora of poems.
I would not however, recommend it as a first read for people just starting to read more poetry. It lacks explanation or background on any of the poems and only leaves readers with a bibliography at the back to give year published and credits.
I would not however, recommend it as a first read for people just starting to read more poetry. It lacks explanation or background on any of the poems and only leaves readers with a bibliography at the back to give year published and credits.
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