When She Named Fire: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry by American Women is the first major collection of its kind in a generation. It features 97 of the most exciting poets in America including Kim Addonizio, Natasha Trethewey, Robin Becker, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Maxine Kumin, Naomi Shihab Nye, Claudia Emerson, Lynn Emanuel, Mary Oliver, Jane Mead, Mary Ruefle, Kay Ryan, and Pattiann Rogers. The collection includes a photograph and a brief biographical sketch of each poet.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback
An amazing book of the finest poems by the finest women poets in America- I recommend Andrea Hollander Budy's "When She Named Fire" to all Creative Writing students, teachers, lovers of poetry and poets.
I am a tough critic of poetry, my own poetry and every poem I come across, so I was eager to read the book when it arrived at my desk a few weeks ago. What I discovered about the book however, amazed me. Here in this one anthology are some of the finest women poets that I have been looking to find in one book for many years. From Kim Addonizio's engaging narrative of quiet power to Jan Beatty's fire and flame, you cannot help feeling that this is poetry. Here in this book are your favorite poets like Allison Joseph, Allison Funk, Maxine Kumin, Rita Dove, Marie Howe and many more. I love Marie Howe whose couplets have influenced my own poetry since I discovered her years ago in her book, What the Living Do. But like me, you will not help your own surprise at the wry humor of Aimee Nuzhukumatathil's ability to make serious issues simple or to make the simple complex. You will love these poets and poems after reading the book. The book is suitable for college courses; whether the course you teach is course in Women's Studies or Creative Writing, these women's voices raise all of the issues that are pertinent to American and world literature today. All of the poems were well chosen, and are filled with vivid images, passion, and humor, something every good book of poetry should do. I will be teaching the book this spring to an eager group of young writers, and I cannot wait to introduce them to my fellow poets, American women poets whose voices together bring life to poetry once again. I am not saying this because I am also in the book. I have never before today written one review of a book I was in; therefore, this is surprising even to me. Andrea's selections are thought-provoking, engaging, powerful, and necessary. The poems will open your eyes in a new way.
-----Patricia Jabbeh Wesley
I am a tough critic of poetry, my own poetry and every poem I come across, so I was eager to read the book when it arrived at my desk a few weeks ago. What I discovered about the book however, amazed me. Here in this one anthology are some of the finest women poets that I have been looking to find in one book for many years. From Kim Addonizio's engaging narrative of quiet power to Jan Beatty's fire and flame, you cannot help feeling that this is poetry. Here in this book are your favorite poets like Allison Joseph, Allison Funk, Maxine Kumin, Rita Dove, Marie Howe and many more. I love Marie Howe whose couplets have influenced my own poetry since I discovered her years ago in her book, What the Living Do. But like me, you will not help your own surprise at the wry humor of Aimee Nuzhukumatathil's ability to make serious issues simple or to make the simple complex. You will love these poets and poems after reading the book. The book is suitable for college courses; whether the course you teach is course in Women's Studies or Creative Writing, these women's voices raise all of the issues that are pertinent to American and world literature today. All of the poems were well chosen, and are filled with vivid images, passion, and humor, something every good book of poetry should do. I will be teaching the book this spring to an eager group of young writers, and I cannot wait to introduce them to my fellow poets, American women poets whose voices together bring life to poetry once again. I am not saying this because I am also in the book. I have never before today written one review of a book I was in; therefore, this is surprising even to me. Andrea's selections are thought-provoking, engaging, powerful, and necessary. The poems will open your eyes in a new way.
-----Patricia Jabbeh Wesley
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Nancy Pagh
Format:Perfect Paperback
Full disclosure: I'm one of the poets Andrea Hollander Budy selected to include in this anthology of poems. I began to peruse the book when my copy came in the mail, curious first just to see how it was arranged (thematically? by movement or style? it's chronological), what new writers I would discover, and what happens when a range of contemporary women poets' voices are juxtaposed together. I'll admit that when I read literary journals these days, I usually find one, maybe two, poems that I'm eager to re-read--poems that seem fresh, lively, awake, urgent, provocative and well-crafted enough to urge me to spend more time reveling and peeling back the layers. Poems I want to remember. So, I expected to flip through the pages of this 400-page anthology and perhaps find an astonishing poem every fifty pages. They're everywhere! My copy is dog-eared and fast becoming a favorite text. A wide range of styles and themes are expressed in these works, but whether the poems are passionate, dark, brave, funny, formal, or more experimental in nature, the common thread I see here is that the collection as a whole lacks that sarcastic and careless tone prevalent in so many literary journals now. These are deeply attentive poems. I particularly appreciate that the editor has included an author photo and short biography for each writer, grounding us in the lived contexts for the flight of language.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Perfect Paperback
When She Named Fire is so exciting, so unabashed that I could not put the book down until I had read it once through. The poetry seems to touch every thought, feeling, and perception, and the collection as a whole makes you feel as though the poetry is yours alone.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Gamut of Poetry
Wonderful book. I read slowly, finding real treasures. There's a poem about a chicken that will blow your socks off. Read more
Published on October 22, 2009 by TNL
5.0 out of 5 stars
Did You Hear What She Said?
You may be thinking $29.95 is a lot for a poetry book. Let me assure you that When She Named Fire is a bargain: almost 400 pages of poems by 96 of the most talented contemporary... Read more
Published on September 26, 2009 by Alarie Tennille
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fire is a hot book
When She Named Fire is a fantastic book that includes work by some of the best poets of our time. I enjoyed every page. Read more
Published on June 24, 2009 by Auntie Annie
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