WARNING: As soon as you finish reading these wonderful essays about Dryden, Milton, Wordsworth, Tenneyson, Hardy, Houseman, Frost, Stevens, Pound, Eliot, and a dozen other poets you’ll want to drop everything and read their poetry. At least, that’s the way I felt. William H. Pritchard possesses the magic all good teachers have of motivating and inspiring their students to grapple with challenging material. Pritchard’s analysis of Elizabeth Bishop moved me to dig out Poems, Prose, and Letters and enjoy her wonderful words again. The same with Robert Lowell, Philip Larkin, Randall Jarrell, and Richard Wilbur. If it’s been a while since you’ve enjoyed some great poetry, Pritchard’s fine collection of essays on poets and poetry will get you in the mood. GRADE: A
While I try to read poetry fairly often, sometimes one or two poems right before sleep, sometimes a chunk of it in the afternoon, I admit I get focused on a few poets to the exclusion of the rest. Reading collections by a single poet does that, and reading the larger collections such as Great Poetry of the English Masters of the 18th Century (I made that title up) leads to limited chronology or reading the same favorites the editor of the volume has picked. Sadly, or perhaps gladly considering the shelf space crisis here, I don’t have books of poetry by all of the poets I’d like to have. A book like this one would certainly get me hunting for more works, though with poetry such a hunt success isn’t always easy.
You would enjoy Pritchard’s ON POETS & POETRY, Rick. I appreciate knowledgeable analysis of poetry that leads to greater understanding. Pritchard deals with major American poets whose work should be readily available to you.
George, did you get the impression that this is intended to be a textbook?
No, Rick. ON POETS & POETRY is a collection of Pritchard’s essays and book reviews. Very readable, very astute. I’ve read all of Pritchard’s books. I especially like his critical biography of Robert Frost.