Life Studies & For the Union Dead
by Robert Lowell
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 186)
Read in August, 2003
A deeply difficult work to penetrate. This is not for the reader who is looking for some relaxed reading, which isn't to say this is better than some relaxed reading. Lowell is an acquired taste and can be frustrating many times. But this is one of the most thoughtful and heartbreaking works when you've taken it in its entirety and worked through the themes he develops. Part of its intensity comes from what a finely constructed work it is. This man takes on his demons.
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compared to someone like robert creeley, lowell talks too much and goes on and on and seems much too self-pitying; how much self revelation can one take? but then you realize that you are as self dramatizing in your best and worst moments, and wish you could express it as movingly.
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This landmark collection of work is filled with amazing use of rhyme and voice, as well as poems that feel monumentally influential to modern poetry. Besides showing an expertise in seamless end rhymes, Lowell began his shift to free verse and slant rhyme in these poems, and his use of both can still be seen as innovative today.
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Read in January, 2003
I was introduced to modern poetry largely though the works of R. Lowell when I took a modern poetry course at UCR as I studied English literature. His work is profound and highly symbolic. I enjoyed this course perhaps more than any other I took despite the fact that I was going through some personal problems at the time.
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It's hard for me to really get into a lot of Lowell's writing, this fault's my own and I'll keeping trying- that said "Skunk Hour" is amazing and one of my favorite poems, also aided by the recording of him reading it which is simply delightful.
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Read in December, 2000
This has been my favorite collection of poetry for the last seven years, read together it is brilliant even though the individual poems do not all stand alone. Actually, i think that quality it precisely what I like about it.
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To me, "Life Studies" is Lowell's best book, along with "Day by Day," but the title poem of "For the Union Dead" is again, to me, his best poem.
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From Robert Bly's review of For the Union Dead: "Something evil is happening to Lowell. He's being praised for what's not in his poems."
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this is my favorite book of poetry,
"these victorious figures of bravado ossified young."
"these victorious figures of bravado ossified young."
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Read in January, 1995
Poems. Book Club. Hal's recommendation.
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Sorry, but this book bores me to tears.
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