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tombennett72's review
5.0
This is the book I wish I’d read as a kid. Because it’s the best way into poetry that I’ve ever come across.
As always, Clive James is insightful and entertaining in this, his last book. And as always, he delights in sharing his enthusiasms.
Loved it. Tried to stick to just one poem a night, to stretch it out for as long as possible. Brilliant.
As always, Clive James is insightful and entertaining in this, his last book. And as always, he delights in sharing his enthusiasms.
Loved it. Tried to stick to just one poem a night, to stretch it out for as long as possible. Brilliant.
c8kodo's review against another edition
Having been a great fan of Clive James’s writing since the 1970s, I was hoping he would unlock the Parnassus mysteries for me. But alack alas ’twas not to be and I felt I was merely an ignorant bumpkin sitting in the shadows of the Oxbridge club while the (t)wits bantered and cajoled - “Ah! Very witty Clive!” - about the arcane world of poetry in language too abstruse for me.
And every mention of the other half of humanity, too few voices represented here, is merely to bear witness to the talent of the first or the beauty of the other. Clive is not complimentary of any of their voices here.
And every mention of the other half of humanity, too few voices represented here, is merely to bear witness to the talent of the first or the beauty of the other. Clive is not complimentary of any of their voices here.
lizziethereader's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up because I liked the idea of a poetry collection that also provides some commentary on the poems. However, the author is unfortunately very opinionated and I do wish it was more of a general comment on the poems, their authors and the context of their creation rather than the author's personal judgment of these things.
When it comes to the poems themselves, I did like a few of them but not as many as I would have hoped, considering it's such a curated collection.
When it comes to the poems themselves, I did like a few of them but not as many as I would have hoped, considering it's such a curated collection.
sapphosinging's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
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