The Poets' Corner: The One-and-Only Poetry Book for the Whole Family

I'm not sure there are adequate superlatives to describe this treasure. John Lithgow talks us through the lives and works of fifty of history's greatest poets. From Shakespeare to Yeats, Dylan Thomas to Edna St. Vincent Millay. Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes, Allen Ginsburg, Whitman, Dorothy Parker, Eliot, e.e. cummings... It's an embarrassment of riches.

Sure, there are noticeable omissions, but as a primer for adults and young people, I can't imagine a more accessible, fun volume. Lithgow is joined by some notable friends (Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Gary Sinise, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Helen Mirren, Billy Connelly, and others). Hearing these gifted actors perform these poems makes for an incredibly entertaining show more experience, even for those skeptical or phobic of verse.

I loved the audiobook so much, I've ordered a print version so I can go back and dig in again more selectively.

Truly, I cannot say enough about how enjoyable this audiobook was. Seek it out! show less

Thank you, Mr. Lithgow, for rekindling my love of poetry. This book is a generous, unsolicited act of kindness.

Though available as a printed book, this one is really best in audiobook form - the readings are mostly fantastic (and you may recognize some of your favorite actors amonge the readers). The only poem I would love to have seen added is Phillip Larkin's "This be the Verse" - but then it might not have qualified as "a poetry book for the whole family."

The Poet’s Corner: The One and Only Poetry Anthology for the Whole Family - Lithgow

Audio performance by John Lithgow and other well known voices
5 stars

I’m not sure which I enjoyed more, the professional renditions of great poetry or Lithgow’s commentary on the poems and poets. It was easy and best to listen in short segments, one poet at a time. My only minor complaint was with the alphabetical organization of the poets. My attention wandered as the recitations jumped around in style and centuries. On the other hand, the readings by professional and well known actors are excellent. Lithgow’s commentary is informative and entertaining. He includes references to other poems that are not in this anthology, and cites internet show more sources for other recordings. I wouldn’t call this an anthology for the whole family despite the inclusion of ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ and ‘The Jabberwocky’. I wouldn’t expect young children to be entertained, but it’s would be great for middle grade or high school poetry study.

I’ve tried to pick a single favorite reading from this book, but it’s not possible. There were a few that I didn’t care for, but I consider my money well spent to hear Helen Mirren read ‘The Tyger’ by Blake, and Norman Freeman’s recitation of Brooks’ ‘We Real Cool’. show less

I listened to this with my true love and grown stepdaughter. The three of us have wildly divergent tastes and very different levels of familiarity with poetry. We all adored it. Lithgow's passionate introductions to the poems and his capsule biographies of the poets are stellar. The readers, who include Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon and Morgan Freeman, are very, very good. The selection is heavily male with the usual exceptions (Moore, Stein, Millay, Browning & a few others) and primarily dead white guys at that. It's still amazingly great, and a wonderful introduction for people hesitant to dive into the deeps unescorted. It's a treat for the poetry lover as well. Highly recommended.

This is a review of the audio book, narrated by John Lithgow, with several different readers, to include Morgan Freeman, Gary Sinise, Kathy Bates, and Sam Waterston reading the poems. John Lithgow chose the poems and wrote the introductions to each of them. He includes 50 poems by poets such as William Blake, Edgar Allen Poe, Marianne Moore, and Hart Crane, and provides a brief biography of each poet as well as comments about their styles and why the poems affected him.

I highly recommend this book in audio format. Almost all of the poems are well selected, and the readings are outstanding. This is one you could listen to over and over again, and not get tired of. The only poets I didn’t enjoy were Whitman and Gertrude Stein. I’ve show more never liked Whitman, and though I had never read a Stein poem before, the example given here (something she wrote and dedicated to Picasso) doesn’t incline me to want to read any others of hers. I really enjoyed the selection by Hart Crane (To Brooklyn Bridge) – I don’t remember ever reading any of his poems before. Other memorable readings: Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, The Tyger by William Blake, if everything happens that can’t be done by E. E. Cummings, and There is No Frigate Like a Book by Emily Dickinson. Two of my favorite poets, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Marianne Moore are included, but neither of Lithgow’s selected poems were favorites of mine. In fact one of my quibbles with the book is that, while all the other poets get two poems read, Millay only gets one! The other major quibble I have is that Robert Service wasn’t included. The poems are arranged alphabetically by the authors’ last names, and I waited for most of the book to hear some fabulous voice read The Cremation of Sam McGee only to be disappointed by the questionable choice of Gertrude Stein. Of course, I do realize that Lithgow couldn’t include everyone, but I don’t understand why he included her.

Overall, though, a wonderful book! show less

Great selections, great readings, and great summaries. Could do without Williams, Stevens, and the rest of the Modernist gang, however. And that Gertrude Stein piece was absolutely murder to listen to. How anyone who appreciates poetry can, for even a second, entertain the notion that anything that woman thought, said, or wrote is worth attention is a mystery beyond comprehension.

Read for BookRiot's 2020 Read Harder Challenge, An audiobook of poetry.
And for #MMDChallenge as a book outside your comfort (genre) zone.

I don't read poetry. Ever. But this was a nice surprise. Each poet is prefaced with a summary of their lives and influences which helps provide context to the poetry. That made the poems more accessible and hearing the language instead of reading it slowed things down to help point out the rhythms. I discovered a few I want to learn more about, including Robert Burns, Robert Frost, A E Housman, Randall Jarrell, Edward Lear, Dorothy Parker, Gertrude Stein, and Wallace Stevens.

Coincidentally, I then listened to a favorite podcast where they talked about improving your prose writing by listening to show more poetry. Some I want to learn more about from that podcast include Ezra Pound, Gerald Manley Hopkins, and G Brooks.
(Writing excuses 15.06: https://media.blubrry.com/writingexcuses/p/writingexcuses.com/wp-content/uploads...

If you aren't familiar or interested in poetry, I highly recommend this anthology. Well produced and good content as an overview to various poets. show less