Definitive Poetry Collection ????

chipsbebo

Hi,

I'm looking to pick up a poetry anthology of sorts. I want a book with all the classic poems and rhymes from Frost, Dickinson, Poe, Wordsworth, Blake etc. Doe's such a book exist? Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

turgon

On the advise of another poster here I recently purchased Harold Blooms anthology The Best Poems of the English Language: From Chaucer Through Robert Frost. Its a hefty tome, and I concede to having not dug into it that much being generally preoccupied with reading prose.

Each of the many poets (at least 50) are given a short introduction. Some poems are given their own introductions, which are highly interesting. The whole book is precursed by a 30 page essay "How to read poetry" which is very helpful and technical. Theres not much that I can say about it otherwise, other than that Harold Bloom is a well renowned critic asfaik, and this collection comes recommended from donegalfella.

Talking specifically about the poets you mentioned (all of which are included) they range from having 2 poems (Poe) to 20 poems (Dickenson) included.

buck65

The Norton Anthologies are fairly detailed and cover all the main poets.

eclectichoney

buck65 wrote: »

The Norton Anthologies are fairly detailed and cover all the main poets.

+1 Was just about to suggest Norton!

devongarde

eclectichoney wrote: »

+1 Was just about to suggest Norton!

Another one for Norton

the bald monk

Just on this, and on the advice of previous posters i have ordered the Norton Poetry Anthology from book depository.

I also see that there is a Norton Anthology of English Literature Volume 1
http://http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780393925319/The-Norton-Anthology-of-English-Literature-Middle-Ages-Through-the-Restoration-and-the-Eighteenth-Century-v.-1(middle ages to eighteenth century)
and Volume 2
http://http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780393925326/The-Norton-Anthology-of-English-Literature-Romantic-Period-Through-the-Twentieth-Century-v.-2
Romantic to c20).
I would like to get the full anthology but from wikipedia
http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Norton_Anthology_of_English_Literature i expect 6 volumes? can anyone set me straight? if i buy vol 1 and 2 above will I have a full reference book for English Literature?

would anyone recommend an alternative to this?

MikeC101

From the wiki article you linked:

The eighth edition of The Norton Anthology of English Literature comprises six volumes, sold in two sets of three. The first set includes the volumes “The Middle Ages,” “The Sixteenth Century and The Early Seventeenth Century,” and “Restoration and the Eighteenth Century;” the second set includes “The Romantic Period,” “The Victorian Age,” and “The Twentieth Century and After.”

So six volumes, in two sets of three. As the first book says it covers the Middle ages through to the Eighteenth Century, I'd assume it contains the first three volumes, and the second book contains the last three.

the bald monk

that's my take on the wikipedia entry alright. (i.e. 3 "volumes" per book)just thought i'd see what those who recommended say.

book depository seems to also stock the various "volumes" mentioned separately.