Reviews

Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg, William Carlos Williams

evethingiread's review against another edition

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3.0

Super quick read. Howl definitely needs another read, and so do his other poems. I can't help but see Allen, this lonely man who despises "the system", born in the mid 20s and experiencing the 50s and the political upheaval in America but the world in general, who can't stand how much people stand to lose because of the way "the system" is designed not for the people but really against them... His language tells me that he's angry, but sad and lonely.

Sadness overwhelms me after reading all the poems in this pocket series. Genius is always clouded with darkness, and that is depressing to say the least.

isabela_bot's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5 ⭐️
Disappointed, I think maybe I’m not intelectual enough to understand the meaning behind it. The American history part of it didn’t have much meaning to me as well. But I enjoyed his writing, especially the last poems and maybe would read his other works.

My favorite poem was SONG.

“for the burden of life is love”

“ I always wanted, to return
to the body
where I was born.”

internetrex's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

karlicka's review against another edition

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funny informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing fast-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

starlessey3s's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

lisali's review against another edition

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3.0

howl: okayish
„i saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked“
„where you imitate the shadow of my mother“

footnote to howl: lowkey good
„holy time in eternity holy eternity in time“

a supermarket in california: i hated it

transcription of organ music: okayish

sunflower sutra: not very remembarable

america: LOVED LOVED LOVED
„go fuck yourself with your atom bomb“
„everybody is serious but me.
it occurs to me that i am America.
I am talking to myself again“ AHHHHH

in the baggage room at greyhound: loved I & III
„the wage they pay us is too low to live on. tragedy reduced to numbers“

AN ASPHODEL: let me insert the whole thing because wow

SONG: same with an asphodel, i loved these two
„in solicitude in all the excellence of its excess“

WILD ORPHAN: it-poems with song & an asphodel

IN BACK OF THE REAL: me loved
„Yellow, yellow flower,
and flower of industry,
tough spiky ugly flower,
flower nonetheless,
with the form of the great yellow
Rose in your brain!
That is the flower of the World“

ohclaire's review against another edition

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2.0

I know it's an iconic collection but the only poem in here that I really care for is Supermarket in California.

sylviaplathsoven's review against another edition

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5.0

transportational and utterly magnificent

tophat8855's review against another edition

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2.0

I listened via Hoopla. It's not an audiobook there, but instead considered an album so you can only check it out for 1 week instead of 3, but you don't need 3 so it's fine.

It's performed by the author, and I do believe Howl could be performed well, but this recording was kind of crap, unless Ginsberg is always so monotone/shouty. Maybe that's the beat feel? I've seen better poetry recitations on youtube.

I give it 3 stars for its importance in history, but it's about on par with what everyone is producing these days, as opposed to really good work which is really good even decades and centuries later. I can read similar stuff, or better stuff on tumblr or twitter or onlyfans, let's be honest. So kudos to him for living in the right place and time, but if he wrote this today, it wouldn't get much attention.

rootbeerno's review against another edition

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reflective medium-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

4.5