Product Description

The New Oxford Book of English Verse is now firmly established as a classic anthology of English poetry. Chosen by the distinguished scholar and critic, Dame Helen Gardner, the book makes available in one volume the full range and variety of English non-dramatic verse. Dame Helen Gardner reflected the critical consensus of the day in broadening her choices beyond those of Quiller-Couch's lyrical tastes, and the anthology balances poems that deal with public events and historic occasions with poems of private life, and religious, moral or political verse with satire and light verse. All the major poets are fully represented, and there are also superb works by lesser known poets, and many surprises among the favourites.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111336 in Books
• Published on: 1972-10-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 992 pages

About the Author
Dame Helen Gardner was Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford, a distinguished scholar and author of books including The Metaphysical Poets, In Defence of the Imagination, and The Art of T. S. Eliot.

Customer Reviews

Powerful poetry
This is simply a wonderful collection of poetry. Spanning a huge length of time, it leans more towards great powerful poems than towards beautiful pretty poems, though there is much beauty to be found here as well as emotional impact.

The collection is particularly strong in its selection of earlier material, as well as that from the 19th and the 1st half of the 20th century. One weakness however, is in the American writers - Pound is included but not Poe or Whitman.

I don't like the new dust jacket depicting a very genteel lady - it goes against the nature of the collection - but its still a great introduction to some of the best poetry going.

Great For Fans Of The English Language
My mother has this book and I simply had to have my own personal one, because that's what it is - your own piece of Poetry Treasure. For anyone who appreciates the English language, and especially budding poets, it is a treat to delve into the beauty, variety and intelligence of the words contained within. One can learn a lot from the wisdom contained in the poems, and it's great strength is the quality of the writers who's works are included altogether in one heavenly volume. Even if you only buy it for one poem, it is worth it. Look up Edwin Muir's "The Horses". If you can determine what he is meaning (which he explains pretty clearly) you will realise this man was well ahead of his tme, and the poem contains some very emotional scenes and sage warnings about the world we live in. I love it. I can't not cry every time I read it. The book contains the works of some of the best and most revered writers who ever lived. So if you are a budding poet or simply gain great joy from the pictures created in your mind by great writing, then this is the book for you. If anything, it shows you are serious about the English language if you have this sitting on your bookshelf. It is superbly laid out - there are two listings to use. Both in great detail. You can either look up a poem under it's name, or use the second listing which lists the Authors. So if you like a verse, you can look up the Author to find their other writings. It is incredibly packed - there must be hundreds of verses in here. Which might explain why the pages are so thin! So it must be kept dry and thumbed carefully. I don't know why this is - my mother's ancient version has thicker pages I am sure of it. But either way, it is a lovely volume of verse, and I do not believe one could beat it with any other publication, on that front.