The Language of Life (BBC Radio Presents) [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Bill Moyers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1995 | Series: BBC Radio Presents

In the companion volume to his PBS series, Bill  Moyers celebrates the vitality of English in its  most essential form. His interviews with a  dazzlingly diverse array of writers reveal that poetry is  flourishing all over America, reaching across  borders of race, gender, and culture.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In a series of fascinating conversations with thirty-four American poets, and in dozens of poems, The Language of Life celebrates language in its "most exalted, wrenching, delighted, and concentrated form," and its unique power to re-create the human experience: falling in love, facing death, leaving home, playing basketball, losing faith, finding God. Poets speak with Moyers about their work, their lives, and their creativity. In the tradition of the bestselling Healing and the Mind and The Power of Myth. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

If politicians, professors, and princes can be interviewed by topnotch TV journalists like Moyers, why not poets? This companion to an eight-part PBS series ranges from Gary Snyder to Adrienne Rich to Jimmy Santiago Baca in its quest for excellence.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Random House Audio (July 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553474278
• ISBN-13: 978-0553474275
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.2 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,131,113 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Books on Cassette > History > United States
  • #91 in Books > Books on Cassette > Literature & Fiction > Poetry, Drama & Short Stories

More About the Author

Bill Moyers was a founding organizer of the Peace Corps, a senior White House assistant(and press secretary) to President Lyndon Johnson from 1963 until 1967, the publisher of Newsday, a senior news analyst for CBS News, and the producer of groundbreaking series for public television. He is the winner of more than thirty Emmy awards and nine Peabody awards. Among his bestselling books are Listening to America; A World of Ideas; The Power of Myth (with Joseph Campbell); and Moyers on America. His latest book is Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A strong collection with a few really good interviews, May 26, 2000

By 

Todd Wylie "toddwylie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Language of Life (Paperback)

It is almost impossible to please everyone with a collection. Why was this poet included? Or you included him/her and didn't include this poem... Are you insane? The benefit of an anthology is that it can introduce the reader to poets that they may otherwise never come in contact with. To that end, I am thankful to Moyers for introducing me to the work of James A. Autry and Lucille Clifton. I also enjoyed many, but not all, of the interviews. This was a good book. If you are interested in poetry but aren't sure where to start, this collection will introduce you to a wide variety of styles. I am sure you will find something you like, and it will be worth the effort.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have! Poets share their work & discuss it with Moyers, June 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Language of Life (BBC Radio Presents) (Audio Cassette)

*The Language of Life: A Festival of Poets* with Bill Moyers was shown on Public Television and captivated a wide audience. When I watched it, I was thrilled! Bill Moyers has, as usual, done an incredible job, and I love the fact that he has helped to bring the magic of poetry to more people. I loved the PBS documentary so much that I purchased a copy of both the book and the audio-book... *The Language of Life* is so good, so entertaining, so interesting, that you'll want to experience it many times. You'll discover something new each time. I'm a poet, so this book was ideal... I can read the poems (or hear them, in the poet's own words, if via the audio book) and then get an in-depth look at the poem by listening in on Moyers as he conducts an interview. Actually, it's more like a chat with old friends in a way, because Moyers' style is so friendly. He asks good questions, really getting to the meat of the matter, and it's clear that the Festival's poets feel comfortable with him. I felt as though I was there sitting with them, having a cup of tea. Writing is a solitary profession, but I was reminded that we writers all deal with the same core issues. And it's good to hear how others find their inspiration, their space, etc. This book is also great because even people who don't read poetry will enjoy it... in fact, might realize they love poetry. Friends of mine who thought of poetry as something stuffy that really pale people read while sitting in dusty attics (wearing black, of course)ended up liking it a lot. Moyers and the poets he meets show the reader that poetry is just another form of human expression... one that is truly the language of life.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Better Poetry Books Can be Found, January 15, 2003

By 

M. Swinney "Marc My Words" (Flower Mound, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Language of Life (Paperback)

Looking back on this book, I guess it's that I wanted to like it so much more than I did. What a great concept! Take a variety of modern poets, interview them and get them talking about their works alongside the poetry. Now you see the expectations in such a book to poetry lovers everywhere. But after owning the book for 7-odd (and they have been) years, I rarely find myself going back to it after the initial read. Why is that? Let me try to tell you.

Moyers indeed takes a variety of poets to interview, from recognized greats such as W.S. Merwin, Rita Dove, Donald Hall, Adrienne Rich, Ocatavio Paz to name a few to lesser known (at least to me) poets such as, Garrett Kaoru Hongo, Dekou Sundiata, and Mary Tall Mountain. Some of the interviews are fascinating as one would expect them to be. But the majority of them drag on. Instead of making the language come alive, the power of the poetry is diluted when it is talked about. Give credit to Moyers for attempting the project and to opening up his purview beyond the academically accepted greats and beyond strictly English-writing poets. For that Moyers is to be commended, but the end effect leaves the reader wanting for more.

I have gotten so much more from any on the "Best American Poetry" series or a little known poetry compilation called "The Generation of 2000," for the sheer love of poetry and learning about poets, than Moyers' book. As for non-English poets, buy the bilingual editions (Paz's collected poems, Neruda's selected poems, etc) even though you don't speak or understand the original language. It's a must to see and hear how the poetry was intended to sound and also be able to read it in a language you understand.