Basic stuff

[Sarah]

This is a group for poetry readers. The challenge is to read at least 20 poetry books a year and write a review of each. Twenty is not so many – feel free to read 120. But please say a few words about them.

The books can take whatever form you choose: e-books, anthologies, chapbooks, etc., but preferably searchable at Good Reads. You are also welcome to re-read books and review them.

NICE would be if you could post a link to a poem from the book you're reviewing, or just pilfer one and post it for us. This is helpful for those considering buying or borrowing the book.

The group doesn't have any bias. Read avant-garde poetry, blank verse, haiku or concrete poetry or prose poems, read the French and Chinese and Samoans, whatever, just let us know what you think.

You can post your list of books you plan to read in the forum section below called "Members' Lists." Update whenever you want, and edit, too, if you change your mind either about reading a book or reviewing it.

If you have written a book, of course you can also recommend your own book and add it to our bookshelf, but please don't get obnoxious about it. This isn't a self-promotional group.

Add any poetry books you want to read to the icon list of group books. Add your own, too, if you like.

Swapping encouraged!

UPDATE: Again, this is not a self-promotional group. Please don't post events or send invites to all members seeking readership. You are welcome to link to your book and announce a publication in this general category, though, and of course members may review other members' books. If there's any ambiguity in this message, feel free to contact me via private message.

[Karen]

Great idea! Do we post our reviews on the discussion board, or on our own booklists on GoodReads?

[Sarah]

I'd do both. I'll make a new section for members' lists and one for reviews. But best would be the reviews can be found here, and on your own list of reviews, too.
Thanks for joining. I hope it'll be an interesting group.

[Wendy]

Thanks for the invite! This is a great idea.

[Sarah]

Also, with your lists, if you want to add books, I suggest adding them in a "reply" to your own post. That way it'll pop back up to the top of the group and people will now you updated.

[Heather]

Excellent -- I am really looking forward to it!

[TheGirlBytheSeaofCortez]

Wonderful idea. I'm really looking forward to it! There are so many poets I want to read.

[Sara]

You rock, Sarah. 'Figures it'd be you who would come up with such a good idea. I've been busy with grad school apps, sick, and moving so I haven't done anything on this site yet, but I'll be starting in earnest any day now. Thanks for the invite and Bravo for starting such a great group.

[Sarah]

Thanks, Sara. Hope you'll read some of the reviews. I've gotten some good recommendations.

[Esther]

Help! I can't figure out how to add a book to my existing list. I located it in the goodreads booklist, but then what?

Esther

[Sarah]

Hi Esther,
At the bottom of your list on the right, you should see reply / edit / delete / flag. Click on edit and you can add to or subtract from your post. Hope that helps! Ask again if it doesn't.

[Esther]

S. wrote: "Hi Esther,
At the bottom of your list on the right, you should see reply / edit / delete / flag. Click on edit and you can add to or subtract from your post. Hope that helps! Ask again if it doesn't."

No, my question is how to import a book from the site's database. (I did it before, but don't seem to remember how.)

[Sarah]

Ah! When you're typing in the comment box, at the top it says "add book/author." Click on that and then type in the name of the book or author. It should offer you some choices. Once you've found the book you want you can choose to post it in as a link or with a picture of the cover.

Like this -
The Tunnel: Selected Poems of Russell Edson
OR

[Esther]

thanks, I'll try that.

[Antonia]

Oh, I didn't know that either!

[Chris]

Hi. Chris volkay. New here. I'll start thinking about htat list. I've got a poetry book myself,Bukowski's Semen and Other Fine Poems
45 poems
thanks, see you all around
Chris

[Eric]

I love this idea. As someone who has not spent a great deal of time reading poetry (outside of college), I believe this is nice way to begin. I will admit that I might pilfer some of the suggestion I am seeing.

[Ellen]

Are there expectations about current books vs. classics? At the moment I'm reading both H.D. and Bin Ramke - can't seem to finish one book before I start another. But I will finish both in time.

Are there preferences?

[Sarah]

Hello all new members! We are happy to have you.

You are free to read whatever poetry you like, from Chaucer to Mary Jo Bang, from Sappho to Tony Tost to Paul Celan to Valzhyna Mort.

We are especially interested in your opinions about what you read, good or bad or lukewarm.

We ask only that everyone is polite and respects one another.

Thanks

[Sarah]

Update above....

[Caroline]

I wasn't sure where to post this question but I'll start here on Basic stuff. Would it be Ok to post a review of a poetry craft book under the year's reviews or is that just for collections and anthologies. I went back to an old favourite last night 52 Ways of Looking at a Poem and it would be nice to share my review on here.

[Sarah]

Definitely ok. Please feel free to post it in the review section.

[V.]

I thank you or opening the floor to poets as well. My poetry collection takes on the form of an autobiography. Hear Me Roar is my debut work. It documents many of the ways I've bumped my head as many do in their coming-of-age. The book is free this weekend on the US Amazon Kindle site. I would appreciate all poetry lovers taking the time to read it. Visit http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS0OOY4 for your copy June 7-8 then let's chat about poetry, or any literature for that matter!

[Lisa]

Can we post our own poems- in our own little block?

[Jen]

No, sorry, Lisa. That's not the purpose of this group. We are about reading published books of poetry and reviewing them, not about reading single poems written by the members. There are plenty of places on the web for sharing one's own poetry but relatively few that celebrate reading poetry and sharing what we've read. That's why this group was formed. If you are published, you can post in the "link to your book" thread.

[Lisa]

Thanks Jen
I have no intention of trying to be published, write to express myself.
Thanks for response.

[Mark]

Lisa, you might want to check out this group: Poetry

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

It has several people of varying experience who post poetry to share and sometimes to get feedback.

[Lisa]

Thanks Mark

[N]

I'm excited that I came across this group. As an aspiring writer/poet, I'm always on the hunt to discover new poets and I think this group might just be the incentive I need to actually a finish reading a book of poetry (I usually just jump around in anthologies or collections).

Can't wait to compile my list of 20(+) poetry books and to start sharing my thoughts with the group.

[Sarah]

Hi Noe,
Nice to have you join us! In the next few days I'll put up a new section where members can start listing the books they plan to read in 2014.
I find it so easy to read a poetry book, rate it, and put it down. It takes more effort to write a review trying to explain, however briefly, what I liked or disliked about it.
I do hope you'll find some recommendations here.
Best, Sarah

[J.S.]

As previously, I'm still committed to lurking, but I want it to be reasonably active lurking, so I shall look out for the 2014 section :-)

[Sarah]

Lurking allowed. Smile.

[Jen]

We'll be glad to have you back, Megan!

[Caroline]

Welcome back Megan.

[J.S.]

Hi Don, my simple advice would be to pick the work of a poet you like. Chapbooks do vary in price and often they cost the same or not much less than a full collection, because of the physical cost of publishing them and an expectation that their circulation numbers will not be great. If you go over to Amazon you will find that you can sample some Chapbooks and thus see if you like what you read before you buy. Alternatively pick a publisher that you respect, that you feel publishes good poetry, even if you do not always like it, and select one from their offer. At the end of the day, it's horses for courses, and what I love , you may loathe.

By the way, I think a number of us have reviewed chapbooks this year ( I know I have) so may be one of our reviews will give you food for thought.

[J.S.]

Don wrote: "J.S. wrote: "Hi Don, my simple advice would be to pick the work of a poet you like. Chapbooks do vary in price and often they cost the same or not much less than a full collection, because of the p..."

You are too kind.

[Jen]

Sorry I missed this earlier. J.S. provided an excellent response. I'll add the following.

Futurecycle Press's amazon ebook giveaways are often chapbooks and I believe all of the books have the option to take a peak so you have a feel if you'd enjoy the poet's work.

Sarah has mentioned that the publishers of her chaps offer "bundles." 4 Chapbooks for $20, that sort of thing. I enjoyed the sampler I got doing that. So consider going to the website of the press itself to see what they offer. Sarah's publishers were Dancing Girl Press and Hyacinth Girl Press.

[Diane]

Don, just for you, I'll put up a handful of FutureCycle Press chapbooks for this coming Free Kindle Saturday. Bookmark the following link and, on Saturday, go here:

http://goo.gl/83Zt8o

The freebies will be sorted to the top. Thanks, Jen, for thinking of us.

I just got them scheduled for each Saturday, August 9, 16, and 23. TEN of them, so y'all go get 'em and review a couple.

[Sarah]

Woo hoo. Waiting. Thanks, Diane.

[Diane]

You're quite welcome!