A Poetry Handbook: A Prose Guide to Understanding and Writing Poetry

The title and subtitle say it all. It's a fine introduction, pithy and wise; one of my favourites.

At some points in this book I was surprised by how rigid Oliver's ideas about poetry are, since her poems themselves come across as so wildly intense and beautiful. There were moments where the way she described the effect that certain line lengths or rhythms or devices have, and it felt a little cold.BUT having said that, it's written very clearly and I felt at most points that she was on the money. She pointed out many things about the effects of different, for examples, meters that I hadn't noticed before. And she talked about writing poetry in a way that introduced several new ideas to my thinking. Overall I got a lot out of it. My thinking has become more nuanced as a result.She also has a very encouraging attitude towards how great poetry gets written - i.e. it's mostly about hard work, not about being special or inspired.

I am only halfway through the book at this writing but I am very happy I purchased it as it is a very sane and simple, honest and thoughtful, calm book about poetry. The author is low on bells and whistles it is just simple direct advice and musings.

This was a gift for my husband who has started writing poetry during lockdown. Although he has said it was heavy reading he has found it really helpful, so I guess I would recommend it!

I really enjoyed the style of Mary Oliver's writing in this book. It was written with great knowledge and authority and explained different types of poem. I would recommend it to all those interested in learning more about different poetic forms.

A fantastic guide to poetry. I bought it because it was on my reading list for university, but it's a smashing book for anyone interested in poetry. I loved reading it, and really enjoyed Mary Oliver's writing - she is very accessible.I know I will return to this book over and over.

This is the best poetry writing book that I've read. The author explains everything clearly, yet has a poetic quality to her writing. This book is a real pleasure to read.

Great book, really good for beginners, lays everything out clearly