A Treasury of Great Poems [Hardcover]

Louis Untermeyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1994

This classic collection, long recognized as one of the most widely read and comprehensive anthologies of poetry in the English language, offers more than 1,300 pages containing nearly 1,000 poems by almost 200 poets. Beginning with the earliest English ballads and selections from the King James Version of the Bible, the book continues with the immortal works of Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Pope, Whittier, Poe, Tennyson, and many others, concluding with an outstanding array of 20th-century poetry by such luminaries as Wallace Stevens, Dylan Thomas, and Marianne Moore. Louis Untermeyer--the renowned critic, biographer, and teacher who edited this remarkable work--is said to have introduced more poets to readers and more readers to poetry than any other American. Treasury of Great Poems is indexed by poet, poem and first lines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1344 pages
• Publisher: BBS Publishing Corporation (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883657961
• ISBN-13: 978-0883657966
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #801,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful addition to any library!, October 7, 2003

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Treasury of Great Poems (Hardcover)

This hefty book (almost 1300 pages!) makes a wonderful addition to any library. In a surprisingly short space, author Louis Untermeyer covers the history of English-language poetry, starting with the Bible and ancient Anglo-Saxon verse, and then beginning with John Barbour (c.1316-95) he proceeds chronologically, author-by-author through to Richard Wilbur (b.1921). Each poet is briefly introduced, as is each poem.

As might be expected, to cover so immense a topic in one volume requires a great deal of pruning, so a great deal of what could have been included wasn't. But, that said, this is a great book, one that has filled many of my evenings with wonderful and yet informative reading. I consider the purchase of this book money well spent, and I highly recommend it to you!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Poetry Book, December 24, 2010

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Kenneth L. Harmon "Ken L Harmon" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Treasury of Great Poems (Hardcover)

I have been looking for this book for a couple of years. So glad to have finally found it. A wide variety of authors from pre-biblical times to within the last 40 years. Some great poetry that I have not been able to find elsewhere.
I wish I could it better because it deserves better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best anthologies of English poetry, November 13, 2004

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Treasury of Great Poems (Paperback)

The selections anthology are slightly more extensive than in most. But what makes this anthology especially useful is the brief introductory essays before each poetic selection and the interpretations given of each poem. Here is an example of Untermeyer's writing , this one from a poet who he was especially close to Robert Frost. " A poem " wrote Frost in a foreward to his COLLECTED POEMS " begins in delight and ends in Wisdom" . The figure is the same as for love." Later considering the quality of surprise in poetry, he added :"For me the initial delight is in the surprise of remembering something I didn't know I knew." The sentence may well explain Frost's hold upon his readers.They have not only learned something new: they have recalled , with a new significance something old.They have remembered something they had forgotten they knew - and loved."
This is an anthology both rich in great poetry and in insightful commentary upon it.