|
|
|
|
This web site is: |
 |
|
|
Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize |
|
|
Amazon Sales Rank: 835483
Publication Date: 2000-04-01
Publisher: Turtle Point Press / Books & Co
ISBN: 1885983158
Type: Hardcover
Number Of Pages: 160
|
Poet John Hollander has divided the poems into tales, sonnets, songs, meditations and counsels. Published in partnership with The Academy of American Poets.
Average Rating: 
Review: 2007-06-04
Quite delightful
This physically handsome book has an excellent concept: a selection of poems that are not just wonderful to read, but also ideal for memorization. While some of the memorization is too difficult -- like other reviewers, I think Frost offers better candidates for memorization than "Mending Wall" -- other poems are well suited to committing to memory, like cummings' "anyone lived in a pretty how town;" Hopkins' "Spring and Fall;" and, yes, Lear's "The Owl and the Pussycat." The act of memorization gives ownership to the poem unlike other reading experiences, and provides sustenance long after the book is read.
Review: 2007-02-04
Beautiful collection
Physically this is a lovely book. It sits well on a kitchen countertop and invites memorization as you wash the dishes and prepare food. The poems are indeed fun to memorize. My only wish is that it included poems from a more diverse pool.
Review: 2003-09-02
Why would you want to memorize *these* poems?
Many of these poems are just simply not lyrical, rhythmical, nor visual. Memorizing many of these poems will be like eating sawdust.When we think of great poems to memorize, (there are great poems, and a subset that are worth memorizing.) We think of poems like Blake's "The Tyger". Who can forget the beautifully put together poem of Coleridge's "Kubla Khan"? What about Thomas' "Do not go Gentle into that Good Night"? To be sure, these poems have been included in this book, but where is John Donne's "A Valediction Forbidding Mourning"? Frost' "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"? When I think of poems I would like to memorize, I search for those poems that have something to say about human condition. That is mostly a given for great poetry. But to memorize them, I look for poems that are musical -both lyrical and rhythmical, and having good imagery. So to my excitement, I thought this book would be a good collection of such poems. I was sadly disappointed. There maybe 10 poems in here that are worth committing to memory. The others are just great to read. To add to more of my frustration, there is no author index at the end of the book. If you want a much better collection of poems, with a much higher percentage worth remembering, I strongly suggest Laurence Perrine's Sound and Sense.
Review: 2003-08-10
A Worthy Excercise With A Better Selection Of Poetry!
Although I never considered memorizing anything to be fun or profitable in lower school, the idea of memorizing wonderful poetry appeals today. Intrigued by the title, I picked up a copy of "Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize." Although the idea is a worthy one, the poetry selection disappoints. I am sure that poet, and editor, John Hollander put considerable thought into which poems to include in this book. I just do not care for many of his choices.I did find various old, (and dear), favorites that shine, and inspire, in an anthology such as this: William Butler Yeats "The Song of the Wandering Angus," E.A. Robinson's "Richard Cory," Percy Bysshe Shelly's "Ozymandias," Richard Lovelace's "To Althea, From Prison," Stevie Smith's "Not Waving But Drowning," Oliver Wendell Holmes "The Chambered Nautilus," and Elizabeth Bishop's extraordinary "Sonnet." I would never think of committing to memory many of the editor's other selections. They're either too long, too difficult to memorize, or just plain not to my taste. With all of Emily Dickinson's magnificent poetry, why "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass?" And why Robert Frost's "A Mending Wall," which is a wonderful poem, but not the best for memorization purposes? Why "The Owl and the Pussycat" or "The Song of the Mad Prince?" There are, of course, selections from Shakespeare, and even The Old Testament, included. In general, there are too many better poetry anthologies around, to give more than a glance to this one - a disappointing 3 Stars.
 |
Amazon List Price: $24.95
Choose an Amazon Store
 Buy from Amazon |
|
 Go back to previous page |
|
|
Product reviews, information, best prices and cheap buys for a range of popular products. Ranging from books, video games, DVD's, toys and music. Products include the fabulous Harry Potter, Gordon Ramsay, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The God Delusion, A History of Modern Britain, The Children of Hurin, The Secret, I Can Make You Thin, (Paul McKenna), The Kite Runner , Tricks of the Mind, Derren Brown, Suite Francaise , Catherine Tate Comic, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Shrek 3 the Third, Rocky Balboa , James Bond - Casino Royale , Dad's Army - Series 9, Doctor Who, Prison Break Season 2 , Scrubs - Series 5, Blood Diamond , Doctor Who - Series 3, Dreamgirls, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, Maroon 5, Back To Black, Winehouse, Black Rain, Ozzy Osbourne, Send Away the Tigers, Manic Street Preachers, The Best Club Anthems, Icky Thump, White Stripes, Sweet Warrior, Richard Thompson, 50 cent , abba , akon , amy winehouse , arcade fire , arctic monkeys , avril lavigne , beatles , biffy clyro , beverley knight , beyonce , black sabbath , bob dylan , bob marley , bjork , bon jovi , bruce springsteen , bryan adams , cascada , cat stevens , cliff richard , coldplay , css , dance , david bowie , deep purple , depeche mode , diana ross , dolly parton , elliot smith , elton john , elvis presley , eric clapton , eurovision , fall out boy , fleetwood mac , frank sinatra , funeral for a friend , genesis , groove armada , hawkwind , hed kandi , iron maiden , james , jeff buckley , jimi hendrix , johnny cash , joni mitchell , justin timberlake , kaiser chiefs , kings of leon , led zeppelin , linkin park , love songs , madonna , manic street preachers , mark ronson , maroon 5 , megadeth , mcfly , metallica , michael buble and many more. Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize
|
|
|