Customer Reviews

Always a Reckoning and Other Poems

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Good poetry reveals something about the poet. For a moment, the reader can share the poet's feelings or experiences. Great poetry does the same thing, but unforgettably.

I admired Jimmy Carter when he was our thirty-ninth president. I was impressed by his simple, quiet intelligence and integrity, matched by his wife's internal elegance. Rosalynn, with a scarf tied `round her neck, was every bit as gracious as other first ladies wearing diamonds.

I grieved when the Carters vacated the White House. I continue to admire them, especially when I catch coverage of them hammering side by side at their annual stint with Habitat for Humanity. Many politicians help the unfortunate with taxpayers' money; some contribute their own cash or their names; few offer their time and their hands.

The autobiographical poems in Always a Reckoning are as unpretentious as their author. Carter employs a variety of forms to immortalize people and events that influenced him. Each poem is charmingly illustrated by the Carters' sixteen-year-old granddaughter.

Always a Reckoning is a worthwhile read not because it is great poetry, but because it is merely good: it provides a glimpse inside the mind of an extraordinary man.

reviewed by Andrea R. Huelsenbeck

I'm a mystery author with my first novel in its initial release and a government teacher in one of the most impoverished high schools in this country. I am also a great admirer of Jimmy Carter, and I firmly believe that he deserves the next Nobel Prize (okay not for literature--the Big One--THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.) ALWAYS A RECKONING is a book that I keep on my desk in my classroom. These poems are heartfelt and they reveal much about this humble man and his life in the South as the South began to change. I will often read selected works from this book when we cover the electoral process and civil rights. These poems are honest and well-written. And, on a personal level, whenever any mystey reader questions the reality of my private eye series lead (a former politician who writes poetry), I point them to this book by this GENTLEMAN who once occupied the Oval Office.

Our world has more bad poetry than it has cigarettes. Poetry is either so recondite that it is no fun, or else it is so personal to the author that it is irrelevant to the reader. Carter's poems, though, attain profundity through simple exposition that is not overly personal.

Carter, of course, is not a professional poet or anything like that. But I enjoyed his poems more than most of the mainstream poets I have read. This all confirms my theory that great artists are simply great people who do art.

I read Jimmy Carter's book of poetry, ALWAYS A RECKONING, with the simple expectation that the poems would be heartfelt and tell stories from his life in plain, down-to-Earth prose. I was stunned to find myself moved to tears with the very first poem, "Rachel," which was dedicated to the memory of the neighbor woman who cared for Jimmy after his folks were gone. In a few short pages, Jimmy had succeeded in describing what was so special about those days with Rachel, and how important she truly was in his young life.

Other poems in ALWAYS A RECKONING are laugh-out-loud funny, such as, "Progress Does Not Always Come Easy," which describes the trials and tribulations Jimmy Carter underwent when he successfully passed his first legislation (ensuring that deceased citizens lose their voting rights), which turned out to be quite unpopular in every precinct with a cemetery!

ALWAYS A RECKONING is a rare gem of a book that gives readers a sense of the inner beauty of Jimmy Carter's heart and soul.

If one follows Samuel Taylor Coleridge's definition that prose is words in their best order and poetry is the best words in their best order, then Jimmy Carter acquits himself nicely as a poet. This volume would make for pleasant reading even if its author weren't a former president.
Like other reviewers, I find my favorite piece is Carter's tribute to Rachel Clark. Another poem that touched me is about "Sport."
Carter's poems are conversational, like visits I have with my neighbors about various topics, and thought-provoking, as those conversations often are. You go along with your day and realize you've just learned something remarkable--and you're glad to know it. I like Carter better for having read his poems.
The Booklist review calls this "vanity publishing on a grand scale." That may be true, but most vanity publications don't stay in print for long. It's no accident that this has been selling since 1994.

Gave this book to my mother (86, early Altzheimers) for Valentine's Day. Always a difficult person for gift giving, she has thoroughly enjoyed picking up this sweet little book on a pretty regular basis, even if just to read a line or two. The book is printed in large, dark (easy to read) type and in the folksy, charming way of our ex-President. It's "down home" usage of words seems to strike a familiar chord for my mother and her 95 year old sister. First time I've seen them really show interest in a book in a long time. A wonderful gift for an elderly person and a precious treasure to those of us who haven't yet attained the age, but appreciate and honor the author.

I have to tell you that Jimmy Carter never ceases to amaze me. I was fascinated by him when he was president and as I continue to watch his journey through life, I am being continually surprised. I suppose I should not be, but I am.

Now we need to put politics aside here for a bit and concentrate on Mr. Carter as a man rather that Mr. Carter as a president. As those who know me quite well will tell you, I am probably the most apolitical animal on the face of this earth. When Mr. Carter was president he made a lot of decisions that I did not care for. But that being said, there is not one president in my life time that I have been happy with, and my life started during the Roosevelt Administration.

A few years ago I read another book by Jimmy Carter. It dealt with his hunting and fishing stories. I was greatly impressed by this work. (I collect autographed books and this was one of them. The signature is real because I was there when he signed it). As I read this work I found that I was amazed at the simplicity of this man and at the same time was stunned as to the complexity of his character. This collection of poem has only reinforced my opinion of the him.

This is a collection of poems that are actually quite simply but each and every one of them, it is obvious, has been written from the heart. Carter has used a wide range of techniques here and has covered a variety of subjects. The poems cover a range of emotions from humor, to sadness, to outrage and nostalgia. Some cover a wide range of social and racial issues; of time gone by and then again torn from our recent past and even some are in "the now." Each and every piece though is extremely reflective and are written in such a way that you can actually hear the author's voice as you read them. He is at his best when addressing social injustices and reflecting back upon sights and sounds of his early life.

Will Jimmy Carter go down in history as a giant among poets? I hardly think so. But that does not matter. We have here the words and thoughts of a very caring and thoughtful man. This is important stuff folks. I would strongly suggest that anyone who is making a study of Jimmy Carter the man and the president read this work as we most certainly get an insightful look into his soul, his motivations and general outlook upon life.

I have the habit of judging a man by how I would relate to him face to face. I always ask myself "would I like this person living next door and would I be comfortable sitting on my back porch, drinking coffee and talking with him or her in my own home?" Of all the presidents, really only three that make the cut for me; there is Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter with the possibility of Abe Lincoln. Of all the more recent ones, I fear I would set the dogs on them before they got halfway up my driveway.

It should be noted that each poem is accompanied by a black and white sketch by Mr. Carter's granddaughter. I have to tell you that the art work here is quite good

This is a wonderful little collection folks. Do yourself a favor and give it a read.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Our Book Group discussed this book of Poetry. We all enjoyed reading some of the poems aloud. I liked the fact that as I read, I thought that I came to know Jimmy Carter much better.I especially liked his "growing up" period poems.

This is easy reading but it can become a bit uncomfortable when we see the vision of a world that we may just accept too easily. I wasn't aware that President Carter wrote poetry; I knew he was very well educated but I did not know he wrote, for what seems to be personal reflection and satisfaction, poetry. For me, I don't really read poetry and generally, I don't "get it," unless someone explains it to me. These I got! They demonstrate a sensitivity and genuiness in the author that support and highten his public image. Reading these make me want to meet the man.

while the poems are not horrible, there really isn't much that is spectacular about carter's poems. they are regional poems told in a simple voice, you can almost hear carter's voice. still, i think he needs more time to work on his poetic skill. the illustrations were nice, i think that carter's granddaughter has a future in illustrating children's books.