"Rich's poems do not demand the willing suspension of disbelief. They demand belief, and it is a measure of her success as a poet that most of the time they get it. . . . The affirmation and the occasional moments of pure joy in these poems are quiet but fully earned."--Margaret Atwood, New York Times Book Review
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Adrienne Rich's new poems are important because they come so close to achieving the dream they're all at least partly about. The Dream of a Common Language explores the contours of a woman's heart and mind in language for everybody—language whose plainness, laughter, questions and nobility everyone can respond to. . . . No one is writing better or more needed verse than this.” (Boston Evening Globe )
About the Author
Widely read, widely anthologized, widely interviewed and widely taught, Adrienne Rich (1929–2012) was for decades among the most influential writers of the feminist movement and one of the best-known American public intellectuals. She wrote two dozen volumes of poetry and more than a half-dozen of prose. Her constellation of honors includes a National Book Award for poetry for Tonight, No Poetry Will Serve, a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant in 1994, and a National Book Award for poetry in 1974 for Diving Into the Wreck. That volume, published in 1973, is considered her masterwork. Ms. Rich’s other volumes of poetry include The Dream of a Common Language, A Wild Patience Has Taken Me This Far, An Atlas of the Difficult World, The School Among the Ruins, and Telephone Ringing in the Labyrinth. Her prose includes the essay collections On Lies, Secrets, and Silence; Blood, Bread, and Poetry; an influential essay, “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence,” and the nonfiction book Of Woman Born, which examines the institution of motherhood as a socio-historic construct. In 2006, Rich was awarded the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters by the National Book Foundation. In 2010, she was honored with The Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry's Lifetime Recognition Award.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I sat in a cushy green chair at Barnes and Noble reading these poems by Adrienne Rich and something unexplainable - almost impossible to put words to - happened to me.
I connected deeply to her messages, the words she wrote when I was a teen, might as well have been written right in the here and now. A lone tear slid down my face as I read about a woman in her 40's, like me, who was dying, not like me, who had a friend, like me, who wasn't sure how to support her in her time of need, universal.
I have experienced a lot of loss this year. The poetry of Adrienne Rich reached into my heart and let me express it more.
Isn't that what good poetry is supposed to be? A catalyst to awakening, cathartic, enriching?
Rich writes of power, female power.
She writes a poem about Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff (bride to Rainer Rilke, another favorite poet of mine.)
My favorite is "Transcendent Etude" which is, indeed, transcendent.
"No one ever told us we had to study our lives, make our lives a study..."
Study these poems and dive deeper into your life. You will not regret it.
I connected deeply to her messages, the words she wrote when I was a teen, might as well have been written right in the here and now. A lone tear slid down my face as I read about a woman in her 40's, like me, who was dying, not like me, who had a friend, like me, who wasn't sure how to support her in her time of need, universal.
I have experienced a lot of loss this year. The poetry of Adrienne Rich reached into my heart and let me express it more.
Isn't that what good poetry is supposed to be? A catalyst to awakening, cathartic, enriching?
Rich writes of power, female power.
She writes a poem about Paula Becker and Clara Westhoff (bride to Rainer Rilke, another favorite poet of mine.)
My favorite is "Transcendent Etude" which is, indeed, transcendent.
"No one ever told us we had to study our lives, make our lives a study..."
Study these poems and dive deeper into your life. You will not regret it.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By CNewland
Format:Paperback
I've never left a review here before, but I feel compelled to on this one. I first discovered Adrienne Rich through a college class (focused on 20th century works by women), and at first I did groan a bit, not being a real avid fan of poetry. But I ended up reading this book in it's near entirety before the class even began. The first poem I randomly flipped open to was one of the 21 love poems, I believe, and it made me cry the first time I read it (and probably all the subsequent times as well). There's something about Adrienne Rich's poetry that just reached out and touched me in a very profound way, and I don't mean to sound all snobby or whatever, I just can't explain how much her poetry has meant to me. Because of this volume (and the others I rushed out to buy after finishing this one) I was finally able to put a name on something I'd been dealing with for over 2 years, which I hadn't ever been able to describe before.
There's just something about Rich's poetry that forces us to more closely examine ourselves and the people around us, to re- asses what our lives mean. I would have given this book 10 stars if I could, and I really can't recommend it enough. Even non- fans of poetry, as I was, may find themselves hooked by her words. I wish I could thank the poet in person for what she's given me.
There's just something about Rich's poetry that forces us to more closely examine ourselves and the people around us, to re- asses what our lives mean. I would have given this book 10 stars if I could, and I really can't recommend it enough. Even non- fans of poetry, as I was, may find themselves hooked by her words. I wish I could thank the poet in person for what she's given me.
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Adrienne Rich is a poet for everyone - especially those who say they don't like poetry - and the Dream of a Common Language is her most fascinating and accessible collection to date. Think poetry is boring, pretentious or hackneyed? Open up to "Love Poems" and find 32 sultry and pain-stakingly honest celebrations of lesbian love and urban survival. Rich has recently been receiving the wide recognition she deserves, and she will perhaps be the one to convince Americans to open their poetry books again.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book
I gave it to my niece for Christmas. Wonderful images in her poetry.
I recommend it if you love poetry.
I recommend it if you love poetry.
Published 4 months ago by Angela Burton
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disjointed and annoying
This is a skinny little book of free verse, not rhyming poetry. I ordered it after reading "Wild", which I quite enjoyed. Read more
Published 5 months ago by JH
5.0 out of 5 stars
and I am not a poetry lover...
I heard about this when I was reading another book - it mentioned it, then I went on amazon and saw all the wonderful reviews and I thought, why not? Read more
Published 7 months ago by Deborah S. Eden
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
I got this book after reading Wild by c strayed. She arrives this book w her during her trek. Wonderful lovely poems. A must for anyone
Published 9 months ago by Elizabeth L. Taylor
3.0 out of 5 stars
Maserful Voice
Having read this work in January 1992, I found the poet writing with a distinctly masterful voice, but there was nothing memorable or powerful or insightful in the poetry beside... Read more
Published 14 months ago by G. Charles Steiner
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is just gorgeous language
Rich, textured, honest, hard, open, The Dream of a Common Language is poetry at its most accomplished. Read more
Published on January 28, 2009 by Eric Maroney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Somebody is trying to talk to you
Years ago I was trying to keep warm at an MBTA bus stop where I read the opening lines of "The Dream of a Common Language" on a poster that advertised a reading and discussion by... Read more
Published on April 15, 2007 by Twice-lived
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely
I had not read this poet's work. I bought this particular collection because it was highly recommended in the books by artist/author/poet Tee Corinne in `Courting Pleasure', `The... Read more
Published on October 9, 2006 by E. B. MULLIGAN
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book makes even pain beautiful.
In The Dream of a Common Language, the poetry of Adrienne Rich reaches a realm of pure beauty. Rich cuts away the verbal excesses sometimes found in her other works and leaves the... Read more
Published on August 21, 1997
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