Postmodern American Poetry: A Norton Anthology

Rating:
Summary: enlightening, uplifting
Review: A deeply informative and devoted anthology, containing some of the best poetry written in America. The detailed author biographies and extensive sections on poetics are a delight, such a rarity! The rich and powerful voices of postmodern American poets -- be they from any cultural background -- can be found here. An anthology that has become my inspiration in many ways -- to read it is to feel inspired to write, as well. Paul Hoover's selection is impeccable, and uplifting.

To date the best anthology I have on the subject.

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: As a writter this book opens up many diffrent forms of writting styles to experiment with. This is my favortie poetry book and it is filled with poems for what ever mood you may be in. Anyone that loves poetry or loves to read should own a copy of this book.

Rating:
Summary: one of the must-have anthologies
Review: For anyone interested in postmodern poetry or for those who want to learn what postmodern poetry is, this is the anthology to have. It's loaded with some of the best poets: the gifted Robert Duncan, Ferlinghettis (one of the best of the beat poets), Bukowski (my first intro to him, and not a dissapointment), Levertov, Kenneth Koch (not his best poems, but still a good selection), the wonderful poetry of Frank O'Hara, Ginsberg, Robert Creely (and excellent selection), a selection from Ashbery so huge that i almost forgot i wasn't reading one of his books, the awesome Gary Snyder, Rothernberg's "Cokboy", Dave Trinidad, Paul Hoover, Wanda Coleman, Charles Olson, Kerouac, Philip Whalen, Corso, Amiri Baraka, Diane di Prima, Anne Waldman, and many others, including a very strong Chicago appearance towards the end.

The anthology starts with an essay by Hoover, which helps to clear up many questions about what postmodern poetry is and what many of the schools are. He concludes the anthology with a selection of essays on poetry.

Rating:
Summary: Postmodern American Poetry : A Norton Anthology
Review: This book has practically become my bible for poetry. It is inspirational to any writer who is interested in looking beyond the typical format of poetry. It allows conformists to open their eyes to a completely new and original world.

Rating:
Summary: Why this belongs on your shelf
Review: To anyone who truly loves writing, Norton should already be synonymous with anthologies. This particular collection fills in the gap that I find disheartening to the standard Norton Anthology of Poetry (which I like to rename, "Dead White Men"), including a much broader selection of poets, giving the voices of women, minorities, experimentalists, and current writers an outlet. There are poets in here that no one has never heard of, leaving the possibility open to discover new favorites.

The introduction by Hoover is wonderfully clear, adds insight to why particular poets were chosen, and gives an interesting lesson on the development of postmodernism and its effects on various schools of poetry.

A must-have for anyone who considers himself well-versed (no pun intended) on current literature, in addition to being a lovely companion piece to Norton's Anthology of Postmodern Fiction (also worth checking out).

Rating:
Summary: Existentialist/postmodern intellectual's heaven
Review: Wow! If you're well read, this book is for you. It makes me wish I actually were alive when these people wrote. It is somewhat culturally biased, but I could easily excuse it as just being specific. There is a lot of name droppings in these artful poems, so if you're not used to it, beware! A lot of the poems are spaced out (physically) thoughtfully. This is a book for the thinkers and aspiring poets. Most of these poems were written in the 1950s, as the editors say. Gregory Corso is a highlight, as well as Ginsberg and some of the female writers. This book is long and well worth the price (or a visit to your local library). I am a struggling working class college student, but I'd easily pay $100 for this underrated gem. These are highly personal in nature, but people who like to imagine things would love this book. These inspiring personal reflections are artfully defiant, it will for sure paint a picture in your mind.

Happy reading!

Your all-American community college Vale-D.