Poems for the Millennium: The University of California Book of Modern and Postmodern Poetry, Vol. 2: From Postwar to Millennium (Paperback)

by Jerome Rothenberg (Editor), Pierre Joris (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This invaluable collection, rather than gathering the most fully realized poetry of this century's first four decades, maps poetic possibility, thus demonstrating how poetry was literally remade during this period. A section of "forerunners" traces the revolutionizing of poetic intuition from Blake to Lautreamont. Italian and Russian Futurism's typographical experiments, best seen through the "manifestos" are faithfully rendered; Dada and Surrealism are correctly treated as separate movements with differing aims. Aime Cesaire's term Negritude defines a section of Black Francophone literature clearly influenced by Surrealism, but centered on its African and Caribbean beginnings. Three long "galleries," collecting poems not necessarily related by nationality or subject matter, are interspersed among the sections of explicit poetic movements. Commentaries, many on individual poets?C.P. Cavafy, Gertrude Stein, William Carlos Williams, Osip Mandelstam and Pablo Neruda among them?and often in the poets' own words, give context to the unwieldy mass of these poems, many difficult to find in English. The next volume promises to show the use to which today's poets have put this rich legacy.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
YA-This collection includes poetry from post-World War II through the Cold War and its aftermath. The poets are well known and there is a wide representation of voices. Individual poets and movements are featured: Pablo Neruda, John Cage, the Tammuzi poets, postwar Japanese poetry, "Language" poets, "Concrete" poets, "Beat" poets, Maggie O'Sullivan, James Joyce, and many others. Unlike many anthologies that highlight only a few poets with a certain perspective, this is an objective anthology of the best of this period. A must-purchase for any collection.
Linda A. Vretos, West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 912 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (April 21, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520208641
• ISBN-13: 978-0520208643
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #84,079 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Filled to the brim with poetry, April 25, 2004

By	Megan A. Burns "meganaburns" (new orleans, louisiana United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Both of these volumes are tremendous works illustrating a wide range of poetry from a wide range of voices. I love how the sections are delineated, and there is a wealth of information about poets, poems, schools of thought and poetics along with the actual poems. I learned a lot about poetry just by reading these two volumes. This is truly an example of wonderful, dedicated editing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Contemporary Anthology, January 7, 2007

By	Allan Revich (Toronto, CANADA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Rothenberg and Joris have assembled an absolutely stunning collection of modernist and postmodern poets in this fat volume. Not only has he included some well-known but seldom anthologized writers like Samuel Beckett and James Joyce, but he has included Fluxus artist/writers like Dick Higgins, Jackson Mac Low, Emmett Williams and many other important, but lesser-known poets. Nearly every poet that one would expect to find in a good anthology is to be found - and many people and writers that one might not expect to find in a poetry anthology are also found here. And once found, the choices seem obvious and not forced or contrived.

With so many great poems and poets to choose from, most readers will find at least one omission, (where's Leonard Cohen? Charles Bukowski? Sylvia Plath?) but with such a huge scope these are mostly forgivable. After all it is easy to find volumes of work by Bukowski and Cohen, but a volume like this anthology presents the opportunity to expose us to equally interesting and lesser known writers.

Most of the poems are followed by a brief quote from the poet and a short vignette about the poet written be Rothenberg or Joris. Anybody who is serious about the enjoyment of reading and writing new poetry will enjoy this book and will want to add it to their library.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, July 29, 2006

By	Adam M - See all my reviews

This book has become my bible. The selections is incredible, there are poems, manifestos, and commentary. The Olson, Duncan, Creeley, John Cage, and Nathanial Mackey selections are very impressive. After obtaining this book I realized how important it is that I have taken a class taught by Professor Joris. JerryRothenberg is, of course, also an amazing poet and this work shows this dedication to the field.

Great for beginners, students, and veterans alike.