Scan barcode
yrsbrn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
saeverra's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't love? A few poems stood out to me, but not in the same way they did for other readers based on reviews
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
THE SOBBING SCHOOL
Written by Joshua Bennett
Rating: 4 Stars
(Review Not on Blog)
This collection of poetry had me savoring the words and emotions. The writing reminds me of Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. I picked up this collection on a whim, and as it was a short book I figured, what the heck. I love when you discover a little treasure.
Written by Joshua Bennett
Rating: 4 Stars
(Review Not on Blog)
This collection of poetry had me savoring the words and emotions. The writing reminds me of Langston Hughes and James Baldwin. I picked up this collection on a whim, and as it was a short book I figured, what the heck. I love when you discover a little treasure.
l_barasa's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
snowmaiden's review against another edition
4.0
It's rare to see a book of poems (and especially a first collection) published by one of the big five publishers, so when I found out this book was from Penguin, I was expecting big things. It did not disappoint. What impresses me about Bennett's work is that there are many different kinds of poems represented here, but they all seem unified in voice. As one would expect in a book about the "black experience" (as it says on the back cover), there are narrative poems about Bennett's growing-up years. There are also lyric poems on a variety of topics. These are good examples of those forms, but what really impressed me are the types of poems that he seems to have invented for himself. There are a series of poems disguised as academic proposals. (It's obvious that Bennett has spent a lot of time in academia, as he gets the form just right.) There's a series of triptychs where he explores three different meanings of the same word. ("Yoke," "Run," and "Fly," to name just a few.) There's even a poem that consists of a title and a footnote with no body. All of Bennett's explorations of form are clever and fitting with the subject matter, and one never gets the idea that he's playing with form because of a lack of compelling content.
I'm very glad that I read this book (my first ever poetry book won through a Goodreads giveaway), and I look forward to seeing more work from Bennett in the future.
I'm very glad that I read this book (my first ever poetry book won through a Goodreads giveaway), and I look forward to seeing more work from Bennett in the future.
mconant's review against another edition
5.0
What do I even say to begin to encompass the depth of emotion covered in this book?
The raw, honest portrayals of pain and love and the betrayal of those who claim to protect all Americans overwhelm me.
Joshua Bennett is a master with words, evident in his PhD from Princeton. Expect this book to read at a much more academic level than the poetry that you normally see.
The raw, honest portrayals of pain and love and the betrayal of those who claim to protect all Americans overwhelm me.
Joshua Bennett is a master with words, evident in his PhD from Princeton. Expect this book to read at a much more academic level than the poetry that you normally see.
shaniquekee's review against another edition
5.0
& what is love but an excuse for sad, wet math?
This was a fabulous poetry collection with amazing imagery. Joshua Bennett's poetry highlights the black experience in visceral and in get literary ways bringing the richness of history, the drama of the present, and a palette of emotions to the page with his words.
This was a fabulous poetry collection with amazing imagery. Joshua Bennett's poetry highlights the black experience in visceral and in get literary ways bringing the richness of history, the drama of the present, and a palette of emotions to the page with his words.