Ted Berrigan (1934-1983) is among his generation's most admired writers. In many respects, the directions followed in contemporary poetry were set out in the courses and workshops he taught at the Naropa Institute, the University of Michigan, Yale University, the City University of New York, the Stevens Institute of Technology, the University of Essex in England, Northeastern Illinois University, the Iowa Writers Workshop, and elsewhere. On the Level Everyday brings together key examples of his classroom lectures with other pieces, including two important talks delivered at the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church in New York. On the Level Everyday provides an introduction not only to Berrigan's poetics but also the problems of surviving as a poet in America today.
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Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
The late poet Berrigan (1934-83) never wrote down his craft lectures, but they were recorded and transcribed and are presented here by poet Lewis, whose House Rent Boogie (Yellow Pr., 1992) won the Ted Berrigan Award. These six pieces certainly suggest how energetic Berrigan's speech was. Conceptually, though, they are far too foggy for anyone other than Berrigan's staunchest fans. For example, Berrigan says (referring to an exotic form of execution he mentions in one of his poems): "The Persians thought it up, or if it wasn't the Persians it was somebody who didn't like the Persians, but it was one or the other," a sentence an editor would have blue-penciled had these talks been written out as essays. Recommended for readers with a keen interest in Berrigan and also poet-singer Jim Carroll, whose dialog with Berrigan about songwriting is the only piece specific enough to transcend the tone of vague, well-meant enthusiasm.?David Kirby, Florida State Univ., Tallahassee
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Ted Berrigan (1934-1983) was one of his generation's most respected poets and one of its most influential teachers. In many ways, the directions followed in contemporary poetry were established by him in the classes and poetry workshops he taught at the university of Michigan, Yale, the City College of New York, the Stevens Institute of Technology, the University of Essex (England), Northeastern Illinois University, Iowa, the Jack Kerouac School of the Naropa Institute, and elsewhere. On the Level Everyday brings together several of Berrigan's key lectures and talks along with other pieces that offer an introduction to his own work and the problems of surviving as a poet in America today; given the range of Berrigan's influence, Ted Berrigan: On The Level Everyday is crucial to an understanding of poetry in our time. Indeed, Ted Berrigan is among the dozen or so of the critically important American poets of the second half of the 20th century. Ted Berrigan: On The Level Everyday is a much needed testament to his achievements and enduring literary influence. -- Midwest Book Review
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read for beginning poets,
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This review is from: On the Level Everyday: Selected Talks on Poetry and the Art of Living (Paperback)
This collection of lectures by Ted Berrigan offers a very inclusive introduction to the writing of poetry. Berrigan does not pit abstract writers against their more accesible colleagues by talking solely about craft. In fact, Berrigan's lectures are more about lifestyle and perspective, which I found to be a more helpful approach as a fledgling wordsmith. He implores some tough, hard-earned advice laced with humor, imporing readers to own their own approach instead of following some outside principles of accessiblity, etc. You'll never think of writer's block or experimentation the same again.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewing the Library Journal review...,
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This review is from: On the Level Everyday: Selected Talks on Poetry and the Art of Living (Paperback)
David Kirby, in his review of Berrigan's book, says "Berrigan says (referring to an exotic form of execution he mentions in one of his poems): 'The Persians thought it up, or if it wasn't the Persians it was somebody who didn't like the Persians, but it was one or the other,' a sentence an editor would have blue-penciled had these talks been written out as essays."
Well hooty toot toot. Ted would have had a good laugh at that one. As for Mr. Kirby, I fear he's the kind of academic smarty who would 'blue-pencil' Groucho Marx from American culture. But Ted, you see, took everything in -- including the Marx Brothers. There was fearless humor and irony and wide-open perspective in everything he said and did...(unlike the tight-arse weenies with their frowning blue-pencils).
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