The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics [Hardcover]

Alex Preminger (Editor), T. V. F. Brogan (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0691032718 | ISBN-13: 978-0691032719 | Publication Date: March 1993 | Edition: 3 Sub

This detailed reference work deals with such aspects of poetry and poetics as history, types, movements, prosody and critical terminology. This revised edition recounts the rapid changes within literary and cultural circles since the last edition was published in the 1970s.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From abecedarius to zeugma, by way of cywydd, estribillo, Nibelungenstrophe, Tachtigers, and other poetic terms that sound like poetry, The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics is a gold mine for readers and writers of poetry alike. First published in 1965, this tome has evolved to reflect developments in critical thinking and an expanding knowledge of non-Western poetry (without, heaven forfend, being trendy: "a reference work," the editors explain, "must always distance itself from its time while it works to embrace that time"). For this third edition, the editors write, nearly every entry has been changed significantly, and 162 entries have been added. The preface claims coverage of every poetic tradition in the world, and one doesn't doubt it. There's enough material here to keep one browsing well past Yeats's "Second Coming." If that's not enough to quench your poetic thirst, fret not: a detailed bibliography concludes each entry. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Library Journal

Larger than both the last edition (1965) and the "enlarged" edition that was published in 1974, this new edition of the indispensable Princeton Encyclopedia assesses 106 national poetries, with coverage of "every significant poetry tradition in the world." Gone are such entries as "Negro poetry. American"; "Afro-American poetry" takes its place. Though many entries such as "sonnet" are virtually unchanged from the earlier edition, others, such as "Feminist poetics," are brand-new. Some entries, e.g., "cliche" and "compensation," have been deleted. This is an essential purchase for any library supporting the study of poetry; the only problem is that the print is tiny and hard to read.
- Peter Dollard, Alma Coll. Lib., Mich.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1440 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr; 3 Sub edition (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691032718
• ISBN-13: 978-0691032719
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,318,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ulimate reference work for poetics, July 27, 2000

By 

Robert James (Culver City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (Paperback)

I love huge, exhaustive books like this. I hate not being able to find the answer to a question in under five minutes, and my library has dozens of books like this that make such searches easy (the internet is another fast tool, but very few websites have more than the most basic knowledge.) If you want to learn how to write poetry and learn prosody by hands-on examples, go read John Hollander's little masterpiece, "Rhyme's Reason." If you want fast biographical and literary references, go check out "Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia." But if you want the absolute last word on poetic forms and meters, with absolutely thorough histories of each subject, use this book. It's saved my critic's keister more than once in the classroom. As one of my professors said, a scholar is not somebody who knows all the answers: a scholar is somebody who knows how to find all the answers. This book is an indispensable reference tool for anybody seriously interested in poetry.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensively Impressive, May 27, 2002

By 

A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (Paperback)

Want to know what a 'priamel' is? Look it up here, "The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics." Not only will you see 'priamel' defined, but a short history of the use of the concept, examples of priamelic poetry, and a other resources to learn more.

How about Hungarian poetry, what makes a hymn (as opposed to a carol), a discussion on line usage and techniques? It is all here. Exemplum? Septenarius? Metalepsis? What's an iambe? It isn't an iamb, and from their respective entries, you'll see why.

Every student of poetry, whether in college, teaching or writing, needs this book. All the major terms and styles are covered here, but also every country producing poetry.

This is useful to the poet who wants to learn more about what has been done through the years, and how and why a particular style was used. The book is certainly for the intelligent reader, but won't be bogged down with overblown, hard to understand explanations. This an encyclopedia, not a dissertation.

Professors and students can use this book as a reference point as they research poetry. Ever read a literary critique and not have a clue what term Dr. Iam Smart just referred to? I sure have. This book helps me know what I am reading.

The entries are well-structured, and give plenty to get started, and then point you where you can learn more.

I fully recommed "The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics" by Alex Preminger.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Indispensable Reference for Poets and Poetasters, April 22, 2002

By 

"botatoe" (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics (Paperback)

This stunningly comprehensive volume truly merits the title "encyclopedia." Nearly 1,400 pages, two columns to a page, with small print (the size of the print being one of the few shortcomings of the book). Over 700 entries, each including a brief bibliography. Detailed discussions of 106 national poetries. Entries on all varieties of poetic schools and movements, including Dada, Surrealism, Beat Poets, and . . . Fyrtiotalisterna (a group of Swedish modernist poets). Definitions of every imaginable poetic term, from anacoluthon to chiasmus to vers libre. Entries written by recognized authorities, from A. B. Lord writing on "Oral Poetry" to M. H. Abrams discussing "Theories of Poetry" to Elaine Showalter on "Feminist Poetics." "The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics" is simply the best single volume on poetry and poetics available, an indispensable reference for anyone seriously interested in poetry, as well as anyone interested in literature, literary history and prosody.