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The Best American Poetry 2007 (The Best American Poetry)
 
 
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The Best American Poetry 2007 (The Best American Poetry) [Paperback]

Heather McHugh (Editor), David Lehman (Editor)
2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. The 20th volume in America's most popular annual poetry anthology series is perhaps the most esoteric. McHugh, an unusual poet herself, who says she is Fond of the textures of a text, the matter of a letter, has tried to assemble what she feels is a cohesive anthology rather than simply a gathering of favorite poems from this past year's literary magazines. As ever, some familiar names—former editors and famous poets—appear: John Ashbery, Billy Collins (Who has time for sunlight falling on the city), Robert Creeley, Louise Glück, Robert Hass, Robert Pinsky, Galway Kinnell. But there are also a number of representatives, such as Rae Armantrout and Christian Bök (selves we woo/ we lose// losses we levee/ we owe), from off-center traditions. A few of the newbies tend toward the experimental, such as Ben Lerner and Danielle Pafunda: Do he & he have a big muscle in the arm from the aiming? All and all, this is a riskier than usual volume, though also full of familiar pleasures. Certainly it attests to poetry's continuing vitality. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

You certainly can't accuse McHugh, editor of this year's edition of this respected annual anthology, of taking things too seriously. In fact, the 2007 volume seems excessively keen on balancing poems with any degree of gravitas with a corresponding gang of poets dealing in parody and relentless wordplay. That isn't to say that some of the funny stuff isn't very funny indeed—Billy Collins' gleeful "The News Today," a spectacularly foul-mouthed send–up of Catullus, is a case in point—or that so much contemporary poetry doesn't live in a hot-air balloon in need of regular puncturing. But the semantic antics here sometimes grow frenzied, empty, and tiresome, driving the reader to seek relief in quieter, more secure poems by old hands like Marvin Bell ("The Method") and Jane Hirshfield ("Critique of Pure Reason"). Maybe the strangest thing about this volume is how few poems it actually contains, what with a staggering 41 pages of contributors' bios and commentary. Nance, Kevin --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Scribner (September 11, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0743299736
  • ISBN-13: 978-0743299732
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #609,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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16 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
2.9 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Another Anthology That Fails to Recognize and Reward The Best in American Poetry, September 11, 2007
This review is from: The Best American Poetry 2007 (The Best American Poetry) (Paperback)
It's generally accepted that this series is a political rather than a poetic one: The Best American Poems according to this series editor usually are 1 degree of poet separation from himself. Students, colleagues, former editors, wife, all aboard! That being said, this is not the worst of the series. McHugh choses pun over fun mostly, with poems that tend to sound like something rather than feel abound. "Tokens in the slot: / ka-shot, shot, shot." Too many poems from just NEW AMERICAN WRITING: if this series is to truly last it ought to cast a much wider and democratic net. There's lots more out there: a poet who relies on this series to tell them the news that stays news will be left out in the cold. Pinsky, Rivard, Matthea Harvey, Danielle Pafunda, MacGregor Card and Joe Wenderoth do some interesting things worth checking out. But most of these poems seem to be present if only to reward big poetic names for being big poetic names and for cheap gimmicks like using bad words for the sake of using bad words. As ever, poets will have to decide for themselves what makes these poems Best. The anthology mostly feels like dull coins being dropped into the Meghan O'Rourke poem quoted above. The peepshow reveals little that titillates. Too bad.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars a welcome addition to the series, January 29, 2008
This review is from: The Best American Poetry 2007 (The Best American Poetry) (Paperback)
I've found many of the BAP series to be highly dissapointing. But it is hard to select a best of when it comes to poetry. It really depends on what you like to read. Now, there are some truly awful poems in here, and I'm not sure McHugh was the best choice as an editor, but she really picked some great poems. Sure about a quarter of them are awful, but most are readable or good. And then there are the great ones: Geffrey Brock, Galway Kinnell, Marya Rosenberg, David Shumate, Brian Turner, Charles Harper Webb and Joe Wenderoth. If you love poetry, you've gotta get this one.
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24 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars stunningly bad, October 6, 2007
By Gertude Whitman (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Best American Poetry 2007 (The Best American Poetry) (Paperback)
unbelieveably bad choices here; perhaps the only use you will find for this book is learning who's buddies with mchugh and lehman this year. as with last year's billy collins volume, expect to find plenty of pretentiousness (louise gluck takes the cake this time around) and (weirdly) an overwhelming number of "high concept" poems ("let's write a double acrostic! lets make childish puns about bees!") -- this kind of stuff is readable only in as much as it operates on a fifth grade "poemz r fun storiez" level.

please, if you're going to watch this trainwreck, get it used or wait a few months for it to show up on the remainders -- lehman's publishers don't need the encouragement. in the meantime, someone needs to put this series out of its misery. it is truly an embarassment to Scribner (it's clear that lehman has no shame at this point), and it's no surprise the series, with its claim to be the "Best American", irritates people who encounter great american poems everywhere but in these pages.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars a few pleasures
To Heather McHugh's credit, she's up front in her introduction about what criteria and biases she brings to her selections of the "best" in American Poetry. Read more
Published 21 months ago by me

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible
I don't need to say anything else. Wish I could get my money and time back.
Published on September 5, 2008 by B. Burgess

5.0 out of 5 stars Surface and depth
I assisted a stoneworker once in the construction of a foundation. From a large pile of stones he was adept at quickly finding those which the wall required, the shape of... Read more
Published on July 31, 2008 by P. Teary Ova

2.0 out of 5 stars Some poems are interesting. Most are dull.
There are a few poems in this book that are worth reading-- Milton Kessler's "Comma of God," for example-- but most of them are forgettable or nauseating. Read more
Published on June 12, 2008 by Besenkopf

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly unimpressive
I was incredibly disappointed in this work. The selection of poems as "best" in America in 2007 was stunning in its mediocrity, and even outright poverty. Read more
Published on February 23, 2008 by Lisa M. Price

5.0 out of 5 stars best american poetry
i was -pleased with the quick delivery and goon condition of the product thanks don
Published on January 28, 2008 by Donald L. Vandlac

2.0 out of 5 stars Typical Contemporary Poetry
The poetry that's getting published these days is poorly crafted and underwhelming; this compilation is no exception.
Published on December 7, 2007 by Erin Henderson

1.0 out of 5 stars Heather McHugh Is Lazy
Yes, I think The American Poetry Review is a great publication, but to include five of its poems in this book is ridiculous considering how many other fine publications are out... Read more
Published on November 22, 2007 by Poetry Fan

4.0 out of 5 stars Valuable Poetry Series
In her selection of poems Heather McHugh clearly emphasizes sparkling language. However, this volume--and the series--are an enjoyable and convenient way to read a range of... Read more
Published on October 28, 2007 by Blondguy

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Anthology in a Great Series
This anthology, chosen by Heather McHugh, is filled with sharp, intelligent poems that bend langauge into sterling gems. A poem about John Brown is worth the entire collection. Read more
Published on October 25, 2007 by Jeff A. Berger

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