E.E. Cummings Selected Poems by Richard S. Kennedy

Rating: 10 out of 10
Summary: More of a synopsis, I suppose. Everything from BarnesandNoble.com:

“No one else has ever made avant-garde, experimental poems so attractive to both the general and the special reader.”—Randall Jarrell

The one hundred and fifty-six poems here, arranged in twelve sections and introduced by E. E. Cummings’s biographer, include his most popular poems, spanning his earliest creations, his vivacious linguistic acrobatics, up to his last valedictory sonnets. Also featured are thirteen drawings, oils, and watercolors by Cummings, most of them never before published.

The selection includes most of the favorites plus many fresh and surprising examples of Cummings’s several poetic styles. The corrected texts established by George J. Firmage have been used throughout.

E. E. Cummings (1894-1962) was among the most influential, widely read, and revered modernist poets. His many awards included an Academy of American Poets Fellowship, two Guggenheim Fellowships, and the Bollingen Prize.

My Thoughts: E.E. Cummings is my favorite poet, followed closely by Emily Dickinson. I said in my previous post on Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men that I don’t much like Modernist literature, but I definitely love Modernist poetry (William Carlos Williams, Ezra Pound, Robert Frost, etc.)

Cummings’ work is just so different from anything else out there. I probably tried to copy him when I was like 8 or 9 (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!) because I thought it was just so cool.

The way this edition is arranged is insightful and easy to read. Accompanied by drawings (I did not know Cummings drew) and photographs, and some background/history before every section, it’s very informative and creates a good atmosphere. The only drawback I could find was a personal one–one of my favorites by Cummings is “may i feel said he” which you can find if you scroll down this page here, and this edition didn’t include it. That’s a very biased thing on my part though. Otherwise I’d definitely suggest this copy for any poetry fan.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Rating: 6 out of 10
Summary: Of Mice and Men was John Steinbeck’s first masterpiece. Originally published in 1937, it’s the timeless story of George Milton and Lennie Small, ranch hands who drift from job to job, always one step ahead of the law and a few dollars from the poorhouse. George is small, wiry, sharp-tongued and quick-tempered; slow witted Lennie is his opposite—an immense man, brutishly strong but naturally docile, a giant with the mind of a child. Despite their difference, George and Lennie are bound together by a shared vision: their own small farm, where they’ll raise cows, pigs, chickens, and rabbits, where they’ll be their own bosses and live off the fat of the land.

When they find work on a ranch in California’s Salinas Valley, the dream at last seems within reach. If they can just save up a little money. . . . But their hopes, like “the best-laid schemes of mice and men,” begin to go awry. The story unfolds with the power and inevitability of a Greek tragedy, as Lennie commits an accidental murder, and George, in a riveting, deeply moving finale, must do what he can to make things turn our right. (from back cover).

Commentary: This was a really short, quick read–but I think that was part of its impact and message. Good story, great descriptions… still generally undecided about Steinbeck.

I realize now I’m not a huge fan of Modernist literature.