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The Great Poets: Emily Dickinson
Though principally known as the miniaturist in American poetry, Emily Dickinson produced a remarkably wide body of work - some concentrating on acute observations and some on bons mots. Full of wit and sensitivity, she generally appears in anthologies but this generous collection shows that she is a poet to be taken seriously.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published February 1, 2008
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31 people want to read
About the author
Emily Dickinson
1,558 books6,865 followersEmily Dickinson was an American poet who, despite the fact that less than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime, is widely considered one of the most original and influential poets of the 19th century.
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
Dickinson was born to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life. After she studied at the Amherst Academy for seven years in her youth, she spent a short time at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary before returning to her family's house in Amherst. Thought of as an eccentric by the locals, she became known for her penchant for white clothing and her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even leave her room. Most of her friendships were therefore carried out by correspondence.
Although Dickinson was a prolific private poet, fewer than a dozen of her nearly eighteen hundred poems were published during her lifetime.The work that was published during her lifetime was usually altered significantly by the publishers to fit the conventional poetic rules of the time. Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent. Her first collection of poetry was published in 1890 by personal acquaintances Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Loomis Todd, both of whom heavily edited the content.
A complete and mostly unaltered collection of her poetry became available for the first time in 1955 when The Poems of Emily Dickinson was published by scholar Thomas H. Johnson. Despite unfavorable reviews and skepticism of her literary prowess during the late 19th and early 20th century, critics now consider Dickinson to be a major American poet.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/emily-di...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 4, 2016
I enjoy listening to poetry. This audio book seemed to repeat quite a few of the poems. There was no introduction or anything, just poem after poem, so I don't know what the internal organization was. Were the repetitions slightly different versions? One at least seemed to have a slightly different wording.
There seemed to be a lot of near-rhyme (I'm not sure if that is the correct term) where you can tell that you could kind of pronounce a word weird to make it rhyme, but it didn't really rhyme.
Anyway. I need to listen to more poetry to improve my appreciation.
There seemed to be a lot of near-rhyme (I'm not sure if that is the correct term) where you can tell that you could kind of pronounce a word weird to make it rhyme, but it didn't really rhyme.
Anyway. I need to listen to more poetry to improve my appreciation.
February 5, 2018
For the Reading Women 2018 Challenge, one of the challenges was to read a collection of poetry. I've never read a collection of poetry before so I can knock out two of the challenges (#15, A Poetry Collection and #24, A book in a genre you have never read).
I decided to listen to the audiobook of Emily Dickinson's poetry, thinking I might enjoy it more if the poems are read to me. I'm not too sure I would do this again, or perhaps it was just THIS specific collection read by Teresa Gallagher. There was no introdcution, there were no apparent breaks in the poems until you were conditioned to realize those very brief breaks/catches of breath were the breaks in between the poems. There were read quickly one after the other - some performed, some read.
There were definite pros and cons for me to listening to the audiobook - pros were that many were read with feeling and emotion and I enjoyed how they came across but cons were that they were read so quickly and it's difficult to be able to mark the ones that I enjoyed the most. Ms. Gallagher has a childish voice, so that took some getting used to as well.
My favourite poems were the ones about the seasons and nature. I wished I could have been able to see those ones and make a mark as favourites of this collection.
I decided to listen to the audiobook of Emily Dickinson's poetry, thinking I might enjoy it more if the poems are read to me. I'm not too sure I would do this again, or perhaps it was just THIS specific collection read by Teresa Gallagher. There was no introdcution, there were no apparent breaks in the poems until you were conditioned to realize those very brief breaks/catches of breath were the breaks in between the poems. There were read quickly one after the other - some performed, some read.
There were definite pros and cons for me to listening to the audiobook - pros were that many were read with feeling and emotion and I enjoyed how they came across but cons were that they were read so quickly and it's difficult to be able to mark the ones that I enjoyed the most. Ms. Gallagher has a childish voice, so that took some getting used to as well.
My favourite poems were the ones about the seasons and nature. I wished I could have been able to see those ones and make a mark as favourites of this collection.
March 17, 2025
I have never been attracted by poems, but Emily Dickinson changed my mind. Her words seem to speak to me
August 9, 2017
Dreadful (not the poems; they're sublime). Don't waste your time. I've hate-listened to this recording, noting the ways in which it is ruinous. Perhaps it's the harrowing 'performance' of some poems, as if they were not poems at all, all rhyme and rhythm lost, all the subtle effects bludgeoned. It might be the breathy urgent accent, all gravitas scattered, all depth evaporated. It might be because the poems sound as if they are being read for the first time. Meh. I'm over it now. Almost
In any case - you can fault the selection because you could open a book of Dickinson's poetry at any page and find a gem - and all the big ones are there. Is there another version better read? I've got Fiona Shaw reading TS Eliot as my yardstick. Dickinson deserves nothing less.
In any case - you can fault the selection because you could open a book of Dickinson's poetry at any page and find a gem - and all the big ones are there. Is there another version better read? I've got Fiona Shaw reading TS Eliot as my yardstick. Dickinson deserves nothing less.
May 28, 2020
Of course we're all familiar with Emily Dickinson's work, but have you heard it assembled in what sounds like it flows like a book???
This read so seamlessly from one poem to the next that it was hard to know when you had reached the crossover point.
Emily was privileged beyond most women's comprehension in her time. She was able to lock herself away to compose her greatest work when most people were struggling. It doesn't make me appreciate her beautiful mind any less. In a way, it makes her even more rare.
This was a really great audio book. I liked the narrator and the flow.
This read so seamlessly from one poem to the next that it was hard to know when you had reached the crossover point.
Emily was privileged beyond most women's comprehension in her time. She was able to lock herself away to compose her greatest work when most people were struggling. It doesn't make me appreciate her beautiful mind any less. In a way, it makes her even more rare.
This was a really great audio book. I liked the narrator and the flow.
December 16, 2020
A POOR torn heart, a tattered heart,
That sat it down to rest,
Nor noticed that the ebbing day
Flowed silver to the west,
Nor noticed night did soft descend
Nor constellation burn,
Intent upon the vision
Of latitudes unknown.
The angels, happening that way,
This dusty heart espied;
Tenderly took it up from toil
And carried it to God.
There,—sandals for the barefoot;
There,—gathered from the gales,
Do the blue havens by the hand
Lead the wandering sails.
December 24, 2021
4.5 stars!!!
i loved the poems obviously they're beautiful but i just wish it would have told me the titles of each one or had them numbered because i didn't know what was going on, except also at the same time the way it just flowed together was nice it was a bit like one long story??? idk anyways that has nothing to with emily dickinson or her writing that's just about the production of the audiobook
i loved the poems obviously they're beautiful but i just wish it would have told me the titles of each one or had them numbered because i didn't know what was going on, except also at the same time the way it just flowed together was nice it was a bit like one long story??? idk anyways that has nothing to with emily dickinson or her writing that's just about the production of the audiobook
May 8, 2022
Great collection. Great introduction to Emily Dickinson's work. The narrator's voice is age appropriate, making it sound like Dickinson herself could be reading the poems.
"Hope" is the thing with feathers and Because I could not stop for Death are true standouts in the collection.
"Hope" is the thing with feathers and Because I could not stop for Death are true standouts in the collection.
December 11, 2018
Lovely listen for Emily's birthday.
July 28, 2022
Listened on audiobook.
Definitely better read than listened too. Would have liked to know the titles of the poems... but still beautiful poems.
Definitely better read than listened too. Would have liked to know the titles of the poems... but still beautiful poems.
May 25, 2019
THERE is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
Con la poesia ho sempre avuto qualche problema, ma ho deciso di tagliare la testa al toro.. Mi sono armata di audiolibri (e in caso di necessità ho trovato in rete i testi) e mi sono buttata! Emily Dickinson mi sembrava un buon punto di partenza.. Ed è stato amore al primo ascolto! <3
A WORD is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
POPSUGAR reading challenge: a book of poetry
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
Con la poesia ho sempre avuto qualche problema, ma ho deciso di tagliare la testa al toro.. Mi sono armata di audiolibri (e in caso di necessità ho trovato in rete i testi) e mi sono buttata! Emily Dickinson mi sembrava un buon punto di partenza.. Ed è stato amore al primo ascolto! <3
A WORD is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.
POPSUGAR reading challenge: a book of poetry
March 10, 2023
Läs min recension på bloggen: https://www.fiktiviteter.se/2023/02/2...
March 16, 2015
I've become addicted to listening to poetry via audiobooks. Great alternative to listening to music as I wend my way about my day.
August 14, 2008
Relaxing and enjoyable!
May 5, 2018
The poetry was amazing, of course, but I didn't care for the narration.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews