Rising Tides: 20th Century American Women Poets

by Laura Chester (Editor), Sharon Barba (Editor)

A poetry anthology that makes the case that female poets should be taken as seriously as male poets.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published July 1, 1973

About the author

Laura Chester has published many volumes of poetry, prose and non-fiction. Most recently, "Holy Personal: Looking for Small Private Places of Worship," was made available from Indiana University Press, and a selection of prose-poems, "Sparks," was published by The Figures. Both books include extensive photographs by Donna DeMari. Station Hill Press released an updated version of "Lupus Novice," an account of Chester’s personal struggle and breakthrough with the auto-immune disease SLE, while Black Sparrow Press, published three of Chester’s early books of fiction. Chester has edited four important literary anthologies, including Deep Down and The Unmade Bed. She is currently completing a fifth, "Eros & Equus," a passion for the horse. Having grown up in Wisconsin, lived in Albuquerque, Paris, and Berkeley, she now travels between Patagonia, Arizona and the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's begin with the good. This is a well-intended poetry anthology with a lot of good poems by a lot of good poets, with a few great poems added. It is unusual for me to finish as many poems in an anthology and I finished in this one, and that either speaks to the quality of this collection or to a quirk that most of these poems are just pleasing to me, possibly both. The goal of the anthology is to raise society's consciousness about women poets generally, which, the note from the editors claims, are not given a fair chance in the male dominated world of published poetry. This may have been true when this collection was published in 1973, but the claim is undercut by the biographies of each poet that precedes their poems. This is a very impressive group of highly accomplished women who win grants and fellowships, teach at universities, and have been published in anthologies and in their own books. The introduction says one thing, but the biographies seem to indicate something else. Perhaps both are paradoxically true, but nothing in the book explains the paradox. The introduction by Anais Nin is an uninformative waste of time, something true of everything else this author has written. This is otherwise a very good anthology. Do not let Ms. Nin or the paradox put you off.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book my entire adult life. Someone gave me a used copy when I was 19 or 20. It was old then. I don't remember who gave it to me. I only know that this book is amazing and I'm so grateful I've had it for so many years.

[Ann M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in my teens when I read this book of poetry by women and I loved it.

[SmarterLilac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so excellent. A stronger, more truthful collection of feminist poetry I have yet to locate.

[Della Scott]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11733217