Love and Longing

by Kate Agnew (editor), Jacqueline Wilson (Introduction)

"This heady collection features love poems and prose excerpts by writers including Sappho, Shakespeare, Milton, the Brontës, and Wordsworth. Works are loosely arranged according to chapter headings drawn from particular poems, for instance "Love Is a Sickness" (after Samuel Daniel's poem), creating an engaging interchange of images and ideas, regardless of poet or era. As the title suggests, not every poem ends with a happily ever after; a Charlotte Mew poem reads, 'I so liked Spring last year/ Because you were here..../ This year's a different thing,--/ I'll not think of you.' . . . A resonant sampling of both standards and lesser-known gems."—Publishers Weekly

"The selection is brilliant, creating cross-currents, complications, and time travelling coincidences to challenge intelligent readers."—Times Educational Supplement

A collection of classic poetry and prose based on the enduring themes of love and romance, with an introduction by prize-winning children's author Jacqueline Wilson. Includes material from the Romantics, Thomas Hardy, John Milton, Jane Austen, and Emily Brontë as well as Ovid, Catullus, and less well-known authors.

Kate Agnew is a previous chair of the Children's Booksellers Association. She has also contributed to the Cambridge Guide to Children's Books and has edited several children's books.

Jacqueline Wilson, OBE, is an internationally best-selling children's author.

Genres: Poetry, Romance

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Kate Agnew is a British children's bookseller and literacy consultant, and is also a published author and an editor of children's and young adult books. She has chaired the Children's Booksellers Association and has served as a judge for the Smarties Prize and the Whitbread Award. She was a contributor to the Cambridge Guide to Children's Books and co-wrote Children at War with Geoff Fox. In 1999, she won a special British Book Award for her contribution to the National Year of Reading.

Reviews

[Lilith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a decent collection, and I liked the way they were put together. Sadly, this book just didn't speak to me. (I see others have had the same issue.) No biggie, it was a decent read. Plus most of the material was great for "quick reads" during commercial breaks. ;-)

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It is poetry. I used this book for an enligh project. It is a really quick read.. It only took me about 10 days.

[Marjanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generally I like poetry, and there are some classic one's here. However this particular collection just wasn't speaking to me when I read it.