101 Famous Poems [Hardcover]

Roy Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2003

Fully indexed by title, author, and first line, this much-loved collection, in print since 1916, is a wide-ranging collection of the best-known English language poets, from William Shakespeare Robert Frost, from Percy Bysshe Shelley to Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

An inspirational collection of masterpieces from the world's greatest poets

Poetry has the power to give us strength, inspiration, and hope, helping us to make meaning from our hectic lives and giving us the opportunity to appreciate new ways of thinking about universal themes and observations. Whether you are a newcomer to poetry or a lifelong lover of verse, in this indispensable compilation you will find the greatest poems of all time, powerful words that have delighted and inspired generations of readers--words that are sure to inspire you today.

In this portable volume, William Wordsworth wanders "lonely as a cloud" to gaze blissfully at a crowd of daffodils, Percy Bysshe Shelley pronounces his profound "Ode to the West Wind," Edgar Allan Poe quotes the raven, "Nevermore," and William Shakespeare is consumed by love in "That Time of Year." Replete with timeless masterpieces, this keepsake includes such American classics as "Paul Revere's Ride" and "Hiawatha's Childhood" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; "Concord Hymn" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and "God Save the Flag" by Oliver Wendell Holmes. For nature lovers (and city dwellers longing for an escape), there is Shelley's blithe skylark, Robert Frost's mending wall, and Joyce Kilmer's unforgettably lovely trees. In addition to the poems, the collection also contains a special selection of popular prose, including the Gettysburg Address, the Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, and the full text of Patrick Henry's famous "give me liberty or give me death" speech.

The pleasures of poetry are many, and the masterpieces in this volume are sure to enrich and encourage. So take a break from the rush and noise of life, find a quiet spot, and lose yourself between these pages.

Poetry has long been called upon to enrich and inspire our lives, especially in moments of stress. If you are one of those souls in these noise-tired times who longs for a little peace and quiet, a stolen moment of contemplation, this volume is sure to offer you respite. Whether you are on the subway, in the grocery line, or on the elevator, this portable collection is your perfect companion. Whether you're an avid consumer or a newcomer to poetry, you're sure to discover verses to cherish among these unforgettable works that continue to inspire the lives of so many.

The Authors:

Alexander Anderson • Elizabeth Barret Browning • Robert Browning • Robert Burns • John Burroughs • Lord Byron • Edmund Vance Cooke • Emily Dickinson • George Eliot • Ralph Waldo Emerson • Eugene Field • Robert Frost • Thomas Gray • Patrick Henry • Oliver Wendell Holmes • John James Ingalls • King John • John Keats • Rudyard Kipling • Abraham Lincoln • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow • Edna St. Vincent Millay • John Milton • Alfred Noyes • Edgar Allan Poe • Carl Sandburg • Sir Walter Scott • William Shakespeare • Percy Bysshe Shelley • Frank L. Stanton • Robert Louis Stevenson • Alfred Tennyson • Walt Whitman • John Greenleaf Whittier • William Wordsworth

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071419306
• ISBN-13: 978-0071419307
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a favorite from waaaay back!, July 2, 2006

By 

MERRIBETH NORD - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 101 Famous Poems (Hardcover)

Wow. I have an edition of this on my bookshelf that once belonged to my grandmother, who died in 1927, when my father was only four. I used to love reading and memorizing these poems... Out to Old Aunt Mary's and Little Boy Blue made me cry every time. I'd gather all the neighborhood children in the back of my Dad's truck camper in the 1960s and read, with great, dark drama, "I... have a renn-dezz-vooz with DEATH!" I'm sure all my old pals have strong feelings about poetry to this day!

Now I have learned how properly to pronounce "rendezvous," but I've lost my audience, so now I read the book to myself just for the enjoyment of those wonderful thoughts so beautifully crafted.

My dad had a poem to recite for any occasion. I'm sure that when he was a child, he, too, found his mother's book and began memorizing.

I suggest you buy a copy to put on your shelf where your own 8 year olds can find it. You might just hear them reading it to their own friends in great dramatic fashion. Great poetry is timeless.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 101 best things to read to your child(ren), December 16, 2003

By 

Wisconsin Pam "wisconsin_pam" (Brookfield, WI, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 101 Famous Poems (Hardcover)

Some of my fondest childhood memories were created when my father read various poems from this book to me instead of Grimm's fairy tales. the experiences have instilled a tremendous love of the arts and poetry because of this experience. Poems such as, 'the Duel', 'Little Boy Blue', 'Trees', 'the Children's Hour' tell such great and fun stories that every library, young and old, should have this. It's also been a favorite gift for years.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best collections of poetry ever!, March 14, 2007

By 

Gretchen Wolaver - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 101 Famous Poems (Hardcover)

101 Famous Poems is a book that I come to time and time again to read aloud and memorize great poetry. I was never very interested in poetry until one of my siblings made the comment, "Poe's 'The Raven' still creeps me out." and then, I just HAD to read 'The Raven'. And guess what? now I can hardly keep my nose out of this book! The collection of famous speeches and poems in 101 Famous Poems is unlike any other that I have ever found. Every person should have their own copy of this book. And if you don't, you're missin' out bud!