An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.

More for your money, 07 Nov 2007
I was reading another version and I bought it for exactly the same price. This text had notes and analyitical detail which was astonishing. It completely blew my mind and yes you could call it the best thing since sliced bread (only if you're inclined to, of course!!) It's a modern day miracle. So in conclusion, those who are ready to plunge into this dream-pool, do it now because the fate of the earth depends on it... watch the sales soar due to this magnificient review. Thank you for your time, may the FORKS be with you, Peace to all mankind.

P.S BIG UP THE BIG J.C!!!

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.

More for your money, 07 Nov 2007
I was reading another version and I bought it for exactly the same price. This text had notes and analyitical detail which was astonishing. It completely blew my mind and yes you could call it the best thing since sliced bread (only if you're inclined to, of course!!) It's a modern day miracle. So in conclusion, those who are ready to plunge into this dream-pool, do it now because the fate of the earth depends on it... watch the sales soar due to this magnificient review. Thank you for your time, may the FORKS be with you, Peace to all mankind.

P.S BIG UP THE BIG J.C!!!

Buy this fabulous book, 18 Feb 2006
The first edition of John Lennard's The Poetry Handbook (it was red) changed my whole approach to reading and writing, so that I wonder now whether I actually was reading at all before Lennard taught me how. Anybody who reads or writes would benefit from attending to The Poetry Handbook, especially if you don't much like poetry.
If you are a student of English, either at A level or at university, and you are not using The Poetry Handbook then you are not at the races. The candidates who have are athletes on stanozolol. Have a look round the exam room: Lennard's readers are the ones who have been coached in Practical Criticism and can perform; if you don't know this stuff then you are just … busking.
And if you love Poetry, Lennard will widen hugely the range of poems you can get into your bloodstream.
The book is poem in its own right. Elizabeth Bishop’s Sestina is tetrametric when most are pentametric and thus have more room for manoeuvre between the repeated endwords. Lennard calls this “a wider slalom”: once read, never forgotten.

This new edition (it’s blue) is porkier than its predecessor, which is great for the ordinary enthusiastic reader like me: it's got even more delicious ingredients, more poems, more ingenious readings that are none the less NAILED to the texts. So for the ordinary reader Blue Lennard is porkier in a good way. Buy Blue Lennard because you enjoyed Red Lennard.
For the teacher Blue Lennard is very obviously an improvement on what was already a good textbook: there are exercises at the end of each chapter and many more examples. For a teacher running a class it's a technically a much better sausage for being porkier.
But if you are a student and nobody seems to want to teach you actually to do practical criticism, then get hold of a Red Lennard second hand, read it, google the referenced poems and in a week you will be so much better at Practical Criticism that you'll never have to download a lousy essay again. Then buy tis second edition and read it for fun.
I suppose I think that for the student on their own, Blue Lennard may be porkier in a bad way, because it is double the size, even cleverer, and even more confidently witty than Red Lennard, so maybe not so useful in an emergency. Red Lennard was a speed boat disguised as a life raft; blue Lennard is an aircraft carrier which will improve the teaching of practical criticism wherever it is deployed, and I suspect will simply redefine what can be expected of the students if they are properly taught. Blue Lennard will be hegemonic and will be a goldmine for the OUP and John Lennard.
Inside Blue Lennard, the spine of a thin man wildly signalling inside fat man, the speedboat inside the life raft that has been eaten by the aircraft carrier, is the original core of Red Lennard, an analysis of Derek Walcott’s Nearing Forty, tied to each chapter of the text. This is a detective story that let’s you follow the younger Lennard make a series of fascinating discoveries with his humane but forensic approaches: Cracker. In making Blue Lennard hegemonic, this fascinating detective work (every word of which remains in Blue Lennard but no longer as a spine) gets lost. Red Lennard said to the engaged reader: “read this forensic manual and you will be able to have adventures like I had with Nearing Forty”. Blue Lennard will have lots more (maybe ten times more, but the sky’s the limit: every student of English in the world should have The Poetry Handbook) but less-engaged readers who will become much better at reading and writing and much better at Practical Criticism. The Benthamite calculus is that Blue Lennard will do more good to a hugely greater number than did Red Lennard, but the average amount of good done per reader will be less. “You must read this book because it sets and exposits the standard of practical criticism that will be expected in this department of English”.
Red Lennard changed my life. It was a completely creative book that just looked like a manual. Blue Lennard will sell in far greater numbers because it is a much better textbook even than Red Lennard was, and it will by in that way have far more leverage and make many more students more articulate and alive through their reading. I just hope their teachers draw to their attention Lennard’s account of his inspiring adventures with Nearing Forty.

Excellent guide to understanding and enjoying poetry, 27 Oct 2001
I purchased this masterpiece this summer and found it to be extremely useful in my final year of highschool. I would recommend it to anyone who isn't yet familiar with all the terminology involved in poetry, and what effects the different stylistic devices have in a poem. The book is very well structured and provides a useful glossary at the end of each chapter. I have found it an invaluable companion to studying and enjoying the art of poetry. Purchase this handbook if you have a genuine interest in poetry like myself, or simply need some assistance which you can't get off anyone when dealing with the sometimes troublesome elements of practical criticism.

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.

More for your money, 07 Nov 2007
I was reading another version and I bought it for exactly the same price. This text had notes and analyitical detail which was astonishing. It completely blew my mind and yes you could call it the best thing since sliced bread (only if you're inclined to, of course!!) It's a modern day miracle. So in conclusion, those who are ready to plunge into this dream-pool, do it now because the fate of the earth depends on it... watch the sales soar due to this magnificient review. Thank you for your time, may the FORKS be with you, Peace to all mankind.

P.S BIG UP THE BIG J.C!!!

Buy this fabulous book, 18 Feb 2006
The first edition of John Lennard's The Poetry Handbook (it was red) changed my whole approach to reading and writing, so that I wonder now whether I actually was reading at all before Lennard taught me how. Anybody who reads or writes would benefit from attending to The Poetry Handbook, especially if you don't much like poetry.
If you are a student of English, either at A level or at university, and you are not using The Poetry Handbook then you are not at the races. The candidates who have are athletes on stanozolol. Have a look round the exam room: Lennard's readers are the ones who have been coached in Practical Criticism and can perform; if you don't know this stuff then you are just … busking.
And if you love Poetry, Lennard will widen hugely the range of poems you can get into your bloodstream.
The book is poem in its own right. Elizabeth Bishop’s Sestina is tetrametric when most are pentametric and thus have more room for manoeuvre between the repeated endwords. Lennard calls this “a wider slalom”: once read, never forgotten.

This new edition (it’s blue) is porkier than its predecessor, which is great for the ordinary enthusiastic reader like me: it's got even more delicious ingredients, more poems, more ingenious readings that are none the less NAILED to the texts. So for the ordinary reader Blue Lennard is porkier in a good way. Buy Blue Lennard because you enjoyed Red Lennard.
For the teacher Blue Lennard is very obviously an improvement on what was already a good textbook: there are exercises at the end of each chapter and many more examples. For a teacher running a class it's a technically a much better sausage for being porkier.
But if you are a student and nobody seems to want to teach you actually to do practical criticism, then get hold of a Red Lennard second hand, read it, google the referenced poems and in a week you will be so much better at Practical Criticism that you'll never have to download a lousy essay again. Then buy tis second edition and read it for fun.
I suppose I think that for the student on their own, Blue Lennard may be porkier in a bad way, because it is double the size, even cleverer, and even more confidently witty than Red Lennard, so maybe not so useful in an emergency. Red Lennard was a speed boat disguised as a life raft; blue Lennard is an aircraft carrier which will improve the teaching of practical criticism wherever it is deployed, and I suspect will simply redefine what can be expected of the students if they are properly taught. Blue Lennard will be hegemonic and will be a goldmine for the OUP and John Lennard.
Inside Blue Lennard, the spine of a thin man wildly signalling inside fat man, the speedboat inside the life raft that has been eaten by the aircraft carrier, is the original core of Red Lennard, an analysis of Derek Walcott’s Nearing Forty, tied to each chapter of the text. This is a detective story that let’s you follow the younger Lennard make a series of fascinating discoveries with his humane but forensic approaches: Cracker. In making Blue Lennard hegemonic, this fascinating detective work (every word of which remains in Blue Lennard but no longer as a spine) gets lost. Red Lennard said to the engaged reader: “read this forensic manual and you will be able to have adventures like I had with Nearing Forty”. Blue Lennard will have lots more (maybe ten times more, but the sky’s the limit: every student of English in the world should have The Poetry Handbook) but less-engaged readers who will become much better at reading and writing and much better at Practical Criticism. The Benthamite calculus is that Blue Lennard will do more good to a hugely greater number than did Red Lennard, but the average amount of good done per reader will be less. “You must read this book because it sets and exposits the standard of practical criticism that will be expected in this department of English”.
Red Lennard changed my life. It was a completely creative book that just looked like a manual. Blue Lennard will sell in far greater numbers because it is a much better textbook even than Red Lennard was, and it will by in that way have far more leverage and make many more students more articulate and alive through their reading. I just hope their teachers draw to their attention Lennard’s account of his inspiring adventures with Nearing Forty.

Excellent guide to understanding and enjoying poetry, 27 Oct 2001
I purchased this masterpiece this summer and found it to be extremely useful in my final year of highschool. I would recommend it to anyone who isn't yet familiar with all the terminology involved in poetry, and what effects the different stylistic devices have in a poem. The book is very well structured and provides a useful glossary at the end of each chapter. I have found it an invaluable companion to studying and enjoying the art of poetry. Purchase this handbook if you have a genuine interest in poetry like myself, or simply need some assistance which you can't get off anyone when dealing with the sometimes troublesome elements of practical criticism.

Practical and inspiring, 25 Jan 2004
Writing poems - it's a great title. Deceptively plain, it carries many possible meanings, most of which Sansom slings out before he starts.

From the back cover on, he makes it clear that he won't be telling us what kind of poems to write or how to write them. Instead he's offering something much more valuable - why to write poems and how to write them better.

Quite a chunk of the book examines the techniques of some well-chosen poets, making it almost as much about reading poems as writing them. This makes a lot of sense, given Sansom's strong belief that close reading must come before writing. Using the work of poets from John Keats to Carol Ann Duffy, he shows us in detail why they write poems so well.

He then takes us very readably through the formal forms, with endearingly opinionated opinions on them all, along with some good solid definitions of the spondees, dactyls and pentameters that can be so unnerving. He offers sound advice on choosing titles and explains just why we need to be careful of dangerous poetry words like shard.

There's a few writing exercises and games as well, though Sansom disconcertingly seems to think that we're going to be leading students through these, rather than using them ourselves. Evidently this is a book about teaching other people to write poems too.

Sansom repeats more than once that the poet should show rather than tell, persuade rather than insist. But since he's writing prose here, I guess it's okay that he playfully goes on to do quite a bit of insisting anyway.

For a start, he's pretty insistent on the value of the small magazines and marginal publishing that have done so much for today's poets, poetry and poetry readers. Well, true enough, and the question of where your poems might go once you've written them is certainly treated here in a more thought-provoking way than in the usual tedious cut and paste jobs straight from last year's Writers and Artists Yearbook.

Sansom is just as insistent on the importance of writing authentically - surely the most basic requirement for a poet and yet often so elusive. I found him particularly helpful on this point, though a bit surprised by his choice of poem to illustrate it.

The tone of Sansom's list of whose poems to read, and why, goes a little beyond the persuasive too. Fine by me - it's a very personal list and that makes it all the easier to trust.

There's no real shortage of people writing about writing. Unlike a lot of them, Peter Sansom is an accomplished poet with a track record of helping many others get there too. Hardly surprising then that his contribution is so practical and inspiring.

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.

More for your money, 07 Nov 2007
I was reading another version and I bought it for exactly the same price. This text had notes and analyitical detail which was astonishing. It completely blew my mind and yes you could call it the best thing since sliced bread (only if you're inclined to, of course!!) It's a modern day miracle. So in conclusion, those who are ready to plunge into this dream-pool, do it now because the fate of the earth depends on it... watch the sales soar due to this magnificient review. Thank you for your time, may the FORKS be with you, Peace to all mankind.

P.S BIG UP THE BIG J.C!!!

Buy this fabulous book, 18 Feb 2006
The first edition of John Lennard's The Poetry Handbook (it was red) changed my whole approach to reading and writing, so that I wonder now whether I actually was reading at all before Lennard taught me how. Anybody who reads or writes would benefit from attending to The Poetry Handbook, especially if you don't much like poetry.
If you are a student of English, either at A level or at university, and you are not using The Poetry Handbook then you are not at the races. The candidates who have are athletes on stanozolol. Have a look round the exam room: Lennard's readers are the ones who have been coached in Practical Criticism and can perform; if you don't know this stuff then you are just … busking.
And if you love Poetry, Lennard will widen hugely the range of poems you can get into your bloodstream.
The book is poem in its own right. Elizabeth Bishop’s Sestina is tetrametric when most are pentametric and thus have more room for manoeuvre between the repeated endwords. Lennard calls this “a wider slalom”: once read, never forgotten.

This new edition (it’s blue) is porkier than its predecessor, which is great for the ordinary enthusiastic reader like me: it's got even more delicious ingredients, more poems, more ingenious readings that are none the less NAILED to the texts. So for the ordinary reader Blue Lennard is porkier in a good way. Buy Blue Lennard because you enjoyed Red Lennard.
For the teacher Blue Lennard is very obviously an improvement on what was already a good textbook: there are exercises at the end of each chapter and many more examples. For a teacher running a class it's a technically a much better sausage for being porkier.
But if you are a student and nobody seems to want to teach you actually to do practical criticism, then get hold of a Red Lennard second hand, read it, google the referenced poems and in a week you will be so much better at Practical Criticism that you'll never have to download a lousy essay again. Then buy tis second edition and read it for fun.
I suppose I think that for the student on their own, Blue Lennard may be porkier in a bad way, because it is double the size, even cleverer, and even more confidently witty than Red Lennard, so maybe not so useful in an emergency. Red Lennard was a speed boat disguised as a life raft; blue Lennard is an aircraft carrier which will improve the teaching of practical criticism wherever it is deployed, and I suspect will simply redefine what can be expected of the students if they are properly taught. Blue Lennard will be hegemonic and will be a goldmine for the OUP and John Lennard.
Inside Blue Lennard, the spine of a thin man wildly signalling inside fat man, the speedboat inside the life raft that has been eaten by the aircraft carrier, is the original core of Red Lennard, an analysis of Derek Walcott’s Nearing Forty, tied to each chapter of the text. This is a detective story that let’s you follow the younger Lennard make a series of fascinating discoveries with his humane but forensic approaches: Cracker. In making Blue Lennard hegemonic, this fascinating detective work (every word of which remains in Blue Lennard but no longer as a spine) gets lost. Red Lennard said to the engaged reader: “read this forensic manual and you will be able to have adventures like I had with Nearing Forty”. Blue Lennard will have lots more (maybe ten times more, but the sky’s the limit: every student of English in the world should have The Poetry Handbook) but less-engaged readers who will become much better at reading and writing and much better at Practical Criticism. The Benthamite calculus is that Blue Lennard will do more good to a hugely greater number than did Red Lennard, but the average amount of good done per reader will be less. “You must read this book because it sets and exposits the standard of practical criticism that will be expected in this department of English”.
Red Lennard changed my life. It was a completely creative book that just looked like a manual. Blue Lennard will sell in far greater numbers because it is a much better textbook even than Red Lennard was, and it will by in that way have far more leverage and make many more students more articulate and alive through their reading. I just hope their teachers draw to their attention Lennard’s account of his inspiring adventures with Nearing Forty.

Excellent guide to understanding and enjoying poetry, 27 Oct 2001
I purchased this masterpiece this summer and found it to be extremely useful in my final year of highschool. I would recommend it to anyone who isn't yet familiar with all the terminology involved in poetry, and what effects the different stylistic devices have in a poem. The book is very well structured and provides a useful glossary at the end of each chapter. I have found it an invaluable companion to studying and enjoying the art of poetry. Purchase this handbook if you have a genuine interest in poetry like myself, or simply need some assistance which you can't get off anyone when dealing with the sometimes troublesome elements of practical criticism.

Practical and inspiring, 25 Jan 2004
Writing poems - it's a great title. Deceptively plain, it carries many possible meanings, most of which Sansom slings out before he starts.

From the back cover on, he makes it clear that he won't be telling us what kind of poems to write or how to write them. Instead he's offering something much more valuable - why to write poems and how to write them better.

Quite a chunk of the book examines the techniques of some well-chosen poets, making it almost as much about reading poems as writing them. This makes a lot of sense, given Sansom's strong belief that close reading must come before writing. Using the work of poets from John Keats to Carol Ann Duffy, he shows us in detail why they write poems so well.

He then takes us very readably through the formal forms, with endearingly opinionated opinions on them all, along with some good solid definitions of the spondees, dactyls and pentameters that can be so unnerving. He offers sound advice on choosing titles and explains just why we need to be careful of dangerous poetry words like shard.

There's a few writing exercises and games as well, though Sansom disconcertingly seems to think that we're going to be leading students through these, rather than using them ourselves. Evidently this is a book about teaching other people to write poems too.

Sansom repeats more than once that the poet should show rather than tell, persuade rather than insist. But since he's writing prose here, I guess it's okay that he playfully goes on to do quite a bit of insisting anyway.

For a start, he's pretty insistent on the value of the small magazines and marginal publishing that have done so much for today's poets, poetry and poetry readers. Well, true enough, and the question of where your poems might go once you've written them is certainly treated here in a more thought-provoking way than in the usual tedious cut and paste jobs straight from last year's Writers and Artists Yearbook.

Sansom is just as insistent on the importance of writing authentically - surely the most basic requirement for a poet and yet often so elusive. I found him particularly helpful on this point, though a bit surprised by his choice of poem to illustrate it.

The tone of Sansom's list of whose poems to read, and why, goes a little beyond the persuasive too. Fine by me - it's a very personal list and that makes it all the easier to trust.

There's no real shortage of people writing about writing. Unlike a lot of them, Peter Sansom is an accomplished poet with a track record of helping many others get there too. Hardly surprising then that his contribution is so practical and inspiring.

Steve Kowit is a god!, 16 Dec 1998
Okay, well, maybe not a god, but an amazing man from whom I was honored to take a poetry workshop class. This book "sounds" like him, and is truly the best book I have on the craft of poetry. I keep having to buy new copies, as poet friends adopt the ones I lend to them.

This is a wonderful book!, 16 May 1998
This is the best book I've read on poetry writing (and I've read a lot of 'em). It helped and inspired me to write so many poems and I learned so much from the book and the exercises included.

This is an essential for every poet's reference library., 15 Feb 1998
Steve Kowit manages to light up the dark and fearful corners of resistance to writing poetry. His thorough treatment of the nuts and bolts of writing traverse the murky realms for the beginner and reinforce the familiar for in-the-trenches poets. Stuck, discouraged? Get this book off the shelf and begin again with confidence! Carol Bachofner (mim47@aol.com), Victorville, CA

An Excellent Collection, 04 Oct 2008
This book contains a superb collection of excerpts from books and essays of some of the world's greatest scientists. The amount of ideas discussed is truly mind-expanding. A must have for anyone interested in where the great search for knowledge called science is taking us.

Pelucid writings from brilliant minds, 01 Jul 2008
As one who is convinced that Spinoza's monism provides the philosophical basis for all the sciences, reading The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing and seeing Spinoza's view (that God and Nature are one and the same thing, under the dual aspects of thought and matter) confirmed over and over again was enthralling.

While reading it I repeatedly inserted markers into articles that I wished to re-read. In fact, I shall probably read the whole book again and refer to it repeatedly. What particularly fascinated me was the revelation that a quantum of energy appears to us under two aspects: as a wave or as a particle, but never both at the same time. This discovery accords perfectly with Spinoza's dual aspect theory.

My selection of five-star articles is as follows: 'Life Itself', by Francis Crick;`One Self: a Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness' by Nicholas Humphrey; `The Language Instinct', by Steven Pinker; `Avoid Boring People' by James Watson; `Consciousness Explained' by Daniel Dennett; `The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's new solitaire game "Life"' by Martin Gardner; `Computing Machinery and Intelligence' by Alan Turing; `The Goldilocks Enigma' by Paul Davies; `The Elegant Universe' by Bryan Green, and `Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid' by Douglas Hofstadter.

Having been brought up in an evangelical environment, and having had a taste of Roman Catholicism as well, I can only say that there is no contest between the brilliance, lucidity, humility and open-mindedness of the scientists quoted in this anthology and the tendentious, hubristic, convoluted, ill-founded speculations of theologians - few of whom will have the courage to read this book.

The introductions by Richard Dawkins are excellent. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Perfect bedside reading, 27 Jun 2008
This mighty tome makes excellent bedside reading. You are unlikely to have the musclepower to take this commuting or to the beach (need to wait for the paperback edition for that) but propped up in bed with a cup of cocoa/glass of whisky (delete as appropriate) by your side, this is an excellent book for dipping into and as a previous reviewer says, will encourage you to seek out the books the excerpts come from. In this regard may I be so bold as to recommend any of the books by Richard Feynman. Dawkins himself supplies witty and erudite introductions to each essay so all in all there is absolutely nothing to criticise in this book - unless you hate science that is and even then this book might convince you otherwise.

A marvellous anthology of modern science writing., 07 Jun 2008
Richard Dawkins has compiled a fascinating and intellectually stimulating anthology of excellent writing from professional scientists over the past century. There are 79 scientists included(Dawkins modestly excludes himself) with concise but illuminating introductory comments from Dawkins for each of the 83 extracts or short pieces which cover a wide range of topics from genetics and the mind to evolution and quantum physics.
The various selections are grouped into four themes: 'What Scientists Study', Who Scientists Are', 'What Scientists Think' & What Scientists Delight In'.
Anyone who reads this marvellous anthology should gain an insight into how the scientific method can help us understand and explain 'life the universe and everything'.

Why so few women?, 16 Apr 2008
This accessible and informative anthology provides a selection of popular science writings, predominantly from the second half of the 20th century. It is a joy to read. The book provides an insight in modern scientific thinking and methodology and shows some of the astonishing ways in which science strives to dispell ignorance. However, as an anthology, it is also remarkably skewed. Firstly, it is astonishing how few female authors are included; unfortunately, the book fails to explain why. Second, "science" is used with a restrictive interpretation, since the book focuses strongly on the natural sciences, some mathematics, the cognitive sciences and some reflections on science in general. Other fields, especially most of the social sciences and humanities, are absent.

Perfection in book form., 17 Nov 2008
I confess to picking this book up because I saw Stephen Fry's name on the spine. But it was not fan-ship that made me unable to put it down again. I had no particular interest in poetry when I started reading it. Over the years I had written a few scribbled poems here and there, but that's as far as it went. This book has changed all that.

Since reading this book I have bought, read, and loved poetry for the first time in my life. I can actually appreciate what I'm reading now instead of being bored. I have also begun writing with so much more satisfaction than before. There's something empowering about knowing the "rules", rather than just floundering along trying to make things rhyme. Whether you choose to use them or not is up to you, he encourages you to try everything your own way, but whatever you decide, it's now a *choice* rather than just not knowing any better.

The text is written as if he is speaking to you. It's all very light and conversational, but it never feels like he's dumbing it down. You get all the technical jargon explained and used in its proper place, but in such a way that it actually makes *sense*. He will explain the root of a word perhaps (amphibrach - amphi: on both sides, brach: short. A foot with short stresses on both sides of a heavy stress.) which makes things stick in my head all the more. Instead of being bombarded by pompous long words, they're all taken apart and you realise that they are there for more than just confusing us mere mortals. The meaning becomes clearer the more the words are used, and the first time you read something like, "Most people would say that limericks are certainly anapaestic in nature and that amphibrachs belong only in classical quantitive verse," and realise that you understood every bit of it, and not only that, but you have an opinion on the topic... well, it's a very good feeling.

It's also the first how-to writing book that has actually made me laugh out loud. His humour is transfused throughout the book, making it a highly enjoyable read. He never takes himself overly seriously, but at the same time obviously cares deeply for his subject and is writing to share it with others.

I love this book very very much and have recommended it to friends, who have bought it and loved it as much as I do.

I'm living in hope that he might write more books like this!

Narrative form of explanation exceeds all expectations, 27 Aug 2008
As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.

Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.

Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.



Clever, witty, but..., 01 Aug 2008
Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.

If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one, 11 Apr 2008
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.

His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.

Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.

And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.

When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.









Excellent book, 18 Mar 2008
I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have b