Poetry

The Grumpy Old Man of Literature!

Advantages: A true insight into the past and the devlopment of industrial Britain
Disadvantages: Very cynical view of the world

...poems is dark, dark to the core in fact! However, this does not mean that there is not a good read to be had. In fact, I think that if you like TV shows like Grumpy Old Men or Women, then you would love this collection. I am not saying that I agree with Larkin's views, however, I am aknowledging his wonderful ability to be so unbelievably cynical about the world he found himself in. He is the only man capable of linking an abulance, in the most negative ...
...good old fashioned moan about the world, something we all enjoy, and therefore is a fantastic read! Although this is a brilliant collection of poems, if you are not into analysis of words, connotations and meanings then this anthology might not be for you. There is much debate as to what Larkin was trying to achieve through this anthology and therefore there are multiple meanings throughout. If you like to delve deep into the structure and word choice ...

ewaller 06.05.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of The Whitsun Weddings - Philip Larkin

The World's Wife

Advantages: Easy to read, Funny in places, original (as far as i know!)
Disadvantages: Very anti-men and does not include notes about who these women actually are

...overly enthusiastic; having suffered through the terribly depressing poems of hers that we studied at GCSE. However, I was pleasently surprised as many of them are funny and seem a lot easier to 'analyse'. Ok now here's the review of the book itself: The World's Wife is a clever take on popular characters from mythology, fairytales and real people (all male, of course!) Duffy takes the tales and subverts them so we see these famous stories from ...
...have not had the chance to tell their stories before, including Mrs Midas, Queen Herod and Delilah to name but a few. The poems themselves range from downright funny ('Mrs Faust' and 'Elvis's Twin Sister' to shocking (such as 'The Devil's Wife', which gives a sympathetic view of Myra Hindley) to poignantly sad (See 'Mrs Quasimodo'). In short it covers a wide range of emotions to suit whatever mood one is in. My favourite poems were 'Mrs Aesop' ...

SilentLamb 01.02.2008 · Read full review
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Review of The World's Wife - Carol Ann Duffy

dark beauty

Advantages: lots
Disadvantages: none

this is a strange and highly original collection. it appears at first to be rather innocent but quickly progresses under the guise of his hauntingly playful verse into a disturbing but tender recount of youth. a young man passes thru differetn phases of his life becoming differetn things and watching his friends depart for war and never returning and thus he becomes accutely aware of how precious life is. it is a truly wonderful collection and i ...

lewiscrofts 13.07.2000 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of A Shropshire Lad - A.E. Housman

HERE KITTY KITTY!

Advantages: The book that the musical 'Cats' was based upon.
Disadvantages: None.

...with illustrations by Nicolas Bentley. Old Possums 'Book Of Practical Cats' is one of my favourite books of T.S.Eliot and it is this book and its cat characters that the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical 'Cats' was based upon. Cats have characters all of their own and they are each unique and individual. My two cats are brother and sister and they are entirely different in character. I have a blue cat which is the male and he is massive, a huge Tomcat, ...
...ever meet. Whereas his sister, who is a tortoiseshell, is dainty and like a princess and she demands special treatment at every turn, much to the dismay of my BlueBoy. They are both entirely different characters, but from the same litter; Much like children, cats need names to suit the type of personality and look that they possess. To call the amazing, beautiful, mysterious, magical, secretive and naughty housecat 'Kitty', is demeaning the many ...

Morning_Becomes_Electra 18.05.2008 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T.S. Eliot

As much applicable to children as the politically minded adult

Advantages: Really good read, accessible, easy going
Disadvantages: Mixed messages, a bit 'visionary' at times!

If you enjoy very linguistically difficult poetry then I am not sure that this is the collection for you. However, if you like deep poetry which is accessible to you and your children then this book is great. Many of the students at my school study it at A level and love it but this does not mean that this book is only for the academic, quite the opposite is true! Blake was writting for children which means his work is just as applicable to children ...
...I studied this collection myself when I was at school and I still read it now. "My heart is at rest within my breast and everything else is still". I think it is a masterpiece of langauge, something which I have carried with me over the years as great poetry. My only wish is that I had one of the plates he made with his poetry on them! ...

ewaller 06.05.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Songs Of Innocence and Experience - William Blake