Jimmy Stewart and His Poems (Hardcover)

~ James M. Stewart (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"I'm sure I never said to myself: 'Now, Jim--why don't you sit down and write a poem.' It's still a mystery to me, but I think probably it's something that happened by accident--like a lot of things have happened in my life."

So begins this delightful collection of poetry by America's best-loved actor, Jimmy Stewart. Interspersed with vivid recollections and charming illustrations, the poems document a life that isn't too different from yours or mine.

Jimmy Stewart won the hearts of generations of movie viewers with a confused innocence and stammering delivery that made his acting seem genuine and effortless. Somehow he managed to make the boy next door into a national hero. Now, in Jimmy Stewart and His Poems, the consummate Everyman shares tales from his everyday life.

From fishing trips and dog stories to a hilarious account of a photo safari where the camera was lost to a hungry hyena, the poems are related in Jimmy Stewart's inimitable voice and are enlivened with charming illustrations.
        
The book confirms what we all expected--that the real Jimmy Stewart is every bit as endearing as the film characters he's portrayed. Jimmy Stewart and His Poems is a perfect gift, one that fans will treasure as much as Jimmy Stewart's timeless performances.

From the Inside Flap

"I'm sure I never said to myself: 'Now, Jim--why don't you sit down and write a poem.' It's still a mystery to me, but I think probably it's something that happened by accident--like a lot of things have happened in my life."

So begins this delightful collection of poetry by America's best-loved actor, Jimmy Stewart. Interspersed with vivid recollections and charming illustrations, the poems document a life that isn't too different from yours or mine.

Jimmy Stewart won the hearts of generations of movie viewers with a confused innocence and stammering delivery that made his acting seem genuine and effortless. Somehow he managed to make the boy next door into a national hero. Now, in Jimmy Stewart and His Poems, the consummate Everyman shares tales from his everyday life.

From fishing trips and dog stories to a hilarious account of a photo safari where the camera was lost to a hungry hyena, the poems are related in Jimmy Stewart's inimitable voice and are enlivened with charming illustrations.
        
The book confirms what we all expected--that the real Jimmy Stewart is every bit as endearing as the film characters he's portrayed. Jimmy Stewart and His Poems is a perfect gift, one that fans will treasure as much as Jimmy Stewart's timeless performances.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (August 19, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517573822
• ISBN-13: 978-0517573822
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,449 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poems from an American icon, November 16, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Probably the best way to read "Jimmy Stewart and His Poems" is to imagine the beloved actor reading them aloud, with his distinctive voice breathing life into each piece. The poems are illustrated by Cheryl Gross.

The book contains four poems, each of which is preceded by a short essay explaining how Stewart came to write it. Each poem is drawn from Stewart's real life experiences. The poems are as follows: "The Top Step in the Hotel in Junin," about a safety hazard at a hotel in Argentina; "The Aberdares!", about an African mountain range; "I'm a Movie Camera," about a camera he bought so that his daughters could film a family trip to Africa; and "Beau," about a beloved dog.

The poems are not particularly deep or impressive from a literary standpoint, but they have a certain folksy charm. Some sample lines from "The Aberdares!": "The North Pole's rather chilly, / Those who've been there all will tell. / There's lots of snow and lots of ice / And lots of wind as well." "Beau" is sentimental and funny, and, I must admit, reminded me of a particular dog who was part of my family. At 32 pages long, this is not a very substantial volume. Recommended for fans of Stewart.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Poems from the heart and soul of American's greatest., April 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Jimmy Stewart and His Poems (Audio Cassette)

EVERYONE who admires Jimmy Stewart should have this audio book. Hearing his voice and the emotion he felt about his dog, a camera, and the "step" is what makes these poems remarkable. You find yourself feeling sad and happy about his dogs, feeling sorry for a camera, and intriqued about the "step."

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the greatest poetry but fantastic story-telling, March 15, 2005

By	D. COLLIER "Doug Collier" (Brownwood, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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There's a reason why Jimmy Stewart became a famous actor and not a famous poet. In fact, this book shows that reason in striking and graphic detail. But good poets are difficult to find nowadays anyway. Good story-telling is also hard to find nowadays. And yet Jimmy Stewart does some wonderful stroytelling in his little book of poetry. If you can read these poems and hear his voice in your head at the same time, then they're a lot easier to read. Many a college student today will read assigned poetry by Byron, Frost, Shakespeare, or Tennyson and come away with nothing. But even the most unpoetic reader will come away from this book with a smile on his or her face.

Although it appears to be out of print, as of my typing this, Amazon currently has over 300 used copies available - at least 10 of which are selling for under $6.00. I think I paid less than a dollar for mine. And with a mere 32 pages anyway consisting of only about five or six poems, there's no reason to pay much more than that.

So, the book is available. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.