The Situation of Poetry (Paperback)

by Robert Pinsky (Author) "MODERN POETRY was created by writers born about a hundred years ago..." (more)
Key Phrases: new surrealism, prose virtues, images from nature, The Dream Songs, Corson's Inlet, Sunday Morning (more...)

Editorial Reviews

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No one can read Pinsky's writing without being provoked to thought. -- Review

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The mind at work in The Situation of Poetry is lively, fresh, and critical without being obsessed by the rigor of criticism. [Pinsky's] comments are brief, vivid, distinct. . . and his taste is excellent.
(Denis Donoghue The New York Times Book Review )

No one can read Pinsky's writing without being provoked to thought.
(Helen Vendler The Nation )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (October 1, 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691013527
• ISBN-13: 978-0691013527
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #541,963 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Neat piece!, April 7, 2004

By	Lila Hope "lilaetc" (Palo Alto, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Robert Pinsky gave our commencement speech at Stanford in 1999. Captivated by his wit and eloquence I got a copy of this book but promptly misplaced it in a move. Only recently did I have a chance to read it and how satisfying was the experience! Not only did Pinsky help me see some old favorites, such as John Keat's "Ode to a Nightingale", from a distinctively fresh perspective, he also introduced me to other unfamiliar poets whose work I subsequently had the pleasure of reading further. The essays both serve as a comprehensive general survey and contain in-depth analyses of some key pieces. Its style is crisp yet smooth, its language is poetic in its own charm, and the insights are sharp from both literature perspectives and philosophical angles. Great midnight read when "senses abandon their defenses" -- an intellectually stimulating experience that I would highly recommend.