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Van Gogh's Ear: Best World Poetry & Prose, Volume 4
In this title, a powerful poem for peace by one of the great voices of contemporary literature, Maya Angelou, seizes the soul; Margaret Atwood's insightful, often amusing essay on poetics inspires; Beat legend Carolyn Cassady's intriguing new prose piece explores the energies that create and sustain all life; a high-speed letter from Beat icon Neal Cassady sweeps one away with his thoughts on intellect and the arts; and, acclaimed renaissance man Leonard Cohen's poem excites both the imagination and emotions.
Also in this title, James Dean's hard-hitting poem gives a brutal glimpse into the acidic mixture of love and hate the legendary actor had for his father (a scan of Dean's actual poem appears with photos from a private collection); Bangladesh poet Taslima Nasrin, who had to flee her country following death threats by Islamic fanatics, contributed a poem which reveals much through the rape of two young sisters who are ordered by a judge to be whipped in public for speaking out against the man who raped them; and, Sue Russell shatters the Hollywood portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the movie "Monster" with her probing essay.
There's also Sonia Sanchez's startling poem about a mother torn between love for her 7-year-old daughter and addiction to crack; Irish poet Eabhan Ni Shuileabhain's intense journey into the minds of the main people involved in executing a criminal at the time of execution; and, even more powerful work by Tony Curtis, Joyce Carol Oates, C. K. Williams, Yoko Ono, Norman Mailer, Daisy Zamora, J. T. LeRoy, Joanne Kyger, John Gilmore, Tess Gallagher, Richard Kostelanetz, Marc Smith, Alice Notley, Billy Collins, Aram Saroyan, Diane di Prima, John Updike, in total 91 great talents.
After reading this landmark anthology, you'll feel as if you'd lived intensely in the skins of many different people in different parts of the world. It is highly recommended as a rich resource for teachers and a library basic.
Also in this title, James Dean's hard-hitting poem gives a brutal glimpse into the acidic mixture of love and hate the legendary actor had for his father (a scan of Dean's actual poem appears with photos from a private collection); Bangladesh poet Taslima Nasrin, who had to flee her country following death threats by Islamic fanatics, contributed a poem which reveals much through the rape of two young sisters who are ordered by a judge to be whipped in public for speaking out against the man who raped them; and, Sue Russell shatters the Hollywood portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the movie "Monster" with her probing essay.
There's also Sonia Sanchez's startling poem about a mother torn between love for her 7-year-old daughter and addiction to crack; Irish poet Eabhan Ni Shuileabhain's intense journey into the minds of the main people involved in executing a criminal at the time of execution; and, even more powerful work by Tony Curtis, Joyce Carol Oates, C. K. Williams, Yoko Ono, Norman Mailer, Daisy Zamora, J. T. LeRoy, Joanne Kyger, John Gilmore, Tess Gallagher, Richard Kostelanetz, Marc Smith, Alice Notley, Billy Collins, Aram Saroyan, Diane di Prima, John Updike, in total 91 great talents.
After reading this landmark anthology, you'll feel as if you'd lived intensely in the skins of many different people in different parts of the world. It is highly recommended as a rich resource for teachers and a library basic.
- GenresPoetry
245 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2005
137 people want to read
About the author
Maya Angelou
294 books14.6k followersMaya Angelou was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou's series of seven autobiographies focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker, nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism, identity, family, and travel.
She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker, nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism, identity, family, and travel.
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November 20, 2008THE POETRY OF MAYA ANGELOU by MAYA ANGELOU (1993)
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