The 100 Best Poems of All Time - Part 1

By: Leslie Pockell

Narrated by: Hachette Assorted Authors

This poetry companion puts favourite poetry and poets from around the world at your fingertips, enabling you to revisit the classics, encounter unfamiliar masterworks and rediscover old favourites.©2001 by Warner Books, Inc., All Rights Reserved; (P) 2001 Time Warner AudioBooks

A cherished favorite bought to life.

I've given out more copies of this book than I'd like to admit. Leslie gives a brief synopsis, yet more than that, each poem is given an identity, a voice. And here, they're voiced by big-time celebrities! The mundane and marvelous, the subtle and sublime converge giving an insightful glimpse into our cultures and identities. Leslie, thanks for putting this charming little compendium together, and to the many collaborative voices, a top-notch performance I'll gladly tip my hat to.

worthwhile

some good stuff here, but also several poems chosen more perhaps for historical/national importance than actual poetic quality.

I listen to this book time and again.

Loved it. It is serene and tranquil and energizing I would
recommended to everybody thank you

Lines of rhymes - from ancient times

This volume covers the period from ancient times to the 1850's. The choice of poems is excellent although it's inevitable that most listeners will miss a few of their own favorites that didn't make the cut. To counter this, many listeners who have not read too much poetry in recent years will be pleasantly surprise when a favorite but vaguely-remembered stanza or turn of phrase pops up unexpectedly. I notice that some other reviewers would have preferred a short introduction to each poem - the problem with this is that, while the introduction is useful the first time you listen, it is an annoyance thereafter. I thus far prefer this audiobook's approach of climbing in immediately. The various readers were all excellent, although I would have preferred two or three more British readers, to vary the accents. Audio quality (at level 4) is excellent.

Poor

Not a great selection and some weird choices like a reading of the battle hymn of the republic...

Poor QC - poems are missing lines (E.g. to Virgins to make much of time).

Some readers are not really aware of what they are reading.

If you already like poetry, this will just annoy you. If you don't and are hoping to learn, look elsewhere