An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model , 05 Jun 2008
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.

My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulge in risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.

Honest, explicit and a fearless pen, 07 May 2008
I learnt alot about American history and life in various cities in the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women in America who lives, works and rose against the odds. This book must be deposited in every library around the world that women may read, learn and understand that life and its beauty in is doing different things under different and difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.

"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers and lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty and ... contain all the emptiness in the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, and men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.

I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears and I waited for those fears every day then.

The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise and hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt and realised Freedom of the Press in the United States of America.


A book to keep and re-read, 15 Mar 2008
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it and have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.

Why does the caged bird sing?, 04 Oct 2007
It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectator in the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?

Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it's in examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book and The Color Purple and To Kill A Mocking Bird.


A great gift, 03 Sep 2007
I was given this book as a gift and am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it and that comes through in her character. I've seen her interviewed and her dignity and achievement shine throug and that's truely inspiring.

An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model , 05 Jun 2008
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.

My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulge in risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.

Honest, explicit and a fearless pen, 07 May 2008
I learnt alot about American history and life in various cities in the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women in America who lives, works and rose against the odds. This book must be deposited in every library around the world that women may read, learn and understand that life and its beauty in is doing different things under different and difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.

"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers and lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty and ... contain all the emptiness in the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, and men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.

I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears and I waited for those fears every day then.

The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise and hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt and realised Freedom of the Press in the United States of America.


A book to keep and re-read, 15 Mar 2008
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it and have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.

Why does the caged bird sing?, 04 Oct 2007
It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectator in the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?

Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it's in examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book and The Color Purple and To Kill A Mocking Bird.


A great gift, 03 Sep 2007
I was given this book as a gift and am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it and that comes through in her character. I've seen her interviewed and her dignity and achievement shine throug and that's truely inspiring.

The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.


A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.

Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.

Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!

Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.

Elvis's wimpled sister rocks on in a convent she calls Graceland; Nancy Sinatra gets out her boots made for walking with the Kray Sisters; Mrs Midas misses the touch of her now dangerous golden-handed husband; and Queen Herod decrees the killing of each mother's son to protect her baby daughter in Carol Ann Duffy's startling new collection The World's Wife. Doubling is one of the most common themes--and stylistic ploys--of Western culture and thought, and the concept around which Duffy has ingeniously organised this profoundly playful collection. Mrs Midas, Mrs Aesop, Mrs Darwin, Frau Freud, Anne Hathaway, Mrs Rip Van Winkle, the Kray Sisters; these are some of the wives, and sisters, whose stories are told. These inventive, metaphorically precise poems offer much more, however, than just a recovery of the historical voice of her (supposedly) silenced indoors. Duffy dexterously rewrites Judao-Christian and classical mythologies, subverts fairytale and zestfully reinterprets the more modern myths of Darwin and Freud.

Humour is the abundant keynote of this accessible collection. Mrs Rip Van Winkle enjoys the freedom to travel and paint allowed by her husband's permanent slumbers, "Until the day / I came home with pastel of Niagara / and he was sitting up in bed rattling Viagra." Frau Freud analyses her over-exposure to "ding-a-ling, member and jock, / of todger and nudger and percy and cock," and confesses with irony to being, "as au fait with Hunt-the Salami / as Ms M. Lewinsky." Mrs Aesop groans about her husbands unstoppable garrulousness: "By Christ, he could bore for Purgatory," and Mrs Darwin evolves the following summary her husband's research:

"7 April 1852
Went to the Zoo.
I said to Him--
Something about that Chimpanzee over there
reminds me of you."

The World's Wife throws open the windows on the stuffy annals of historical myth and breezes through some of its highlights with a sense of revelry and laugh-out-loud observation. In this wry take on the historical ubiquity of heterosexual coupledom that permeates so many cultural myths, Duffy has separated vibrant women from the shadows of their more famous husbands and brothers, and divorced them from the distortions of historical silence. --Rachel Holmes

An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model , 05 Jun 2008
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.

My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulge in risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.

Honest, explicit and a fearless pen, 07 May 2008
I learnt alot about American history and life in various cities in the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women in America who lives, works and rose against the odds. This book must be deposited in every library around the world that women may read, learn and understand that life and its beauty in is doing different things under different and difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.

"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers and lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty and ... contain all the emptiness in the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, and men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.

I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears and I waited for those fears every day then.

The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise and hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt and realised Freedom of the Press in the United States of America.


A book to keep and re-read, 15 Mar 2008
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it and have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.

Why does the caged bird sing?, 04 Oct 2007
It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectator in the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?

Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it's in examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book and The Color Purple and To Kill A Mocking Bird.


A great gift, 03 Sep 2007
I was given this book as a gift and am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it and that comes through in her character. I've seen her interviewed and her dignity and achievement shine throug and that's truely inspiring.

The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.


A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.

Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.

Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!

Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.

Now with extra laughs..., 05 Jul 2008
Ms Duffy is loved by readers even more than by the critics. She is wise, and she is clever. She is also very moving and extremely funny. This volume introduces us to Mrs Aesop, Mrs Darwin and even Mrs Faust and Mrs Quasimodo and so on...

These are not poems meant for academic study, these are poems to be read and enjoyed. And they are very enjoyable, with sharp wit throughout.

There are times in her more recent work when Duffy strikes me as the poet that Elizabeth Jennings was too frightened to be, here however CAD lets her hair down and unleashes a delight of barbs and sympathy.

The only disappointment for me is The Kray Sisters, but then, I hate so called cockney rhyming slang. Stuff your 'lady Godivas' up your 'Khyber pass'.

That minor gripe aside, this is another wonderful volume from one of our most popular poets, and even funnier than usual.

Poetry By Numbers, 15 Apr 2008
Carol Ann Duffy is one of the foremost poets in British Poetry in the twenty-first century. And therein lies the first of many problems I have with her.

'Academic' concerns, such as mythology and history are all over this book, yet being an academic is not a prerequisite of being a poet.

Her poetry here (and in everything else she's done) is trite, cliched, and gender-specific, whilst it also tries too hard to be funny. Being able to look up a few reference books to find information about various women throughout history does not a poet maketh.

Besides which, the poetry itself is stilted, obscure, awkward, lazy, and badly written. Carol Ann Duffy treads the same path as just about every single other poet who is published in Britain today; they give the publishers exactly what the PUBLISHERS want, rather than actually writing poetry that more than a few individuals can relate to. But who are these arrogant individuals and what makes them qualified to judge what constitutes 'good' poetry? I suspect that class plays a big part... The poetry business is full of nauseating back-slapping and sycophancy, despite the fact that the number of people actually buying poetry is at an all-time low. Wonder why?

Fantastic, 11 Dec 2007
I truly adore this owmna and the way she wites.
She cuts to the quick with the emtions of some of her characters, especially with resentment, which features in a lot of her poems in this book.
Take a close look at Delilah and Mrs Aesop, both absolutely extarordinary poems.

Brilliantly creative and entertaining, 19 Oct 2007
I loved this collection of poems, written from the perspective of real or imagined wives or other females connected to famous males from history, myth or fairy tale. There's a wonderful variety of tone, from Mrs Herod's raddled old rouée, waking up with John the Baptist's head in her morning-after-the-night-before bed, to Penelope, for whom Odysseus' return is a tedious interruption to the world-making creativity of her weaving. The Kray Sisters, Pope Joan, Mrs Quasimodo - all are beautifully brought to life by Duffy's deft and imaginative strokes. By turns wistful, menacing, contemptuous or just weary of their men, Duffy's women give us a multifaceted glimpse into a world where women's ways of knowing and being displace men from the spotlight to the shadows. Brilliant.

My Favourite, 09 Jul 2007
I absolutely love this collection!!!! It consists mainly of the story behind male mythological figures in which Duffy inverts and presents herself as their wife or lover. Or simply female figures with an interesting tale. The brutal language and matter of fact tone make it perfect for female readers who are sick of men!!! A definite must!!!

An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model , 05 Jun 2008
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.

My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulge in risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.

Honest, explicit and a fearless pen, 07 May 2008
I learnt alot about American history and life in various cities in the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women in America who lives, works and rose against the odds. This book must be deposited in every library around the world that women may read, learn and understand that life and its beauty in is doing different things under different and difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.

"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers and lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty and ... contain all the emptiness in the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, and men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.

I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears and I waited for those fears every day then.

The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise and hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt and realised Freedom of the Press in the United States of America.


A book to keep and re-read, 15 Mar 2008
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it and have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.

Why does the caged bird sing?, 04 Oct 2007
It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectator in the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?

Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it's in examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book and The Color Purple and To Kill A Mocking Bird.


A great gift, 03 Sep 2007
I was given this book as a gift and am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it and that comes through in her character. I've seen her interviewed and her dignity and achievement shine throug and that's truely inspiring.

The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.


A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.

Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.

Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!

Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.

Now with extra laughs..., 05 Jul 2008
Ms Duffy is loved by readers even more than by the critics. She is wise, and she is clever. She is also very moving and extremely funny. This volume introduces us to Mrs Aesop, Mrs Darwin and even Mrs Faust and Mrs Quasimodo and so on...

These are not poems meant for academic study, these are poems to be read and enjoyed. And they are very enjoyable, with sharp wit throughout.

There are times in her more recent work when Duffy strikes me as the poet that Elizabeth Jennings was too frightened to be, here however CAD lets her hair down and unleashes a delight of barbs and sympathy.

The only disappointment for me is The Kray Sisters, but then, I hate so called cockney rhyming slang. Stuff your 'lady Godivas' up your 'Khyber pass'.

That minor gripe aside, this is another wonderful volume from one of our most popular poets, and even funnier than usual.

Poetry By Numbers, 15 Apr 2008
Carol Ann Duffy is one of the foremost poets in British Poetry in the twenty-first century. And therein lies the first of many problems I have with her.

'Academic' concerns, such as mythology and history are all over this book, yet being an academic is not a prerequisite of being a poet.

Her poetry here (and in everything else she's done) is trite, cliched, and gender-specific, whilst it also tries too hard to be funny. Being able to look up a few reference books to find information about various women throughout history does not a poet maketh.

Besides which, the poetry itself is stilted, obscure, awkward, lazy, and badly written. Carol Ann Duffy treads the same path as just about every single other poet who is published in Britain today; they give the publishers exactly what the PUBLISHERS want, rather than actually writing poetry that more than a few individuals can relate to. But who are these arrogant individuals and what makes them qualified to judge what constitutes 'good' poetry? I suspect that class plays a big part... The poetry business is full of nauseating back-slapping and sycophancy, despite the fact that the number of people actually buying poetry is at an all-time low. Wonder why?

Fantastic, 11 Dec 2007
I truly adore this owmna and the way she wites.
She cuts to the quick with the emtions of some of her characters, especially with resentment, which features in a lot of her poems in this book.
Take a close look at Delilah and Mrs Aesop, both absolutely extarordinary poems.

Brilliantly creative and entertaining, 19 Oct 2007
I loved this collection of poems, written from the perspective of real or imagined wives or other females connected to famous males from history, myth or fairy tale. There's a wonderful variety of tone, from Mrs Herod's raddled old rouée, waking up with John the Baptist's head in her morning-after-the-night-before bed, to Penelope, for whom Odysseus' return is a tedious interruption to the world-making creativity of her weaving. The Kray Sisters, Pope Joan, Mrs Quasimodo - all are beautifully brought to life by Duffy's deft and imaginative strokes. By turns wistful, menacing, contemptuous or just weary of their men, Duffy's women give us a multifaceted glimpse into a world where women's ways of knowing and being displace men from the spotlight to the shadows. Brilliant.

My Favourite, 09 Jul 2007
I absolutely love this collection!!!! It consists mainly of the story behind male mythological figures in which Duffy inverts and presents herself as their wife or lover. Or simply female figures with an interesting tale. The brutal language and matter of fact tone make it perfect for female readers who are sick of men!!! A definite must!!!

Simply brilliant, 27 Aug 2006
This really is one of the best accounts of the Great War that I've read. Given all that I've heard about this book, that wasn't so much of a surprise - what was, however, was that well before Graves joined the army about mid-way through the book I was already solidly engrossed.

Robert Graves writes with a real charm and gentle humour, belying an often quite scathing satirical leaning, and his account of his early home life and upbringing is beautiful, a real evocation of a time now lost forever. The fact that he's half-german heartbreakingly foreshadows later events, as he spends childhood holidays playing in fairytale German castles with German uncles and nephews, men he is destined one day to try to kill on the battlefields of France. It's a pertinent reminder of how close Britain and England were in the late 1800's, which makes the war all the more tragic.

The account of his time in France during the conflict, the greater part of the book, is simply brilliant - and considering what he goes through, it's hard to keep in mind that he was only in his early twenties, as I suppose so many of the soldiers were. The other reviews have covered this in more detail, so I'll skip on.

Once the war ends the book does lose drive and focus, but I get a sense that by this point Graves was simply weary of England and life in general - it must have been hard to find much that matched the passion and drama of the battlefield, where a generation faced things we can hardly imagine today. It does all evoke an interesting picture of how a country tries to adjust to life after such a war, however, before it starts becoming simply a list of which famous writers Graves met.

All in all, this is probably one of the best first-hand accounts of World War One that we're lucky enough to have - and if you have any interest at all in the subject, you simply owe it to yourself to read it at least once.

Oh, and I recommend reading it in conjunction with Seigfreid Sassoon's 'Memoirs of an Infantry Officer'. The stories overlap and parallel each other several times, and it's fascinating to read differing accounts of the same crucial events in the lives of these two men. Each book gives a whole new spin on the other - get the best of each by reading them together.

required reading for all, 06 Sep 2004
Goodbye to All That is as important to the canon of Great War literature as Schindler's List is to the Holocaust. Honest, stark and shocking at times, it is all pulled together with wonderful skill by Robert Graves who seemed to have such natural skill as a writer. My abiding memory of the book, which I have read several times, is the sheer sense of duty, so indicitative of the age, displayed by Graves and his fellow soldiers.

A briliant place to start reading about the Great War and one you will return to again and again.

It is worth reading alone for the narrative structure and the demonstration of writing craft which is of a quality not found anywhere today.

Outstanding WWI -period memoirs, 10 Feb 2002
Was Robert Graves' early life so remarkable that simply recording the facts was sufficient to create a classic? Or do his skills as a writer make the careful construction and delivery of this memoir seem effortless? Either way, the status of this work as a singularly powerful historical record is well deserved.

Graves' life, from middle class public school, to an officer in the trenches of WWI, and then an impoverished radical poet in post-war Oxford, seems like another world. Seemingly trivial details now seem bizarre, and life in the trenches under enemy fire (or gas attack) is hell on earth. Graves takes a factual, analytical, almost objective approach, recording public opinion and sentiment, and giving well-argued reasons for what now seems like military madness. This has the effect of hiding his own personal drama from the reader, so his anti-war feelings and eventual nervous collapse come as something of a surprise.

The book is not without its weaknesses. His time after the war seems to consist largely of name-dropping famous poets and encounters with Lawrence of Arabia, but seventy five years on there is limited interest in these figures, and instead we yearn for more characters such as Daisy, the daughter of a down-and-out who the Graveses temporarily adopted and gives us an insight unto life at the other end of the social spectrum, and regret that Graves did not record more of the social consequences of the radical socialism and feminism he and his wife adopted in what was still a conservative and socially claustrophobic society.

Graves toyed with turning his experiences into a novel. Ford Madox Ford did just that with the Parades End series. Some may find this allows a more considered approach of the same period, and where Graves gives us anecdote Ford leaves the reader with a deeper understanding. None of this, however, challenges the status of Goodbye to all That as an outstanding historical document of life in another age.

The War to end all wars . . ., 08 Mar 2001
With the increase of interest in the First World War recently it is to this book that many people should turn for a gripping, factual account of life before, during and after the Great War. Mr Graves documents the pastoral quiet of England in the early part of the twentieth century and abruptly descends to recounting, in cold detail, the dreadful slaughter of the trenches. Through some of the most famous battles in history he survives, physically more or less intact but from the dry words; modest, English, reserved, we glimpse the true weight of the burden that such memories impose on their carriers and understand better the terrible toll that the War levied on all the nations of Europe.

An excellent edition of an outstanding poet, 31 Oct 2008
This review is intended to serve two different audiences: in the first part I'll talk about Owen's poetry, and why, if you've not done so before, you should, must and absolutely have to spend some time getting to grips with his writing; and in the second part I'll deal with the ins and outs of this particular edition of his verse (there being a great many available on the market.)

So, why be so insistent that you read Owen? Well, he was in many ways the most talented poet writing in English in the First World War, and his poems go furthest to communicate the experience of the men who fought in the trenches to readers almost a century away from the battles he saw. His most famous poems, such as "Anthem for Doomed Youth" and "Dulce et decorum est" are lyrical, elegant pieces of poetry that present intensely moving images of what Owen himself described as "the pity of war", and no-one will ever forget the image of the young man who was a second too slow to put his gas mask on. These poems are his most traditional, owing a clear debt to Keats and Shelley, and it seems as though in them he is writing the final verses of the great Victorian century of poetry. Yet there is much more to his writing: some of his poetry shows the early shoots of modernism, for example in the more allusive (and elusive) "Strange Meeting" and "Insensibilty", in which Owen seems to be looking forward, using language and techniques not unlike those of Eliot and Pound. For me, though, the poem which has moved me every time I have read it for over 15 years is "Futility", a tender and beautiful lament for a young man killed just before dawn. It is true that 90 years have passed since Owen died, but his poetry remains for us the defining account of the Great War.

So to the second part of this review. Owen is back on the A-level syllabus, and many readers will want to know if this book will help them in their studies. And the short answer is, yes. John Stallworthy is an excellent editor: honest and open about the choices he has made, and uncricitical in his provision of a great variety of alternative views and interpretations. His notes, which follow every poem, are wonderfully generous (citing whole other poems where necessary), and each poem is given a brief account of the circumstances in which it was produced. His introduction is excellent, describing Owen's life and literary influences (an understanding of which is essential if you are to really get to grips with his work), and giving readings of some of his more famous works. In all, I could not wish for a better edition of his war poetry: early and incomplete works are also provided, and the feeling one gets is of first rate scholarship.

I will be honest that for some time I had an ambivalent relationship with Owen's work, beeing too much distracted by the apparent simplicity of his more famous work, and not appreciating the remarkable creative process, and in particular his engagement with the poetic tradition, that lies behind his work. Using this edition has restored my enjoyment, and I am hugely greatful for it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Owen - One of the Greats, 12 May 2005
Clearly, Owen was a genius. His poetry really speaks of the horrors of war and serves as a reminder to all us youngsters that World War I should not be romanticised or forgotten.

On the day of receiving this, I read all of the poems as well as the biography of Owen himself. All of Owen's best work is here, and I'm particularly fond of 'Futility' and 'Anthem for Doomed Youth'. Owen's poem 'The Wrestlers', which I didn't know about until I bought this, was also an enjoyable read.

I just wonder how many more great poems Owen would have written if his life hadn't been so cruelly cut short by the Great War. Whatever he would have written over the next 50 years, I'm sure it would only have served to cement his place as one of the great war poets. Owen was made immortal by his early death, but, on the evidence of his short life's work, he would have become a legend anyway.

A excellent insight into war, 15 May 2001
I first got this book because I needed it for an essay, but after reading found it to be a fabulous insight into the brutal nature of war. Owen really tells it like it is and while the rest of the world were, at that time, glorifying the wonders of war Owen was actaully depicting the harsh reality. Clearly shown in poems like Dulce et Decorum est and He Died Smiling. For an excellent insight on the real nature of war it is highly recommendable.

Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model , 05 Jun 2008
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.

My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulge in risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.

Honest, explicit and a fearless pen, 07 May 2008
I learnt alot about American history and life in various cities in the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful women in America who lives, works and rose against the odds. This book must be deposited in every library around the world that women may read, learn and understand that life and its beauty in is doing different things under different and difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.

"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers and lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty and ... contain all the emptiness in the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, and men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.

I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears and I waited for those fears every day then.

The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise and hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt and realised Freedom of the Press in the United States of America.


A book to keep and re-read, 15 Mar 2008
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it and have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.

Why does the caged bird sing?, 04 Oct 2007
It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectator in the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?

Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it's in examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book and The Color Purple and To Kill A Mocking Bird.


A great gift, 03 Sep 2007
I was given this book as a gift and am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it and that comes through in her character. I've seen her interviewed and her dignity and achievement shine throug and that's truely inspiring.

The bible of Englishness, 26 Jun 2007
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.


A new landmark in Betjeman studies, 24 Aug 2006
This is the most enjoyable Betjeman book I've ever read - a book that's so good, it ought to be part of the English Literature curriculum. More than that: it ought to be read by everyone applying for British citizenship! In the course of 360 pages, Betjeman plunges you into what he regarded as the major issues of English identity - issues of aesthetics, civic duty, relations with authority, and individuality.

I suppose that all these ideas are contained in Betjeman's poetry, but there one tends to get distracted into noticing rhythm and metre and scansion. And Betjeman's poetic ideas are smaller. Here, although the writing is often lyrical, he addresses topics in a much more direct way. He cares that unvalued townscapes are being destroyed, that there might be collusion between commercial interests and public officials, that the recent past and the middle brow are ignored by modern taste-makers. Especially in his earlier essays, he writes about these issues with passion and yet with a lightness of touch that engages the reader completely. Read this, and you cannot fail to agree that Betjeman stands as one of the foremost spokesmen of the twentieth century.


"Trains and Buttered Toast" (with its beautful cover design by Duff Tollemache) also shows that Betjeman was fascinated by individuals and individuality. He is correspondingly cruel about English stereotypes - the lumpen proletariat who, in the late 1940s, listened to popular music on car radios or went on holiday in luxury coaches. His point, however, is to criticise people's failure to open their eyes, ask original questions and discover fresh beauties - something he sees as the public's sheep instinct. The antidote, he suggests, is to look for inspiration at people who didn't go where everyone else went and who weren't damaged by commercial pressures and mass production. He finds his role models in Victoriana, an age that he regards as rich in the culture of individuality. Many of his talks explore this in its most extreme manifestation - in eccentricity and in provincialism. In fact, among the most entertaining talks in the entire book are those that look at individuals who dedicated themselves to the church. Never before Betjeman was there a literary category devoted to "West of England Victorian hymn-writing vicars". Now there is!

Spread a little happiness. Buy this book - and buy it for your friends. They'll love you for it: it's a total joy.

Discovering Englishness, 20 Jul 2006
This is a most enjoyable read for anyone interested in John Betjman or indeed anyone longing to go back to the times when trains had windows that would open! Stephen Games has skilfully edited talks given out on the BBC during a period of 40+ years. The range of topics, clearly indicating the diversity of the broadcaster, poet and architectual buff (self-taught) range from the wit of Tennyson to the lament of modernism encroaching on metropolitan and rural life, with many interesting talks covered in between. Anyone interest in "how we lived then" should buy this book now.

Betjeman Revisited, 21 Jun 2006
This is a really warm and fond look at British life, taken from Betjeman's radio broadcasts. My favourite was the Eccentrics section, which made me laugh out loud. It reminded me of Bill Bryson's travel guides: Warm, funny and you always learn something new!

Essence of Betjeman, 26 May 2006
This is a terrific selection of Betjeman's radio broadcasts. And it seems to be get to heart of the man's passions, prejudices and, of course, humour. The talk on Tennyson made me laugh out loud. But it's Betj's love of English architecture and way of life that come through so strongly in this collection. Reading the pieces you can almost hear that familiar voice one minute quietly serious and passionate, the next gently poking fun. What a remarkable man he was.

Now with extra laughs..., 05 Jul 2008
Ms Duffy is loved by readers even more than by the critics. She is wise, and she is clever. She is also very moving and extremely funny. This volume introduces us to Mrs Aesop, Mrs Darwin and even Mrs Faust and Mrs Quasimodo and so on...

These are not poems meant for academic study, these are poems to be read and enjoyed. And they are very enjoyable, with sharp wit throughout.

There are times in her more recent work when Duffy strikes me as the poet that Elizabeth Jennings was too frightened to be, here however CAD lets her hair down and unleashes a delight of barbs and sympathy.

The only disappointment for me is The Kray Sisters, but then, I hate so called cockney rhyming slang. Stuff your 'lady Godivas' up your 'Khyber pass'.

That minor gripe aside, this is another wonderful volume from one of our most popular poets, and even funnier than usual.

Poetry By Numbers, 15 Apr 2008
Carol Ann Duffy is one of the foremost poets in British Poetry in the twenty-first century. And therein lies the first of many problems I have with her.

'Academic' concerns, such as mythology and history are all over this book, yet being an academic is not a prerequisite of being a poet.

Her poetry here (and in everything else she's done) is trite, cliched, and gender-specific, whilst it also tries too hard to be funny. Being able to look up a few reference books to find information about various women throughout history does not a poet maketh.

Besides which, the poetry itself is stilted, obscure, awkward, lazy, and badly written. Carol Ann Duffy treads the same path as just about every single other poet who is published in Britain today; they give the publishers exactly what the PUBLISHERS want, rather than actually writing poetry that more than a few individuals can relate to. But who are these arrogant individuals and what makes them qualified to judge what constitutes 'good' poetry? I suspect that class plays a big part... The poetry business is full of nauseating back-slapping and sycophancy, despite the fact that the number of people actually buying poetry is at an all-time low. Wonder why?

Fantastic, 11 Dec 2007
I truly adore this owmna and the way she wites.
She cuts to the quick with the emtions of some of her characters, especially with resentment, which features in a lot of her poems in this book.
Take a close look at Delilah and Mrs Aesop, both absolutely extarordinary poems.

Brilliantly creative and entertaining, 19 Oct 2007
I loved this collection of poems, written from the perspective of real or imagined wives or other females connected to famous males from history, myth or fairy tale. There's a wonderful variety of tone, from Mrs Herod's raddled old rouée, waking up with John the Baptist's head in her morning-after-the-night-before bed, to Penelope, for whom Odysseus' return is a tedious interruption to the world-making creativity of her weaving. The Kray Sisters, Pope Joan, Mrs Quasimodo - all are beautifully brought to life by Duffy's deft and imaginative strokes. By turns wistful, menacing, contemptuous or just weary of their men, Duffy's women give us a multifaceted glimpse into a world where women's ways of knowing and being displace men from the spotlight to the shadows. Brilliant.

My Favourite, 09 Jul 2007
I absolutely love this collection!!!! It consists mainly of the story behind male mythological figures in which Duffy inverts and presents herself as their wife or lover. Or simply female figures with an interesting tale. The brutal language and matter of fact tone make it perfect for female readers who are sick of men!!! A definite must!!!

Simply brilliant, 27 Aug 2006
This really is one of the best accounts of the Great War that I've read. Given all that I've heard about this book, that wasn't so much of a surprise - what was, however, was that well before Graves joined the army about mid-way through the book I was already solidly engrossed.

Robert Graves writes with a real charm and gentle humour, belying an often quite scathing satirical leaning, and his account of his early home life and upbringing is beautiful, a real evocation of a time now lost forever. The fact that he's half-german heartbreakingly foreshadows later events, as he spends childhood holidays playing in fairytale German castles with German uncles and nephews, men he is destined one day to try to kill on the battlefields of France. It's a pertinent reminder of how close Britain and England were in the late 1800's, which makes the war all the more tragic.

The account of his time in France during the conflict, the greater part of the book, is simply brilliant - and considering what he goes through, it's hard to keep in mind that he was only in his early twenties, as I suppose so many of the soldiers were. The other reviews have covered this in more detail, so I'll skip on.

Once the war ends the book does lose drive and focus, but I get a sense that by this point Graves was simply weary of England and life in general - it must have been hard to find much that matched the passion and drama of the battlefield, where a generation faced things we can hardly imagine today. It does all evoke an interesting picture of how a country tries to adjust to life after such a war, however, before it starts becoming simply a list of which famous writers Graves met.

All in all, this is probably one of the best first-hand accounts of World War One that we're lucky enough to have - and if you have any interest at all in the subject, you simply owe it to yourself to read it at least once.

Oh, and I recommend reading it in conjunction with Seigfreid Sassoon's 'Memoirs of an Infantry Officer'. The stories overlap and parallel each other several times, and it's fascinating to read differing accounts of the same crucial events in the lives of these two men. Each book gives a whole new spin on the other - get the best of each by reading them together.

required reading for all, 06 Sep 2004
Goodbye to All That is as important to the canon of Great War literature as Schindler's List is to the Holocaust. Honest, stark and shocking at times, it is all pulled together with wonderful skill by Robert Graves who seemed to have such natural skill as a writer. My abiding memory of the book, which I have read several times, is the sheer sense of duty, so indicitative of the age, displayed by Graves and his fellow soldiers.

A briliant place to start reading about the Great War and one you will return to again and again.

It is worth reading alone for the narrative structure and the demonstration of writing craft which is of a quality not found anywhere today.

Outstanding WWI -period memoirs, 10 Feb 2002
Was Robert Graves' early life so remarkable that simply recording the facts was sufficient to create a classic? Or do his skills as a writer make the careful construction and delivery of this memoir seem effortless? Either way, the status of this work as a singularly powerful historical record is well deserved.

Graves' life, from middle class public school, to an officer in the trenches of WWI, and then an impoverished radical poet in post-war Oxford, seems like another world. Seemingly trivial details now seem bizarre, and life in the trenches under enemy fire (or gas attack) is hell on earth. Graves takes a factual, analytical, almost objective approach, recording public opinion and sentiment, and giving well-argued reasons for what now seems like military madness. This has the effect of hiding his own personal drama from the reader, so his anti-war feelings and eventual nervous collapse come as something of a surprise.

The book is not without its weaknesses. His time after the war seems to consist largely of name-dropping famous poets and encounters with Lawrence of Arabia, but seventy five years on there is limited interest in these figures, and instead we yearn for more characters such as Daisy, the daughter of a down-and-out who the Graveses temporarily adopted and gives us an insight unto life at the other end of the social spectrum, and regret that Graves did not record more of the social consequences of the radical socialism and feminism he and his wife adopted in what was still a conservative and socially claustrophobic society.

Graves toyed with turning his experiences into a novel. Ford Madox Fo