First published in 1922, "The Waste Land" is T.S. Eliot's masterpiece, and is not only one of the key works of modernism but also one of ...
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Sep 03, 2009
Steve
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My road trip read while visiting the in-laws. I've read most of these before, but in this case what I'm gaining from my previous Eliot readings are 1) Mary Karr's outstanding introductory essay, and 2) a number of the Eliot essays. To be honest, I don't know if I'll read all of the essays. But back to Karr, she sets up the "Wasteland" wonderfully, explaining the importance of Eliot in his time, while at the same time arguing for his accessibility -- and his continuing relevance. She c
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Jul 25, 2011
Charles
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I've always preferred The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock to The Waste Land, but this little book brings me freshly to a worthy work I'd only seen in textbooks. I still think Lovesong is as gorgeous and stimulating as ever.
This is a small book, but not so easily read. In the critical essays, each sentence spawns a dozen thoughts, of which half one may discard, and half of the remaining arguable. Reading straight through develops a sense in the reader that this is a look into the mind of More...
This is a small book, but not so easily read. In the critical essays, each sentence spawns a dozen thoughts, of which half one may discard, and half of the remaining arguable. Reading straight through develops a sense in the reader that this is a look into the mind of More...
Oct 18, 2010
Sarah
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I'd only ever read bits and pieces of The Waste Land and a random assortment of his other works, so I figured I might as well sit down and properly read them.
I quite enjoyed myself. I know that The Waste Land is supposed to be massively depressing, and I understand that, I do. It's just that while the picture that Eliot paints is bleak, he paints it so vividly, and with such hauntingly beautiful colors.
*Also, just a note on Mary Karr who edited this volume. I really apprecia More...
I quite enjoyed myself. I know that The Waste Land is supposed to be massively depressing, and I understand that, I do. It's just that while the picture that Eliot paints is bleak, he paints it so vividly, and with such hauntingly beautiful colors.
*Also, just a note on Mary Karr who edited this volume. I really apprecia More...
Feb 01, 2010
Kelly Jo
rated it: 
I admit I never had a love for T.S. Eliot. His was some of the first poetry I was (un)fortunate enough to be "taught" in high school. It was Eliot that solidified for many years the idea that poetry was inaccessible except to a select gifted few, of which I was not.
This collection contains his major poems, including The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and The Waste Land, along with a collection of his literary essays. I gave Eliot another chance because I felt surely, afte More...
This collection contains his major poems, including The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and The Waste Land, along with a collection of his literary essays. I gave Eliot another chance because I felt surely, afte More...
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Feb 13, 2009
Matt
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I had always seen this book when I walked into bookshops but had never bothered to pick it up and look at it. I see it now as I wasn't ready for it then. But over Christmas a very, very dear friend of mine bought it for me as a gift. I read it; and now am a devout Eliot follower. I think "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is the best in the collection, though "The Waste Land" does have its wonder "shantih, shantih, shantih" and "Ash-Wednesday" is to me,
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Jan 31, 2008
Gordon
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Why do I sense a link between the speaker/voice of The Waste Land and the character Pink in the movie The Wall? Perhaps it is the feeling that the soul is under seige from the powers that be, that we all are indeed robotic caricatures of ourselves because we are being manipulated to think and act in similar ways. We are indeed taught to be consumers, slaves to name brand products drummed into our brains from cradle to grave. I remember asking our 3rd grade why the history book said Columbus d
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Dec 14, 2008
Debbie
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What the ...? Genius, unintelligible, meaningful, beautiful, crude, challenging, profound, nonsense, brilliant. I loved it and hated it, but in the end, I more loved it. I found the introductory essay very helpful--I took the suggested approach of just "listening" to the poems rather than trying to figure out line by line the meaning. But still, it was frustrating when Eliot broke into Latin or French or various other languages, as then I couldn't fully appreciate either the sound or t
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Feb 22, 2009
Olivia
rated it: 
Okay.
What?
I have no idea what went on here. Even after reading Sparknotes in hopes that it would help me out I just didn't get the meaning and point behind this poem.
Perhaps, once it's explained to me then I will appreciate it. But, until then, I will go on thinking that it is a confusing piece of overrated literature.
Maybe my professor though, will change my current feelings of the poem, once we analyze it in class. Until then though...
I guess modernism just is More...
What?
I have no idea what went on here. Even after reading Sparknotes in hopes that it would help me out I just didn't get the meaning and point behind this poem.
Perhaps, once it's explained to me then I will appreciate it. But, until then, I will go on thinking that it is a confusing piece of overrated literature.
Maybe my professor though, will change my current feelings of the poem, once we analyze it in class. Until then though...
I guess modernism just is More...
Dec 05, 2010
James
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Eliot (my partial namesake. My middle name is Elliot after him, which lead to a lot of "what the FUCK, mom?" when I was old enough to read and get Eliot) isn't necessarily as talented a poet as Pound, but he's also slightly less of an anti-Semite. These are the trades one must make when studying Modernist poetry.
Jan 14, 2009
The poem itself is full of allegories and allusions to people and other literary work. It is an extremely difficult poem as it has many voices and many themes to study; however, this poems once you read it and begin understanding it, you have epiphanies and moments of self reflection...
Mar 09, 2011
Ken
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The reason why I gave this 3 stars is NOT because of the poem itself (I think it is one of the greatest ever written). My main problem is the book itself and its lack of annotations, which to many makes this poem semi-impossible to understand. It would also be a big help for students; for a reader in general who would want to know what Elliot was trying to convey some annotations and minor translations would gave helped. With notes this publication of the poem could have easily been a 5 star rat
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Jan 10, 2011
Christine
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An excellent collection of T.S. Eliot's most influential and celebrated works. This was the first collection by Eliot that I purchased and read, and it will always remain of the best books of poetry that I own.
Sep 21, 2010
Jason
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I need to reread it. I have a hard time with most poetry and this was pretty complex stuff. For me anyway.
Feb 24, 2009
Clare
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I remember ploughing through 'The Wasteland' and 'Love song of Arthur J Prufrock' at school, maybe resenting it a little at the time, but always remembering the poems. Lines from them appear to me at the most inopportune moments, so I thought it was time to read them again. Am loving the re-reading.
Apr 15, 2011
Tim
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The poems are excellent but why do people revere him and hate Harold Bloom? It's the same guy.
Oct 29, 2010
Tierra valdía, me mata ese poema es fantástico, no se me siento en los zapatos del autor.
Jul 18, 2007
Chester
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The Wasteland is the perfect encapsulation of the haunting and incalcuable effect of World War I on literature and life. From the opening lines which mock the jaunty lead to The Canterbury Tales to the final words, a sanskrit invocation to peace and possibly hope, "Shantih, shantih, shantih", Eliot weaves a tapestry of images, words and arresting moments that say so much and give away nothing.
And Prufrock is simply the best poem ever...in our poetic lives, we'd all like to More...
And Prufrock is simply the best poem ever...in our poetic lives, we'd all like to More...
Nov 30, 2010
Misslapin
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While I do enjoy poetry (I love Larkin, Petrarch, Baudelaire, Whitman, Dante, and Rimbaud), I just can't find a way into to Eliot. Perhaps it's because the poetry is SO intertextual (and Eliot is aware of that as he appended notes to the Wasteland) that I find it impossible to immerse myself in the actual poem. Instead, I get overwhelmed by the constant flux of languages and literary references.
His work certainly references and interweaves varies fascinating sources, but ultimately i More...
His work certainly references and interweaves varies fascinating sources, but ultimately i More...
Jul 26, 2011
Scotty
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i really shouldn't like eliot. he's as pretentious as poets get, and not only that, he's responsible for the musical cats. but he's good at what he does. so freaking good. i swear, prufrock was written from my thoughts and the waste land...well, that's just on its own planet. i don't care what cut you come from in life, if you have any artistic sense in your bones, there's something to be found in eliot's writing.
Aug 21, 2008
Cami
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I loved the all the poems under The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Didn't care for the next section: Poems and The Waste Land could have been very interesting if not for being chock-full of obscure references. I would not be opposed to exploring those references and understanding it better at another time in my life, but I simply don't have that kind of time.
I glanced over the literary criticisms also included in this book, but they're a bit too textbook for me right now.
I glanced over the literary criticisms also included in this book, but they're a bit too textbook for me right now.
Nov 11, 2008
Brian
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I’m not sure what to say about this one… yet. This book contained many of Eliot’s poems, not just The Waste Land. I found his earlier work easier on the brain. I read The Waste Land twice and though it left me with distinct images, I’m still not sure what was going on. It’s strange to thoroughly enjoy a poem and yet not really know why. The essays in the book bored me.
May 21, 2007
John
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I haven't read a lot of modern poetry but this was excellent. "The Wasteland" itself is intense and moving, and you can read it through and just start again at the beginning, over and over, and find new things to like about it. The collection also has some other great poems in it (Love Song of J. Alfred. Prufrock, notably) but it's missing "The Hollow Men" which is a bit disappointing.
Mar 11, 2008
Anthony
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I'm speechless. The amount of information packed into this poem, the allusion, the complexity of thought...its honestly like looking down Alice's rabbit hole and allowing your head to swim.
Maybe that makes me a little crazy, but I love stuff like that. I get the distinct feeling I can back to this poem again and again and find something new in it each time.
Maybe that makes me a little crazy, but I love stuff like that. I get the distinct feeling I can back to this poem again and again and find something new in it each time.
Dec 27, 2007
Chris
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Ok, so TS Eliot doesn't have rock star status like Rimbaud, and he got all stodgy and Anglican probably because he couldn't handle all the intense existential angst and despair over society which reflect so nicely in his early works. But as a poet, he's pure magic, and the power of his works were, and still are, like fuel in my own drive for meaning.
Feb 24, 2008
matt
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Brillaint, haunting, forbidding, difficult, evocative, atmospheric, surreal, erudite, spooky.
About as good as poetry gets, in its best places and moments....
this is a wonderful collection, worth getting because of the inclusion of some of the essays which are deeply reasoned and pretty well written in their own right....
About as good as poetry gets, in its best places and moments....
this is a wonderful collection, worth getting because of the inclusion of some of the essays which are deeply reasoned and pretty well written in their own right....
Sep 24, 2008
Kelsey
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I can understand why English professors make us suffer through poetry like this, but I would never willingly read this on my own. It is very tedious to get through all of the references and then spend even more time figuring out what in the world Elliot is trying to say, if anything at all.
Dec 06, 2007
Adam
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This is another poet I'm revisiting from high school. I remember "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock", "Gerontion", and "The Waste Land" - but only vaguely.
But I like old things (simplistic, I know) - and this old, so I'm going to find out what's here. I'll write more after I get into it.
But I like old things (simplistic, I know) - and this old, so I'm going to find out what's here. I'll write more after I get into it.
Dec 03, 2007
Marty
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I was never a fan of poetry until T.S. Eliot. I can read "The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock" a million times and still it entrances me. "They yellow fog that rubs it's back upon the window panes." "In the room the women come and go/ talking of michealangelo."
