Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0807007005, Audio CD)
"One of the astonishing aspects of Oliver's work is the consistency of tone over this long period. What changes is an increased focus on nature and an increased precision with language that has made her one of our very best poets."
—Stephen Dobyns, New York Times Book Review
Mary Oliver has published fifteen volumes of poetry and five books of prose in the span of four decades, but she rarely performs her poetry in live readings. Now, with the arrival of At Blackwater Pond, Mary Oliver has given her audience what they've longed to hear: the poet's voice reading her own work. In this beautifully produced compact disc, Mary Oliver has recorded forty of her favorite poems, nearly spanning the length of her career, from Dream Work through her newest volume, New and Selected Poems, Volume Two. The package is shrink-wrapped so that the elegant clothbound audiobook can takes its place on the poetry shelf. It also includes a fifteen-page booklet with an original essay, "Performance Note," photos of the author at Blackwater Pond, and a full listing of the poems and their sources.
Mary Oliver is one of the most celebrated and best-selling poets in America. Her poetry books include Blue Iris (Beacon / 6882-9 / $22.00 hc); House of Light (Beacon / 6811-X / $13.00 pb); New and Selected Poems, Volume One (Beacon / 6877-2 / $16.00 pb); and New and Selected Poems, Volume Two (Beacon / 6886-1 / $24.95 hc). She has also published five books of prose, including Rules for the Dance and, most recently, Long Life. She lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:54 -0400)
Oliver's reading is melodic, gives the language it's money's worth. Although I've been a fan for quite some time, in my reading I'd over looked several of these poems. Hearing them out loud brings them to life.
I've been listening to these poems early in the morning while I run. Lately I've found myself "singing along" with Mary. Soulful, haunting poems: Oliver is a poet to be studied and emulated and loved. (