“It sounds like a simple thing, to say what you see,” Mark Doty begins. “But try to find words for the shades of a mottled sassafras leaf, or the reflectivity of a bay on an August morning, or the very beginnings of desire stirring in the gaze of someone looking right into your eyes . . .” Doty finds refuge in the sensory experience found in poems by Blake, Whitman, Bishop, and others. The Art of Description is an invaluable book by one of America’s most revered writers and teachers.
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About the Author
MARK DOTY is the author of eight collections of poetry, including Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems, which won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2008. He teaches at Rutgers University and lives in New York.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a thought-provoking little book -- ostensibly an essay about the art of writing, but also about reading, thinking, living. A total delight!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By June Nirschl
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Seldom has a writer been as thoughtful and incisive in his literary comments about poetry. Mark Doty's references are useful and broad.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mark Doty gives us a user-friendly, inspiring guide. He uses wonderful poetic examples and demonstrates insightful ways to enter layer after layer of well-written, engaging poems.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bird Song
The Art of Description: World into WordGreat, a clear cut road to perception and finding someone that writes of such things is totally amazing. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Louis J. Profeta
3.0 out of 5 stars
Doty is a bit dense...
A fine poet, Doty gives us prose that's too heavy for his topic. I loved his examples, but the style of his prose was a bit plodding.
Published 2 months ago by Caro Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow
Doty articulates important concepts and experiences in this book, unlocking mysteries of reading poetry that before, we only intuited. Awesome.
Published 3 months ago by CWS
4.0 out of 5 stars
What's another word for description?
This book eloquently describes the art of poetic description. In detail, it explains the nuance and understanding of describing the world around us.
Published 3 months ago by Timothy C. Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very insightful & useful
Written from a poet's perspective the book provides enlightening insights into crafting artful description for any writer. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Roy
3.0 out of 5 stars
The Art of Description: World Into Word
This book brought me up short as regards my own use of words in my writing and my own lack of ability to mine that which I read. Read more
Published on December 25, 2010 by Donald J. DaRos
4.0 out of 5 stars
Description as a poetic quality
I found Doty's description of description helpful in writing my own poetry, and I'll try to remember the pointers of what makes a successfully descriptive poem. Read more
Published on October 16, 2010 by Jean Rodenbough
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read
I received this book and read it immediately, and have since read it again. I highly recommend this book.
Published on August 15, 2010 by Krista Richards Mann
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