The Norton Anthology of Modern & Contemporary Poetry, Vol 1: Modern Poetry

by Jahan Ramazani (Editor), Richard Ellmann (Editor), Robert O'Clair (Editor)

Thirty years later, this innovative, cover-to-cover revision renders with fresh eyes and meticulous care the remarkable range of styles, subjects, and voices in English-language poetry. The newly titled Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry now available in two paperback volumes includes 1,596 poems by 195 poets (half of the poems are new), from Walt Whitman and Thomas Hardy in the late nineteenth century to Anne Carson and Sherman Alexie in the twenty-first. The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry continues to be the most comprehensive collection of twentieth-century poetry in English. It richly represents the major figures, while also giving full voice to ethnic American poetries, experimental traditions, postcolonial poetry, and the long poem, eclipsing all other anthologies in scope, clarity, and balance."

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies, School, College, Reference, Literature, Textbooks

1136 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2003

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great comprehensive book of Modernist poetry. There are many authors with a great selection of both the poetry and many technical essays.

I loved reading the biographies of the poets before diving into the actual poetry.

I had to get this book for one of my English classes in college, and it helped a lot with the understanding of the poetry. It was great because it included all of the footnotes that worked in tandem with the enjoyment of the poems.

I loved reading Langston Hughes the most. I had been introduced to a few of his poems, but this was the first time I had gotten to read so many. I love his style of writing in comparison to a lot of the other poets we read.

I can honestly say that TS Eliot is not my favorite Modernist poet, especially since it seems like each professor has us read at least one of his poems a quarter.

Overall, this is a super cool book to pick up, even if you aren't a huge fan of poetry, but want to be introduced to a lot of different styles.

[Katie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great anthology. I got it for my modern poetry class, and I can't wait to go through it on my own. Next semester I'll be taking the sister class, contemporary poetry, and I'll get volume two.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I like about this anthology is the biography section that introduces each major modern contemporary poet.

[John Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to my friend Mendoza for recommending me this book. Was truly an epiphany. The poems in this collection bleed with raw emotion that speak to not only the human, but to the very spirit of humanity itself.

As well as providing a literal run through of poetry in the last 100 or so years, it is a smorgasbord of poetry that is both engaging and informative. For instance: it breaks down the structures of poetry and the various techniques used to construct the complex rhyms and hyprids utilized by some of the greatest poets of our time (and certainly this generation). A must read for fans of poetry and students of the writng game.

(this is my first review of a book of poetry in a while. Excuse me if I'm a bit rusty.
#poetry #student/apprentice level #libraries#nortonbooks

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is the most comprehensive compilation of modern poetry on the market, spanning the modern era from Whitman and Dickinson in the late nineteenth century to Roethke, Spender, and Douglas of the twenty-first. With each successive edition, more women and people of color have been added to the anthology, which bodes well for a more representative fourth edition.

[Angela Pan · Rating 4 out of 5]

-A good reference book in intro comparative literature class
-focus on modernism
-useful short bio for authors
-useful essays at the end (for literary analysis)

[G.D. Master · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry” is a two volume set: Volume 1, modern poetry; and Volume 2, contemporary poetry. The volumes are demarcated by the end of World War II: modern poetry being pre-war poets and contemporary poetry being post-war poets. The volumes are divided into chapters containing chosen works from a single poet. Chapters appear in chronological order of authorial birth dates. Each chapter begins with an introduction containing a short biography of a poet and ending with a brief summary of the poet’s most prominent poetic techniques. At the end of each volume of the anthology are sections dedicated to essays on poetic technique written by some of the volume’s poets. For academics and recreational readers, these volumes contain poetry that is not too difficult to read, but like any academic works, the poems in this anthology will challenge readers and offer endless material for criticism and literary dialogue. To read the entire anthology takes a great amount of time. They exceed 1,000 pages each. For poets and other writers, returning to these volumes is a productive way of initiating intellectual creativity and discovering various ways of approaching literature and poetry. Some owners of this anthology may habitually return to it for inspiration and to jog their memories about obscure material and creative ideas.

Some of the most well-known authors in volume 1 are: Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, W. B. Yeats, Amy Lowell, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, and Langston Hughes. Some high and critical points of volume 1 are the chapters on T.S. Eliot, Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and H. D. (Hilda Doolittle). Two of the most interesting works on poetic inspiration in the essay section at the end of volume 1 are Ezra Pound’s early attention getting pieces from a journal titled “Blast,” and Marianne Moore’s essay “Humility, Concentration, and Gusto.”

It is not uncommon to find “The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry” in college poetry courses or on the shelves of instructors and published or aspiring poets. To say that this anthology is a must have for writers may be a stretch, but it has definitely become a fixture in modern academics and having it on your shelf or at arm’s length can be a greater help than sorting through all the works of all the authors that it contains. Like other anthologies, its comprehensive function is limited, but its general information and ease of reference is habit forming and more constructive than searching for material in such a vast art form as poetry.

[rinabeana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less than two weeks after I'd checked out this book from the library, someone recalled it. I plowed through it (in about a week) before I returned it. There were so many fantastic poets included, each with a biographical sketch. It was great to get some context about poets I didn't know much about. I really enjoyed the collection. I'm going to take more time with the Contemporary Poetry volume, though!

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norton is a well-respected name in literature and poetry anthologies. The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry is a comprehensive two volume set that includes some of the best poets and poetry in the 19th and 20th centuries. This review focuses on volume one, Modern Poetry.

Read more: http://writinghood.com/writing/explor...

[Whitney Archibald]

This is going to be a really long-term read. I just read a poem or two a day. I had to skip to Emily Dickinson (whom I love) halfway through Whitman. I really like some of his stuff, but reading his poetry sometimes feels laborious to me. Probably because I'm not smart enough to get it.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most complete anthologies of poetry available. 20th century poetic gems abound in this comprehensive collection of modern poets.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm currently following along with a class you can find here (http://open.yale.edu/courses/english/...) that uses this book. Seems pretty basic so far.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good anthology giving an interesting sweep of modern authors with some personal information on each of them.

[Mitchell francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, descriptions of poets before poems offer great insight that would be lost just reading these poems on their own! Extremely helpful for anyone who is getting into poetry/avid lovers! 5/5