The Poets' Corner: The One-and-Only Poetry Book for the Whole Family

by John Lithgow

A gorgeous collection of classic poems that the whole family will enjoy, thoughtfully chosen by actor John Lithgow.

From listening to his grandmother recite epic poems from memory to curling up in bed while his father read funny verses, award-winning actor John Lithgow grew up with poetry. Ever since, John has been an enthusiastic seeker of poetic experience, whether reading, reciting, or listening to great poems.

The wide variety of carefully selected poems in this book provides the perfect introduction to appeal to readers new to poetry, and for poetry lovers to experience beloved verses in a fresh, vivid way. William Blake, Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Dylan Thomas are just a few names among Lithgow's comprehensive list of poetry masters. His essential criterion is that "each poem's light shines more brightly when read aloud." This unique package provides a multimedia poetry experience with a bonus MP3 CD of revelatory poetry readings by John and the familiar voices of such notable performers as Eileen Atkins, Kathy Bates, Glenn Close, Billy Connolly, Jodie Foster, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Lynn Redgrave, Susan Sarandon, Gary Sinise, and Sam Waterston.

Every reader will enjoy reciting or listening to these poems with the entire family, appreciating how each one comes to life through the spoken word in this superlative poetry collection.

Genres: Poetry, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Classics, Anthologies, Literature, Adult

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

John Lithgow is a prolific actor with two Tonys, six Emmys, two Golden Globes, and two Oscar nominations to his name. He has starred in the hit TV series 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, and The Crown, and in beloved films like The World According to Garp, Shrek, and Terms of Endearment. Lithgow has appeared on Broadway twenty-five times and in England with both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. He is also the bestselling author of nine children’s picture books, and his recordings for kids have landed him four Grammy nominations.

Reviews

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Lithgow is my poetry kindred spirit. I loved his selections for this book but what I loved most is the way he talked about each poem. Not once does he slip from synthesis to analysis. He fosters love and I love him for it.

I highly recommend the audio. His folksy charm is infectious and do not think any of the famous readers reads the poems better than he does.

Thanks to my friend and Patron Alanna for the head's up about this book!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care much for poetry, but I think that's due to ignorance & trying to read it incorrectly. I thought this might help me along a bit & it did. Lithgow did a great job listing his favorite poets in alphabetical order. I liked that order since it skipped around in history & separated the various styles so none became burdensome. He makes poetry understandable & accessible, even the weirdest like Gloria Stein, although I'll make sure to avoid her work in the future.

One of the things I liked the best was his introduction where he points out some of the forms & places in which poetry appears like song lyrics, limericks, & catch phrases. Some of the poems he reads are very short - one was only 16 words - while others are very long (Spenser's Fairy Queen runs to 18 volumes, IIRC) but he read me just the best bits.

Each poet was introduced with a thumbnail sketch of their lives & times. A couple of short pieces were read by Lithgow or some other fantastic voice & that makes the audiobook the best way to read this, IMO. OTOH, he listed other poems he liked. He often included websites where more of their work could be found, sometimes even free live recordings of the poet reading their own work. For these last items, I suggest buying a print version. I'm buying a used paperback copy for $4 on Abebooks.com. I might reread some of the poems now that he's given me the rhythm.

These poets cover a lot of territory in style. I actually liked & understood the bit of Spenser's Fairy Queen that he read. I had to read part of that in school & it was a trudge. Actually, I was surprised by how many of these poets I knew & used to detest, but no longer do. Those I've liked, I liked even better: Poe, Shakespeare, Longfellow, etc.

A few will never be favorites. Chaucer in the original Middle English was awful in school due to the language barrier as is Robert Burns. You'd think with my Scottish last name I'd be able to or want to understand their language, but I've always found it incomprehensible. (I gave up on Rob Roy for this reason even though I like most of Scott's other work.) I just don't have a good ear for languages.

All in all, it was a grand tour & I think it was really worthwhile. Poets have added a lot to our language especially in allusion & metaphor, so it's good to be able to recognize them. It was nice to know more about them & I was introduced to several I'd never heard of before. Highly recommended.

[Kay Pelham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection, and if you have the audio, you can hear the poems well read by a variety of voices you most likely will recognize. Descriptions of the poet's life and other tidbits are included. Lithgow himself reads these on the audio, as well as the bonus poem for each artist. The poets are presented in alphabetical order, which makes for a beautiful ride back and forth in time and place, showing how poetic and metaphorical expression is a human thing, built into us and an imitation of the One in whose image we were made "in the beginning".

[Froglily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actor and author John Lithgow presents poems by many of his favorite poets, enhancing the listener’s experience with biographical and critical commentary.

Lithgow provides an inviting introduction to the work of his favorite poets. For each poet he sketches a brief biography, including critical comments on the poet’s work and place in the literary world. He follows the biography with a reading and discussion of one poem, and concludes by reading another poem and listing favorite poems of the poet. Lithogow provides a pithy tag for each poet (William Blake is “the mystical visionary”, Matthew Arnold the “serious poet”), and intriguing background details (Ogden Nash was a member of the family for whom Nashville was named).

Lithogow narrates the commentary and reads some of the poems; he wisely enlists the aid of others (including Jodie Foster, Morgan Freeman, and Helen Mirren) to vary the poetry readings.
Their voices and interpretations keep the listener’s interest. It is both puzzling and unfortunate that Lithgow chose to present the poets in alphabetical rather than chronological order. Using chronological order would have made it easier for listeners to comprehend the influence of poets upon one another and the changes in poetical style and approach over time. It might also have inspired Lithgow to sharpen his focus on this fascinating aspect of his presentation.

[Ci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a personal-favorite-collection by Lithgow, organized by the last names of the poets, which rendered this book more suitable as a reference. Since this collection is "family-friendly", it is easy-listening and very little to offend. However, even within its narrowly defined purpose and its gingerly politeness, I have found two merits worth noting: one, succinct references of poets and notable poems; two, its accompanied readings from various actors such as Helen Mirren, Morgan Freedman, and many others.

[Joseph Spuckler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully selected and read poetry by either the “Dad” from 3rd Rock from the Sun or the arch-villain from Cliff Hanger.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four stars for the content of the book itself, elevated to five stars for the audiobook version or for print copies that still have the accompanying CD, because trust me, you have not lived until you've heard Billy Connolly reading Robert Burns' "To a Mouse". What an absolute blast that was to listen to. His reading of Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussycat" is also lots of fun; I played those tracks easily three or four times over before allowing myself to move on to the next poem. Morgan Freeman's reading of T.S. Eliot's "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" is exceptional, too, and merits attentive listening. Most of the other readings are also quite good, with really only two or three that fell kind of flat.

There are 50 poems in this collection. Each poem is preceded by a short biographical sketch of the poet and is followed by a few words of appreciative commentary and a short list of other favorites by that poet. I appreciated that the poets were presented in alphabetical rather than chronological order, which made for a nice variety of tones and styles throughout, rather than having to march through time and read/listen to, say, all the Romantics all at once, which would probably have started feeling a bit tedious, at least for me.

For full enjoyment, grab the audiobook version, as John Lithgow's reading sets the stage nicely for the reading of the poems themselves by such "friends" as Billy Connolly, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Gary Sinise, and Kathy Bates, among others. I'll definitely be coming back to this one before too long.

[Sue K H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when people share their passion and Lithgow does a wonderful job of sharing his passion for poetry. This is especially good for people like me who shy away from poetry. He goes through 50 of his favorite poets in alphabetical order with each segment having a short history of the poet followed by a poem or two and analysis and ending with a list of other Lithgow favorites from the poet.

I enjoyed all of the poems with the exception of Gertrude Stein's 'If I Told Him: A completed Portrait of Picasso'. That was the most annoying thing I've ever read or listened to. I will be trying more from everyone but her unless someone tells me that this is not representative of her style.

I've read and liked about 10 of the poets listed and I plan to read more from them and the other 39 (after discounting Stein). I'm glad that as I do, I have this to revisit their short histories as I get around to each. My first one up will likely be Gwendolyn Brooks.

[Agris Fakingsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

..lai gan liela daļa no slavenajiem dzejniekiem, kas minēti grāmatā, man bija nezināmi, viens otrs no lasītā man iepatikās un būs jāiepazīst tuvāk. ļoti interesants bija autora stāsts par to, kāpēc viņš vispār uzmeistarojis šādu dzejnieku grāmatu. arī stāsti par atlasītajiem dzejniekiem bija gana interesanti. cerēju gan sagaidīt šajā arī Silviju Plātu.

[Krisette Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I loved reading John Lithgow's summaries of the poets, and also his thoughts on some of the poems. This is a pain free way to read a little poetry with Mr. Lithgow as your personal guide.

[Lily P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(audible)

Oh my. Get this as an audio book. With guest readers like Morgan Freeman, Susan Sarandon, Gary Sinese and Helen Mirren this is an amazing anthology.

Some of these poems I studied over 40 years ago and yet with the first line or title, it came back to me and the joy of listening to really excellent readers was unexpected and invigorating.

Lithgow's unapologetic admiration for the poetry form and his love of many, diverse poets is much appreciated.

The book is laid out alphabetically by author with brief musical interludes between sections. Lithgow gives a short bio of the author, including tidbits you might not be aware of; a poem is read by a guest reader and then Lithgow shares why he selected this particular poem, what it means to him, what delights him, confuses him, engages him. There may be one or two other short poems or quotes and then it's time for the next poet.

Time periods bounce around which adds to the delight of this book. I started each commute with a sense of adventure, "Who are we going to listen to today!"

I'm sad the book is over, but I suspect this will be one I return to several times in the future. It makes for a really great drive.

HIGHLY recommend.

[Tommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure there are adequate superlatives to describe this treasure. John Lithgow talks us through the lives and works of fifty of history's greatest poets. From Shakespeare to Yeats, Dylan Thomas to Edna St. Vincent Millay. Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes, Allen Ginsburg, Whitman, Dorothy Parker, Eliot, e.e. cummings... It's an embarrassment of riches.

Sure, there are noticeable omissions, but as a primer for adults and young people, I can't imagine a more accessible, fun volume. Lithgow is joined by some notable friends (Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Gary Sinise, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Helen Mirren, Billy Connelly, and others). Hearing these gifted actors perform these poems makes for an incredibly entertaining experience, even for those skeptical or phobic of verse.

I loved the audiobook so much, I've ordered a print version so I can go back and dig in again more selectively.

Truly, I cannot say enough about how enjoyable this audiobook was. Seek it out!

[Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” Leonardo da Vinci

It was such a pleasure reading this eclectic collection of poetry, ranging from sparkling to somber, from Auden and Blake to Wordsworth and Yeats. It's really a great gift for a dad to share with the family.

Each of the 50 chapters provides a short back story on a famed poet, one, two or three of her/his poems, followed by a brief epilogue.

These poems and poets reminded me of the tremendous value of art / poetry to a life worth living.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished: 02.11.2018
Genre: poetry
Rating: B
Conclusion:
Relaxing audio book perfect for bed-time listening!

[Shae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never really been a John Lithgow fan, but after listening to him read his book, I count him as an enriching friend in my life. Ha! He starts off with an introduction about why he compiled this book of 50 poets and their poems. Then he give a little biography of each poet, reads 1-2 poems (or has famous people read them), and then concludes with a little explanation of why he loves it.

I can not describe how soothing and sometimes thrilling and touching it was to listen to this in my car over a long period of time. Each section is so short that it worked for my errands around town. I've already started listening to this again. I don't know if it would have had nearly the same impact just reading it, but that is one of the major parts of poetry -- it is meant to be read aloud.

I don't necessarily think this would appeal to children, but is more for a beginner adult poetry learner, though there was nothing objectionable in it.


*Feb. 2020: Recommended this to my husband for his long drives to work (he didn't finish it) and then I started craving it for myself and checked out again for myself. Re-listened to it and am reading it now too. It has so much appeal for me.

[Kerianne Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this book doesn‘t make a poetry lover out of you then there‘s no hope for you as far as that medium is concerned. The selections are thoughtful and varied, Lithgow‘s enthusiastic description of each poem is infectious and the readers did a great job interpreting the poems and making them accessible to us average listeners (honestly, I would listen to Helen Mirren and Morgan Freeman read the phone book so maybe that isn’t actually saying much.) I especially loved the extra touches, such as the themed music that introduced each poet. The audiobook (which is THE way to go here) has serious production value and underscores the idea that poems are often at their best when read aloud. This book is fun and would be great for anything from the next family road trip to winning over a reluctant high school audience.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat! This lovingly curated collection is interspersed with anecdotes from the poets' lives. The audio version (CD also included with physical book) is packed with sublime performances by talented actors who clearly appreciate the magic of poetry.

[Joshua Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this and loved it. John Lithgow makes for an excellent narrator, plus giving some history on the poets and their poems, and his own analysis really add to the poems being read. I am less familiar with poetry than most other literary genres so this was a pleasant listen to have more insight on the history of western poetry. The other talents who read the poems made this a fun listen. I’m looking forward to coming back and hearing these all over again.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of poetry and quick sketches of poets' lives. I enjoyed it very much, though of course I would have chosen slightly different poems in certain cases--I think everyone loves the poems they first encountered from a poet best, even if other poems might be "better."

[Julie Mabus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to poetry and the most famous poets in a very assessable way. Lithgow’s narratives make the poets very real and you leave feeling like you would like to read more about them. The different readers chosen to read the poetry selection also add to the appeal of the collection. Highly recommend it on audio.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something delightfully compelling about a poetry anthology assembled by someone who absolutely adores poetry. I checked out Poet's Corner so I could decide if it's one I need to own, and despite the fact that I already have collections containing many of the pieces anthologized within, it is definitely one that belongs on my shelves.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose the word “family” is in the title because there is some nonsense poetry included and because of Lithgow’s grandfatherly tone. But if I were trying to introduce my children to poetry, this is not the selection I would choose because of the inclusion of modern poetry with its clunky rythms and obtuse meanings. (If someone has to explain a poem to you before you can like it, you have already missed much of the magic, soul-touching quality of poetry.)

The positive side of this mixture of old and new poems is that you can compare them for yourself. As you listen/read, it becomes increasingly clear that the “new” is, in fact, very much like the story of the “Emperor’s New Clothes,” pretending to be well-dressed, but sadly naked. One poem was so awful that I laughed outloud.

If I had known how much modern poetry was in this book, I probably would not have purchased it. On the other hand, I was glad to have such a painless, crash course on the “greats” of Western poetry. I even learned to appreciate some poets that I hadn’t liked before.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good read—a romp in the amusement park, as it were. It rekindled the love of poetry (and the writing thereof) that I had as a kid. The best thing about this book is that I got a chance to hear some brilliant poetry brilliantly read by brilliant interpreters.

I read the book as well as listened to the audiobook. My only wish was to have had more of the guest readers read these works and have Lithgow moderate and read an occasional piece or two. John rounded off each chapter by reading one of each of the 50 featured poets, but the 12 or so actors who read, brought a whole new level to vitality to these works. These actors brought a breathtakingly dynamic reading to each of the poems. Lithgow also gives the websites where several of the more contemporary poets can be heard reading their work.

Well done.

If you like poems or are even mildly interested in them, this will kindle your interest for sure.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was curious to see Lithgow's take on classic poetry. He has included a good selection of the usual English language poets (mostly white, all dead, but not all men) with 1-2 poems from each. Lithgow uses a folksy, personal experience-with-each-poet narrative that would especially appeal to his fans. It's billed as book that will help families read poetry together, but some of his choices of poems seemed odd for that. I was often disappointed not to find MY favorite of a particular poet's work, but then, I didn't put the collection together. What I enjoyed most was reading many of the poems aloud to myself. Most fun to read aloud: "Love Unrequited or the Nightmare Song" by William S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan).

[Diana Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work really has me excited...I absolutely loved every minute of this just over 6 hour audio. I should have dubbed it a history of poetry and very educational as well. Not only is this a wonderful introduction to poetry but also highlights the writers who felt compelled to write beautiful inspiring words that have lasted through time. Some of the poets featured have been gone some 400 plus years but their words transcend time. Listen to the poems performed by such notable entertainment personalities like Susan Sarandon, Gary Sinese, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Glen Close plus others. Highly recommend this to everyone of all ages.

[Aloha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and enjoyable introduction to poetry

While this may be basic to lovers of poetry, the intent is to give an enjoyable overview much like an album of classical music's greatest hits.

[Simon Bullock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful assortment of poems from an eclectic range of sources and periods. While Gertrude Stein may be revered for her editorial clout, I can't say I'm a fan of her poetic works after my brief introduction in this compendium.

[David West · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good audiobook. Lithgow has gathered a wonderful collection of poems and some very good voice actors and put them together. His commentary on the poems was very helpful. I found some poems in here that I want to memorize.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second time through - I don't appreciate all the poems (I'm looking at you, Gertrude Stein), but I appreciate being exposed to the wide variety here and Lithgow's enthusiasm is contagious. :) I may well have my high school senior listen to this.

[Maeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful collection. I listened to the audiobook and Lithgow recruited many friends to read the poems beautifully. I highly recommend.