A Painless Crash Course in the Great Western Poets

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of the modern poems were so awful, I wanted to cry, but the rest were so good, it made up for it.

Any additional comments?

Lithgow expertly introduces 50 prominent poets. They are presented alphabetically and samples of their poetry are narrated by Hollywood stars such as Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster, etc.

I suppose the word “family” is in the title because there is some nonsense poetry included and because of Lithgow’s grandfatherly tone. But if I were trying to introduce my children to poetry, this is not the selection I would choose because of the inclusion of modern poetry with its clunky rythms and obtuse meanings. (If someone has to explain a poem to you before you can like it, you have already missed much of the magic, soul-touching quality of poetry.)

If I had known how much modern poetry was in this audiobook, I probably would not have purchased it. On the other hand, I was glad to have such a painless, crash course on the “greats” of Western poetry. I even learned to appreciate the talents of several poets that I hadn’t liked before. I had hoped for more classic poetry and couldn’t find a list before buying, so I'm including a list here for future buyers:

Matthew Arnold (1822-1888)
W.H. Auden (1907-1973)
John Berryman (1914-1972)
Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979)
William Blake (1757-1827)
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning(1806-1861)
Robert Burns (1759-1796)
Lord Byron (1788-1824)
Lewis Carroll (1831-1898)
Geoffrey Chaucer (1342-1400?)
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
Hart Crane (1899-1932)
E.E. Cummings (1894-1962)
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
John Donne (1572-1631)
T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)
Robert Frost (18874-1963)
William S. Gilbert (1836-1911)
Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997)
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
Gerard Manley Hopkins(1844-1889)
A.E. Houseman (1859-1936)
Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
Randall Jarrell (1914-1965)
Ben Johnson (1572-1657)
John Keats (1795-1821)
Philip Larkin (1922-1985)
Edward Lear (1812-1888)
Henry W. Longfellow (1807-1882)
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)
Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)
Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1915)
Marianne Moore (1887-1972)
Ogden Nash (1902-1971)
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)
Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)
Ezra Pound (1885-1972)
Christina Rosetti (1830-1894)
Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Percy B. Shelley (1792-1822)
Edmund Spencer (1552-1599)
Gertrude Stein (1874-1946)
Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)
Dylan Thomas (1914-1953)
Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)
Willam Wordsworth (1770-1850)
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

200 people found this helpful

Loved it

John Lithgow's narration is pleasant & informative. Every poem speaks for itself. I'd recommend to anyone who ilikes poetry, & wants to know about the poets.

30 people found this helpful

Thank You, JL

There once was a book on my iPad,
When piped into ears made them glad;
Adoring the poems of Keats,
and too the bohemian beats,
I mostly wish John Lithgow were my dad.

83 people found this helpful

Wonderful!

I have listened to this several times and each time I enjoyed it more. There is "just enough" biographical information about each poet as well as suggestions for additional reading. All of the narrators are terrific. If you are new to poetry or a poetry lover, you'll enjoy this one. Highly recommended.

19 people found this helpful

A great introduction

Poetry is unknown territory for me, and this was a wonderful listen. John Lithgow is enthusiastic and informative, and the readings are very good. No issues with the selections, and was glad there was no heavy analysis.

22 people found this helpful

Extraordinary for the Classroom, or Kids At Home

If you could sum up The Poets' Corner in three words, what would they be?

Brilliantly cast readers

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Poets' Corner?

My 3-year old son has me playing Billy Connolly's Owl & the Pussy Cat over and over, while my students were riveted by the Cavalier poet as we studied the English Civil Wars in history class.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The casting is superb. Gary Sinise gives, of course, a genius, understated reading. Morgan Freeman's We Real Cool absolutely captures the language and purpose of these deceptively simple words (although, he could read a Take Out menu and sound exquisite). And the ladies - Kathy Bates, Helen Miren, Jody Foster...

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I fell in love with poetry again, having remembered that it is meant to be read aloud, not studied and deconstructed in a classroom. It has changed the way I teach.

Any additional comments?

An ideal Christmas gift for all the teachers in your life.

10 people found this helpful

Excellent introduction to poetry

Would you consider the audio edition of The Poets' Corner to be better than the print version?

I have long been a fan of good poetry but knew little or nothing of the art behind the words. This was a fantastic introduction for me to the world of poetry, the history and great names in the area - as well as providing me with a lot of very good poems to think over and work through my mind. Liked it a lot.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it is something I have returned to several times and still working my way through parts of it.

9 people found this helpful

Poetry in a meaningful way

If you could sum up The Poets' Corner in three words, what would they be?

Relevant, Insightful and well delivered

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Poets' Corner?

Listening to Gertrude Stein perform her poem in homage to Picasso at the urging of John Lithgow.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. What I loved about what Mr. Lithgow did was to present background information about the poet, things to listen for in the poem and then an analysis after it was performed. Many of the poems are familiar to me and it was really interesting to hear a different perspective on the poems meanings.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Many of the performances were quite moving.

Any additional comments?

This would be a really good audio book to listen to with family and friends and to allow everyone to share their insights along with what is shared in the narration.

7 people found this helpful

Simply Sublime

What made the experience of listening to The Poets' Corner the most enjoyable?

I have always loved poetry,and this collection was recommended to me.I am on my second
run through and am transported once again by the mellifluous tones of John Lithgow and the terrific renditions of his chosen presenters.The eclectic choice of poems, surprise and delight.

Most often the chosen poem is not the most recognisable by the poet,something a little
off kilter to tease and encourage further exploration.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

John Lithgow is mesmerising,His perfect pitch,his beautiful diction,and his erudite introduction to each poet was entertaining as well as educational.

7 people found this helpful

Excellent!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Poets' Corner to be better than the print version?

If you like poetry you will love this book. John Lithgow may not be the most scholarly poetry critic in the world - but that's what I liked most about this book. His comments about each poet's life as well as their poetry is, if not amazing, at least entertaining. The readers of the poems, which in some cases is John Lithgow, and in other cases other notable actors and readers are all great. If I found other books like this I would buy them.

9 people found this helpful