Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry [Paperback]

Laurence Perrine (Author), Thomas R. Arp (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt College Pub; 8 Sub edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0155826107
• ISBN-13: 978-0155826106
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ninth Edition Available, Titled Perrine's Sound and Sense, June 25, 2000

By 

Michael Wischmeyer (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (Paperback)

This textbook stematically explores poetic form and structure. This approach could have been quite limiting, but Perrine manages to analyze poetry without undermining his central message: poetry is to be enjoyed.

I highly recommend this book to both readers new to poetry and those that already have considerable familiarity with the major poets.

A ninth edition is available, but with a title change. Sound and Sense is now Perrine's Sound and Sense. Look for more reviews under this new title (ISBN 0155030280).

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, October 18, 1998

By 

Godfrey T. Degamo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (Paperback)

I read an early version of this book.

This books is a great book for readers and writers of poems.

Most chapters focus on a particular poetical device, meter, allusions, connotations, and denotations, musical elements. Poems are picked for each chapter which help to highlight that device. Later chapters show how 'more complex' poems put it all together. Questions are given at the end of poems about that poem or particular device. You might get a question like why did the poet use 'sweat' instead or 'perspiration' Many of the questions require deep thought, many of the answers are far from clear-cut, or so straight forward. Just like the poems, it requires thinking over and over about it. This is a good book to use in class or in a reading group. You'll have many enjoyable conversations with a partner. In the end, you will be able to appreciate poems that you read, and break down the poem and see how it works, and why it works from a purely technical standpoint, and not that pretentious touchy-feely analysis you get from day dreamers.

It is much like a professional musician that can break down a composition and tell you how it works and why you feel the way you do at certain times.

The poetical world is much like that of the highschool music world in one sense; many garage rockstar wannabees shy away from learning any theory for fear that it would hold back their creativity. The same holds for poetry, and you may be afraid too. Do not be. I've seen many smug music beginners with this attitude spend the next 10 years reinventing the wheel and they don't even reinvent much, much less coming up with any 'profoundly new' music.

Sound and Sense will give you a very strong foundation for analyzing poems, and writing poems. And added bonus, you will appreciate poems and enjoy them more. You can then add your own 'inventions' to the 'standard' ones shown here.

Laurence Perrine even addresses the difference between a purely 'technical' poem from ones inspired from the heart. It's all there. A great poem has both.

Let me also comment on the selection of poems. I have a few other books on poems. One entitled like 'Commited to Memory; 100 of the greatest poems'.

So far of all the anthologies I have, this book still has one of the best collection I've read. It isn't the widest collection. Since it is an English book, the poets are all from either America or England, but the poets are from all different times and backgrounds. The subject matter spans the range, and not just limited to love poems.

Modern poets are under represented, but that is natural. This is a book that takes years to make, not a magazine. Still, lots of this book can be applied to slam poetry.

So what can be better for a fan of poetry? This book will allow you to read better, write better, and you will have the best collection of poems assembled.

Final word, don't be intimidated by this review. I don't want to give you the sense that this book is dense and heavy with seriousness. It isn't. It's a great read and just like me, you will pick it up from time to time to read, think, and enjoy. I have been enjoying my copy of the book for
the last 10 years.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars perfect., August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry (Paperback)

NOTE: the edition of sound and sense that i have read is the seventh, an old copy that my father used in high school. this book is quite simply the best anthology of poetry i have ever read. as if that weren't enough, as a textbook it includes simple, elegant, and intelligent commentary to teach the basics of style, metre, etc. a great book - quite possibly the only book of poetry you'll ever need.