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toniclark's review against another edition
2.0
I can't believe that anyone would think this the 'Best" American poetry. No wonder the public doesn't care about poetry. I like Duhamel. Her own work is so much better than most of what's here.
I do very much like Nin Andrews - The Art of Drinking Tea. And a very few others. But overall, very disappointed.
I do very much like Nin Andrews - The Art of Drinking Tea. And a very few others. But overall, very disappointed.
nicollej's review against another edition
2.0
I've read a few of the Best American Poetry series and this one feels weaker. I can't tell if it's my particular taste but that's what this review is based on. I feel like quite a few of the selections are ones I would not expect to find in a "best" collection. Furthermore, there is always something to be desired when the formatting is off on an ebook when considering poetry or prose. Format means a lot when someone is writing either poetry and prose. This alone made me mark down two stars. I can't get behind what I feel like is butchering the work by poor formatting.
There were a few poems that I loved, in particular Foundling by Billy Collins selection but then again I love most of his work.
Here are the other standouts:
Major Jackson - Why I Write Poetry
Nin Andrews - The Art of Drinking Tea
Pachyderm - Sherman Alexie
I'm hoping the 2014 collection has some more polished pieces and they work on their formatting.
I received this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
There were a few poems that I loved, in particular Foundling by Billy Collins selection but then again I love most of his work.
Here are the other standouts:
Major Jackson - Why I Write Poetry
Nin Andrews - The Art of Drinking Tea
Pachyderm - Sherman Alexie
I'm hoping the 2014 collection has some more polished pieces and they work on their formatting.
I received this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
plumpages's review
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised by the contents of this book. While there were some poems that did not connect with me, for the most part reading this book felt as if I was being introduced to both some new masters and friends. If you are looking for a book that can offer you an eclectic taste, confuse you, bring you to near tears once and take you on a few journeys then give this anthology a try. You just might find yourself either stumbling across an old favorite that you recognize (J. Allyn Rosser) or even discover a few new favorites.
I for one am encouraged since I am new to poetry. A girl told me once that we do not grow up with poetry and I agree. This book is a good chance to find the kind of author you want to lead you through poems from an outright yell to curl-your-toes. I could not say I loved every poem, but I got something from each one anyway. This is definitely a book that I will not throw away. Consider it a gateway to new realms of poetry. I for one am incredibly interested in visiting the lands of Dorianne Laux, David Wagoner, Adrienne Su, D. Nurkse, Tim Seibles, Mitch Sisskind, Major Jackson, Amy Lemmon, Sally Wen Mao, Rebecca Hazelton, David Hernandez, Nin Andrews, Wendy Barker and Martha Collins.
As a Shakespeare fan I must strongly recommend Sotto Voce: Othello, Unplugged by Tim Seibles.
I also have to give extra props to David Wagoner for Casting Aspersions and Dorianne Laux for Song. Both of these poems were not only beautiful but made me laugh. New favorites. :)
I for one am encouraged since I am new to poetry. A girl told me once that we do not grow up with poetry and I agree. This book is a good chance to find the kind of author you want to lead you through poems from an outright yell to curl-your-toes. I could not say I loved every poem, but I got something from each one anyway. This is definitely a book that I will not throw away. Consider it a gateway to new realms of poetry. I for one am incredibly interested in visiting the lands of Dorianne Laux, David Wagoner, Adrienne Su, D. Nurkse, Tim Seibles, Mitch Sisskind, Major Jackson, Amy Lemmon, Sally Wen Mao, Rebecca Hazelton, David Hernandez, Nin Andrews, Wendy Barker and Martha Collins.
As a Shakespeare fan I must strongly recommend Sotto Voce: Othello, Unplugged by Tim Seibles.
I also have to give extra props to David Wagoner for Casting Aspersions and Dorianne Laux for Song. Both of these poems were not only beautiful but made me laugh. New favorites. :)
kweekwegg's review
3.0
More of a personal reflection: I'm starting to not agree with the idea of reading such "best of" collections, as they feel like listening to "best of" albums, where you just get these snippets of what the artist is trying to say and not the full thought. I really enjoyed several of the poems and appreciate the book as a whole; there was occasionally a poem that would seem quite out of place -- as if the editor just kind of liked the way the poem sounded and decided to throw it in for no other reason. But I guess I would do not better myself.
raynerayne's review
2.0
Thoughts jotted down (digitally, because everything is digital these days) while reading:
- Didn't even finish reading the foreword. David, you are such a fucking bore.
- Jericho Brown's "Hustle" had me looking out the window and rethinking my whole life.
- Kwame Dawes' "Death" was just very beautiful.
- "See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little" (Stephen Dunn, "The Statue of Responsibility")
- "My talent is in looking like someone you want when the lights are on and like anyone who'll do when they're off." (Rebecca Hazelton, "Book of Forget") hmmmmmm...
- David Hernandez's "All-American": some good shit that explores what it means to be American and all the different things that comprise this singular identity, specifically w/r/t Mexican-American identity... I guess. I don't actually know for sure since this is poetry.
- Yes, Mark Jarman's "George W. Bush" is as uncomfortable to read as you think.
- Lauren Jensen's "it's hard as so much is": why? just why?
- "What's so funny about racism is how the racists never get the joke ... This joke, like an aloe released on a wound, like a black man trying to do a job in a town in which he's not wanted, like a black man unzipping his pants in ... " (A. Van Jordan's "Blazing Saddles): listen, I could quote the whole poem, because that's what I really wanna do. But I'm not gonna. One of my favorite poems in this collection--less to do with its subject matter, but it just sounds so nice when it's read out loud. It's got a roll-off-the-tongue quality to it.
- Victoria Kelly, "When the Men Go Off to War": liked the idea, iffy about the execution.
- J. Allyn Rosser, "Intro to Happiness": this is just a fun poem, okay, about a professor getting joy from scaring students into dropping his/her class by assigning a lot of work. Obviously I wouldn't find this fun or funny if it was me (because I have been that student in that class), but from the outside looking in, it sure is entertaining.
- Stephanie Strickland, "Introductions": are...you...fucking...kidding...me? this is what the Best American Poetry of 2013 consists of? "ruinful ruinous ruin us Noo Yawk." And that's just the 2nd line of the poem! The very definition of WORD. VOMIT. I just can't with poetry sometimes.
Looking back at this, I'm kinda surprised at the amount of bad things I've had to say. I mean, this collection was definitely bad to me, but as I was reading it I was thinking it was more boring and at times too abstract and "artsy" for me to really enjoy or understand (literally me to myself at times when reading this collection: "maybe I'm not *~cUlTuReD~* enough!! woe is me"). Now, in hindsight, I'm realizing it's not as much boring as it is just not my thing. Maybe if I knew of this edition's editor and his/her writings before reading this anthology I would have had a better understanding of his/her picks, but as things are now I am Very Disappointed (TM). Can't be too up in arms about it to be honest because there were some legitimate gems in here too, which I've mentioned above.
- Didn't even finish reading the foreword. David, you are such a fucking bore.
- Jericho Brown's "Hustle" had me looking out the window and rethinking my whole life.
- Kwame Dawes' "Death" was just very beautiful.
- "See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little" (Stephen Dunn, "The Statue of Responsibility")
- "My talent is in looking like someone you want when the lights are on and like anyone who'll do when they're off." (Rebecca Hazelton, "Book of Forget") hmmmmmm...
- David Hernandez's "All-American": some good shit that explores what it means to be American and all the different things that comprise this singular identity, specifically w/r/t Mexican-American identity... I guess. I don't actually know for sure since this is poetry.
- Yes, Mark Jarman's "George W. Bush" is as uncomfortable to read as you think.
- Lauren Jensen's "it's hard as so much is": why? just why?
- "What's so funny about racism is how the racists never get the joke ... This joke, like an aloe released on a wound, like a black man trying to do a job in a town in which he's not wanted, like a black man unzipping his pants in ... " (A. Van Jordan's "Blazing Saddles): listen, I could quote the whole poem, because that's what I really wanna do. But I'm not gonna. One of my favorite poems in this collection--less to do with its subject matter, but it just sounds so nice when it's read out loud. It's got a roll-off-the-tongue quality to it.
- Victoria Kelly, "When the Men Go Off to War": liked the idea, iffy about the execution.
- J. Allyn Rosser, "Intro to Happiness": this is just a fun poem, okay, about a professor getting joy from scaring students into dropping his/her class by assigning a lot of work. Obviously I wouldn't find this fun or funny if it was me (because I have been that student in that class), but from the outside looking in, it sure is entertaining.
- Stephanie Strickland, "Introductions": are...you...fucking...kidding...me? this is what the Best American Poetry of 2013 consists of? "ruinful ruinous ruin us Noo Yawk." And that's just the 2nd line of the poem! The very definition of WORD. VOMIT. I just can't with poetry sometimes.
Looking back at this, I'm kinda surprised at the amount of bad things I've had to say. I mean, this collection was definitely bad to me, but as I was reading it I was thinking it was more boring and at times too abstract and "artsy" for me to really enjoy or understand (literally me to myself at times when reading this collection: "maybe I'm not *~cUlTuReD~* enough!! woe is me"). Now, in hindsight, I'm realizing it's not as much boring as it is just not my thing. Maybe if I knew of this edition's editor and his/her writings before reading this anthology I would have had a better understanding of his/her picks, but as things are now I am Very Disappointed (TM). Can't be too up in arms about it to be honest because there were some legitimate gems in here too, which I've mentioned above.
bookishcassie's review
3.0
My review is on my blog at the following link:http://booksandbowelmovements.com/2013/09/15/because-i-better-git-it-in-my-soul-major-jackson/
I think "best" is an opinion, especially regards to this collection.
I think "best" is an opinion, especially regards to this collection.
kfan's review
3.0
I really loved "Pink Is the Navy Blue of India" by David Kirby (" They do it, King Mark finds out, everything / goes to hell in a handbasket. So what makes it a beautiful story?"