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Good Poems [Paperback]

Garrison Keillor
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)

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Book Description

August 26, 2003
Every day people tune in to The Writer's Almanac on public radio and hear Garrison Keillor read them a poem. And here, for the first time, is an anthology of poems from the show, chosen by Keillor for their wit, their frankness, their passion, their "utter clarity in the face of everything else a person has to deal with at 7 a.m."

Good Poems includes verse about lovers, children, failure, everyday life, death, and transcendance. It features the work of classic poets, such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Robert Frost, as well as the work of contemporary greats such as Howard Nemerov, Charles Bukowski, Donald Hall, Billy Collins, Robert Bly, and Sharon Olds. It's a book of poems for anybody who loves poetry whether they know it or not.


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Poetry is a regular feature on Garrison Keillor's NPR radio show A Prairie Home Companion, but for the last five years, it has formed the core of The Writer's Almanac, a daily, five-minute, 7 a.m. show on which Keillor reads a poem. Good Poems selects 350 pieces of verse from among the thousands that have been read on the Almanac for "Stickiness, memorability.... You hear it and a day later some of it is still there in the brainpan." Divided by subject-beginning with "O Lord," moving through "Day's Work," "Sons and Daughters" and through to "The End" and "The Resurrection"-the book includes work by writers past (Burns, Dickinson, Bishop, Williams, Shakespeare) and present: Robert Hass, Lisel Mueller, Tom Disch, among many others.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Keillor, host of the PBS radio show A Prairie Home Companion, has put together a collection of close to 300 poems he has read during yet another PBS broadcast, The Writer's Almanac. In an amusing introduction, he shares his thoughts on what makes a good poem. It's no big surprise that he purports to dislike literary works that, to him, smack of pretentiousness. A few selections openly poke fun at certain kinds of literature ("A Bookmark") or humorously defend humble things ("The Iceberg Theory"). Poems are arranged by 19 general themes, such as "Snow," "Failure," and "A Good Life." Authors range from well-known oldies like Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost to unknowns like C.K. Williams, who "played college basketball and lived for many years in Philadelphia." A delightful section at the end of the book offers biographical sketches of the featured authors. Keillor's choices lean heavily toward works that tell a good story or paint a tangible picture. Alongside poems with bucolic scenery are plenty of selections about everyday emotions and relationships. An outstanding feature of this collection is that the selections are all so accessible-even folks who say they don't like poetry can find something here to enjoy.
Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 504 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Books; 1ST edition (August 26, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0142003441
  • ISBN-13: 978-0142003442
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

A good book for anyone who likes poetry or who wants to get into it. Marisa Marinac  |  17 reviewers made a similar statement
It is a wonderful book to relax with and read your favorite poems over and over. C. Race  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
115 of 121 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, they are October 28, 2002
Format:Hardcover
A couple of generations back, publishers used to put out fat poetry anthologies - half of them edited by Louis Untermeyer - for families to put on their bookshelves to elevate the cultural tone of their home. These edifying works were organized by "subject" (God, Seafaring, Romance, Hope, Nature), and leaned heavily toward poems from prior centuries, or poems which exhibited a comforting folksiness, or wore uplifting morals on their sleeves.

There's a far larger public today which is actually prepared to read poems for pleasure, and Garrison Keillor has put together a poetic omnibus, also arranged by subject (I particularly like the group of poems on "Yellow" followed by the ones on "Snow"), which is otherwise quite the opposite of the old workhorses. Yes, prior centuries are represented, but the center of gravity lies among good modern poets, most of them still living, most of whom you never had a chance to read in school. They have been selected for both memorability and straightforward style. There are often flashes of humor, and trendily obscure versifiers need not apply, but there's no lack of depth or sophistication. (Think Billy Collins, who is well represented here.) Those of us who already read a lot of poetry, and those of us who suffered with glazed eyes through opaque symbols in English class, will both find fresh pleasures, simple ones and subtle, in this treasury.

It's what a poetry anthology should be: a sampler, a taster's counter at the many-flavored ice cream shop of verse. You can find old friends and new ones, and learn who you want to explore in depth later on. And this anthology lays out a richer feast of new friends than any other I've encountered.

As a bonus, there's Keillor's bluntly opinionated preface, in which he trashes Marianne Moore in favor of Elizabeth Bishop, "Saint Sylvia" in favor of Anne Sexton, and T.S. Eliot on general principles. It was a hoot even though I disagreed with him on two out of three.

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37 of 37 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Delightful - From the Author of "BrainChild" October 21, 2002
Format:Hardcover
"Good Poems" contains some of the finest works that I've ever read. Whether you are an avid reader of poetry, or someone who has just been introduced to it, you will not be disappointed with this collection. From The Psalm Book, to William Shakespeare, to Billy Collins, all are sure to enjoy.

From the very beginning, one's attention is captured by the wickedly irreverent and funny poem by Thomas Lux, entitled "Poem in Thanks." In it, he starts out by addressing his prayer to "Lord Whoever..." and ends it by thanking the Lord for the (expletive) birds singing!

I particularly enjoyed "This is Just To Say", a whimsical piece by William Carlos Williams, and the equally witty retort of the same name by Erica-Lynn Gambino:

"I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox
and which you were probably saving for breakfast
forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold"

to which, Ms. Gambino replies:

"I have just asked you to get out of my apartment

even though you never thought I would
forgive me you were driving me insane"

Whimsical, spiritual, somber, and profound (Emily Dickinson - Tell all the Truth, but tell it slant...), this selection by Mr. Kellor is arranged in such a way that one will be taken on an emotional roller coaster ride. "Good Poems" is a 'Must Have' for all lovers of well arranged words.

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63 of 68 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Collection of Poems! August 7, 2003
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Elizabeth Bishop was a woman, ditto Emily Dickinson, and she can take your head off with one line. . ." That is Garrison Keillor's description of Ms. Dickinson as he debunks the term "Women's lit" as one of the dumb ideas of his generation in his brief introduction to this collection of "good" poems he has gleaned from his radio program "The Writer's Almanac." T. S. Eliot he describes as a "great stuffed owl" who "didn't get out of the house much." Allen Ginsberg was "something of a gasbag" while Anne Sexton is a "hot number." Opinionated? Yes, but I find I agree with Mr. Keillor more times than I don't. I read this obviously honest and thouthful introduction three times and then called up friends who love poetry and read portions of it to them.

Mr. Keillor includes a lot of poets here, many of whom I did not know previously. You guessed it. There are no Ginsberg or Eliot selections included. The criterion is that the poems should have "somehow stuck" with Keillor and with "some of the listeners." Keillor obviously is guided by the time restraints of his radio show since the poems must be short. (I do not believe for a moment that he does not care for Matthew Arnold's "Dover Beach," a poem probably too long to include here.)The anthology is short on 19th Century poets although Ms. Emily does take first place with eight selections.

Even though Mr. Keillor would not be happy with long-winded paise, suffice it to say that, as the Brits would, that this book is altogether "lovely." And, Mr. Keillor, you are one of those Americans who make me happy I live here. Didn't you say it best in one of your essays, something about seeing the firelights of other gentle people?

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars ANTHOLOGY EXTRAORDINARE
Garrison Keillor has done more to advance modern poetry than anyone of whom I am aware. In this anthology in pares the old with the new in a delightful read. Read more
Published 5 days ago by Olivia M. Stiffler
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Anthology
I love this book so much I've purchased it three times. I keep giving it away to friends. It is accessible for even those who are not ardent fans of poetry generally. Read more
Published 23 days ago by WannaBeLibrarian
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!
I love this book! I got this on a whim and the selections were simply amazing and great I quickly bought the other books. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Teresa Ramseur
5.0 out of 5 stars Good variety
I knew what this would be and it fits my expectations exactly. It's a book of poetry that has a varied amount of poems that keep it interesting.
Published 2 months ago by Jack Getz
5.0 out of 5 stars College reading book
I'm not into the Poem aspect of the book, however I do like that you can buy text books for college online . Amazon offer many books at a fraction of the price. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Adler
4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collection
Per the title, yet another fine collection, selected by the fine, creative and insightful mind of Garrison Keillor. I do not think it works at all well with a Kindle. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Strix
5.0 out of 5 stars What a Lovely Book!
Unexpected treasures to be found here. I was surprised by the many included poems (and poets) that you seldom find in other collections. Well done, indeed!
Published 4 months ago by D. Klann
5.0 out of 5 stars Tabbed and dog-eared
I bought this a couple of years ago while browsing. Attracted to a few choice poems, it was through this book I learned of a poet whose work I would come to cherish: Mary Oliver. Read more
Published 4 months ago by A. L. Reis
2.0 out of 5 stars One man's collection of good poems, not mine
I found almost no poems in this book to like. Mr. Keillor and I are not on the same page when it comes to poetry. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Charles W. Semones
5.0 out of 5 stars Great poems, illuminating real life
I had never read many of these poets before, but trusted Garrison Keillor's judgment. I ended up being wonderfully surprised. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Far Fields
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