American Song: A Book of Poems

by Paul Engle

102 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1934

About the author

Engle was a noted American poet, editor, teacher, literary critic, novelist, and playwright. He is perhaps best remembered as the long-time director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. During his tenure (1941–1965), he was responsible for luring some of the finest writers of the day to Iowa City. Robert Lowell, John Berryman, Kurt Vonnegut and other prominent authors served as faculty under Engle. Additionally, Engle increased enrollment and oversaw numerous students of future fame and influence, including Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Carver and Robert Bly.
Born Paul Hamilton Engle, he attended Coe College, The University of Iowa, Columbia University, and Oxford University (where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar). Engle's first poetry collection "Worn Earth" won the Yale Series of Younger Poets and his second, "American Song" (1934), was given a rave front-page review in the New York Times Book Review.

Reviews

[Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like all of Engle's poetry, "American Song" is a grouping of poetry that simultaneously recognizes the issues plaguing America while maintaining a sense of utmost hope and a gratitude for everything that has been accomplished. In an era where the natural tendency of the generation is discontentment and sadness, Engle's poetry serves as a grounding force to remind one of the beauty of participating in the simple pleasures of the world, such as human connection or nature, even if everything isn't going exactly how it should. The prevalence of this gratitude isn't meant to say that Engle doesn't inspire the reader to take action, though. Even the fact that we have the capacity for progress and improvement, no matter how unlikely it seems in today's dire circumstances, is something to be truly appreciative of.