100 Essential Modern Poems [Hardcover]

Joseph Parisi (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2005

Inspired and inspirational, worldly wise, deeply felt, and often delightfully funny—here in one compact volume are 100 of the greatest poems written in English over the last century, memorable masterpieces that everyone should know and enjoy. Selected and introduced by Joseph Parisi, former longtime editor of Poetry magazine, this brilliant collection brings together the greatest poems by all the classic authors, along with the choicest works by today's most accomplished artists in America and abroad. From W. H. Auden and T. S. Eliot to John Ashbery and A. R. Ammons; Elizabeth Bishop and Marianne Moore to Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver; Robert Frost and W. B. Yeats to Allen Ginsberg and Thom Gunn, this comprehensive anthology features the poems that have best expressed the spirit of our times and helped create modern culture. In addition to such ground-breaking works as "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and "Howl," Mr. Parisi has included the incisive social satire and whimsical wordplay of such wits as Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, and Frank O'Hara. Among contemporary poets in the book are Seamus Heaney, Jane Kenyon, Rita Dove, Sharon Olds, Paul Muldoon, Adrienne Rich, and the redoubtable Billy Collins, all of whom have already achieved wide popular acclaim for poems that speak compellingly about modern life and the perennial concerns of the human heart. Mr. Parisi provides a general introduction to the book and introduces each poem with a brief biographical and critical note. For anyone who wishes to discover or to re-experience the most important and vital poems of our time, 100 Essential Modern Poems is, quite simply, indispensable.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–Parisi's purpose was to give adults who are overwhelmed by the amount of poetry available today a good starting point, but high school literature students will also benefit from this title. His criteria for the selections were: modern, meaningful, and memorable. The poets range from William Butler Yeats to Rita Dove. Each of the 70 individuals whose work is represented receives a short, readable introduction that includes pertinent biographical information, a description of the poet's place in modern literary history, and an analysis of the writer's style. One to three representative poems follow each entry. One drawback of the book is its arrangement: the entries run from page to page without a break. However, the content is so readable and the table of contents so clear that this is minor. The work is meant to be a small companion, a desert island collection. As such it will be useful to those new to the genre, as well as to readers looking for a single portable volume.–Sheila Janega, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Parisi served as editor of Poetry magazine from 1983 to 2003, and he has edited two invaluable anthologies that chronicle the little magazine's big influence: Dear Editor: A History of Poetry in Letters (2002) and The Poetry Anthology, 1912-2002. Reflecting now on the bewildering abundance of contemporary poetry and on how difficult it is for the common reader to know where to begin, Parisi, like Mark Strand and Robert Pinsky, has put together a recommended collection. In an introduction that will lift the spirit of every poetry lover who believes in a populist approach, Parisi explains why he created this "desert island" gathering of "indispensables" and how he was guided by "the three Ms," selecting poems that are modern, meaningful, and memorable. Preceded by wonderfully conversational and expertly appreciative biocritical essays about each poet, his choices are superb as he lingers over Yeats and Stevens and includes often-overlooked witty and satirical poets, among them Dorothy Parker, Ogden Nash, Kay Ryan, Frank O'Hara, and Billy Collins. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (August 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566636124
• ISBN-13: 978-1566636124
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #168,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Poetry Book, December 4, 2006

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A reader from Chicago (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 Essential Modern Poems (Hardcover)

This is an enjoyable and engaging poetry anthology containing the work of 80 poets. Joseph Parisi, former editor-in chief of Poetry magazine calls these 100 poems "essential in that they deal with the most fundamental issues everyone eventually faces. They express in unforgettable ways the deepest experiences that make us human: love, friendship, family bonds (and frictions), longing and loss, dreams and disappointments, anxiety, suffering, joy, faith, the search for meaning, and our relation to nature."

The book includes poems written from the mid 1800's to the present. Poets include William Butler Yeats, Robert Frost, Marianne Moore, T.S. Eliot, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elizabeth Bishop, Dylan Thomas, Allen Ginsberg, Linda Pastan, Mary Oliver, and Kay Ryan.

Parisi provides 1-3 page introductions about the lives of each poet as well as 1-3 poems from each poet. His insightful writing makes the poems come alive for the reader and he well knows how to make poetry accessible to a wide audience. I am glad that I discovered this book and look forward to reading the passages and poems again and again.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent modern poetry primer, December 13, 2009

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Dahveed (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 Essential Modern Poems (Hardcover)

Joseph Parisi presents a terrific selection of poems from some of the best poets of the modern era. And, he offers well written biographies on each poet. To be able to read about the life of the poet followed by an example of their work is an exceptional pleasure! I found myself marking the poets I liked best and then searching out their works for futher reading. Thank you Mr. Parisi for your love of poets and poetry!

7 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A survey of the finest written in English over the past century, December 4, 2005

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 100 Essential Modern Poems (Hardcover)

Joseph Parisi is former longtime editor of Poetry magazine, so is in a better position than most to select the most influential and memorable of modern poetry in 100 Essential Modern Poems, a survey of the finest written in English over the past century. Works by Philip Larkin, Frank O'Hara, W.D. Snodgrass and many others are personally selected by Parisi and provides particularly inspired works which are classics.