Smoking Lovely Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It is great when someone has the ability to take their experiences of life and put them on page to be explored by the world. This book talks the breath and life of growing up in the NYC and being a minority. The struggle, pain and love for his New York enviornment of urban struggle, pride and triumph is all displayed throught "Smoking Lovely". This book is good for those wanting to learn how to craft experiences into great prose.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Smoking Lovely

Buy cheap Smoking Lovely now.

The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop & the Poetry of a New Generation Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am a high school English teacher and The Spoken Word Revolution has completely changed the way my students respond to poetry. Whenever I used to say we were going to look at a poem my students would groan. Now they come into the classroom reminding me that Friday is poetry day and cheering the poems we listen to and discuss. The selection of poetry is wonderfully diverse but the audio CD is the best part. Listening to these poets is electrifying and has really sucked in my students. Suddenly they are going to poetry slams and submitting to the literary magazine. Suddenly poetry is fun. I cannot say enough good things about this collection.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop & the Poetry of a New Generation

Buy cheap The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop & the Poetry of a New Generation now.

De Rerum Natura (Oxford Classical Texts) (Bks.1-6) (Latin Edition) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Lucretius isn't an author most come across, but nevertheless the DE RERVM NATVRA is truly a classic. In it he explains his version of epicureanism, taken from Epicurus and tweaked by Lucretius himself. Don't think our word 'epicurean' and this epicureanism are the same thing: epicurean has taken on a set of meanings that usually aren't present in the early philosophy, or in Lucretius's laying-out of it. Epicureanism should appeal to moderns as a very scientific view of the universe (L. offers scientific explanations of natural phaenomena, and isn't afraid to suspend judgement), including early atomic theory. On the other hand, the poetry and storytelling are moving. It is philosophy rimmed with the honey of poetry (as Lucretius puts it himself). As per this edition, it's pricey, but well worth it to completely understand the poet. The book itself is handsome and just the right size, and layed out well. The commentary is actually useful, unlike so many classical commentaries. It's advanced, but doesn't neglect or take for granted too much. At the same time, it doesn't concentrate on matters with a specialistic or only tenuous connection to the poem. In all, this is the place to study Lucretius, and to read a beautiful poem containing a beautiful (because thoughtful and insightful) philosophy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: De Rerum Natura (Oxford Classical Texts) (Bks.1-6) (Latin Edition)

The De Rerum Natura of Lucretius is a sustained and impassioned protest against religious superstition and irrationality. The poem takes the form of a detailed exposition of Epicurean physical theory - an extreme materialism designed to remove and discredit popular fears of the gods, death and an afterlife. Book III is generally accepted to be the finest in the whole poem; Lucretius argues there that the soul is as mortal as the body and shows that human response to the fact of mortality and death can be at once rational, dignified and liberating. Professor Kenney's commentary is the first to give proper critical emphasis to the techniques and intentions of Lucretius' poetry; it can be read with profit by all students of Latin from senior school level upwards.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Get 7% OFF

Buy cheap De Rerum Natura (Oxford Classical Texts) (Bks.1-6) (Latin Edition) now.

Norton Book of Light Verse Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have never read a collection of poems so consistantly funny in my life. The pieces included are all very clever and very quote-worthy. I could read the whole thing in a sitting.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Norton Book of Light Verse

Buy cheap Norton Book of Light Verse now.

Voyeur Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I love words, but don't often read poetry these days (after my affairs with Dorothy Parker and Edna St. Vincent Millay back in college). After reading Voyeur, I am compelled to write my first review on Amazon. These poems are largely about women, relationships, and power. They are thought-provoking and provocative. I had to read them several times -- firstly, out loud to hear the words trip over themselves; secondly, to attempt an understanding; and lastly, to determine what they mean only to me. Certain phrases really spoke to me and would surprise me by popping into my head throughout my day, like little pieces of hard candy that I would roll around on my tongue. Oh, there are so many, but I love the phrase "We sip our due from each other's shoes to free our mattress of sides" and the bon mot "A toast and traffic jam." I believe that great poetry challenges readers to learn more about themselves and provide insights not normally gained through our day to day lives. Having been personally surprised by these poems, this book achieves exactly that -- words, ideas, paradigms that pull you out of yourself and give you back something deeply personal at the same time. I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Voyeur

Winner of the 2009 Los Angeles Book Festival Award for Poetry & Winner of the Gival Press Poetry Award --"Voyeur is a work of vision and virtuosity. Concerned with relationships, marriage, sex and power, the poetry is dense, rapid, dazzling, the voice commanding, and the speaker charismatic. Combining multifaceted imagery with sharply angled enjambments and jammed syntax, Rich Murphy creates poems that are like broken glass-beautiful, jagged, risky to handle. But even though they cut-or maybe because they cut-one can't resist picking up piece after piece. The poems are extraordinary as individuals, from the intriguing declarative first sentence of each down to its decisive, glistening last line. And as a collection, like 'a subtle song [that] travels / from ancient feet through hearts / to first breath in the world,' Voyeur is spectacular."-Richard Carr, judge for the Gival Press Poetry Award and author of Honey

Buy cheap Voyeur now.

A. Persi Flacci et D. Iuni Iuuenalis Saturae (Oxford Classical Texts) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A great book for collectors, if you are into latin classical books, this is must. An unusual book to have and great for those who like me enjoy building impressive libraries.

Click Here to see more reviews about: A. Persi Flacci et D. Iuni Iuuenalis Saturae (Oxford Classical Texts)

Two highly influential writers of satirical poetry in the early Roman Empire, Persius and Juvenal are universally admired and enjoyed for the mordant wit and biting irony with which they exposed contemporary life and abuses under the notorious emperors Nero and Domitian. This new and revised edition--the first since the original publication in 1959--conveniently brings together both poets in a single volume, and contains, along with a freshly amended version of the text, a concise apparatus criticus at the foot of each page and a full Preface, giving a comprehensive overview of the state of the text in light of recent scholarship.

Buy cheap A. Persi Flacci et D. Iuni Iuuenalis Saturae (Oxford Classical Texts) now.

Poetry Slam: The Competitive Art of Performance Poetry Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)One of the most accesible books around for anyone even remotely interested in poetry. If you've never been to an open mic or a slam, give this one a whirl...it'll make you want to go (and maybe even slip a poem in your pocket before you lock the door). If you've been to an open mic and wondered what else was out there that was like what you just saw, this book captures a great many of those elements for you.
Not just a book of poems, throughout the work are placed a great many essays written by long-time, well-known National slam poets (Taylor Mali, Danny Solis, etc.) about nearly every aspect of reading and performing one's work...a long-overdue codification of information for performing poets at ANY level.
Some of the poems contained within are national favorites, a few legend, but they ALL contain a lesson about performance poetry: that it starts on the page.
A MUST have for any poet who is (or is considering) performing their poetry before audiences in any capacity. A necessary bit of packing for any poet with national aspirations of slamming, touring or just reading.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Poetry Slam: The Competitive Art of Performance Poetry

From their humble beginnings in dimly lit bars to the 1999 international convergence with poets from 48 cities, poetry slams - the "Olympics of poetry" - have become a cultural phenomenon. This vital anthology documents ten years of these unprecedented literary events. The book includes tips on how to win, details on how to plan a national tour, and 100 of the best slam-winning poems by contributors from throughout the U.S., including poetry slam founder Marc Smith , Lisa Martinovic, Justin Chin, and Patricia Smith. Bob Holman (producer, "The United States of Poetry") tells how to host a local poetry slam.

Get 32% OFF

Buy cheap Poetry Slam: The Competitive Art of Performance Poetry now.

Live Wire Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Live Wire is the fourth published book of poetry by Golden Style, written especially to raise awareness in a world where lies and distortions of the truth aren't merely spread person to person, but also publically broadcast on news media. Drawn from hard-learned lessons and the grim realities of current events, Live Wire appeals to voice, body and spirit, using simple rhyming schemes that lend themselves naturally to being read aloud. "Dried Ink": When the ink is still moist, / You have the option of a second choice. / Remember the days not long ago, / When you did things for the show. / You didn't comprehend, so your intellect, / Was put on pause, thus you couldn't grow. / Then you wrote words without thinking. / Now when people see you they see dirt, / You wrote words that left pain and hurt. / Now that the tears have been cried, / Just remember the ink has been dried.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Live Wire

Live Wire is broken into five parts and is a well-seasoned book of poems skillfully blended with three important elements: life, humor and spirit. Some of the popular poems in this book are "Tax Break," "Bastard Seed," "Pimp Magic," "Time 4 Change," "Cocaine," and "Roach Part 2."

Buy cheap Live Wire now.

Wild Poppies: A Poetry Jam Across Prison Walls - Poets And Musicians Honor Poet And Political Prisoner Marilyn Buck Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a beautifully edited collection of contemporary (mainly West Coast) poets reading their own poems and those of Marilyn Buck. Recordings are high (studio) quality. The short musical segues thread the readings together into a concert-like whole. Easy to listen straight through or by selected tracks. Includes informative notes on the insert.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Wild Poppies: A Poetry Jam Across Prison Walls - Poets And Musicians Honor Poet And Political Prisoner Marilyn Buck

This poetry CD was created across razor wire, prison bars and censored phone lines. It is a gathering of 27 poets/activists celebrating the work of Marilyn Buck, who has spent more than 20 years in US prisons for her anti-imperialist politics and actions. Marilyn recites from behind prison walls. Sonia Sanchez, Dennis Brutus, Genny Lim, devorah major, Carlos Quiles, Jean Stewart, Akwasi Evans, Uchechi Kalu, Mitsuye Amada and Chrystos read Marilyn's poetry and their own, mixed with music. Tributes from Amiri Baraka and Kwame Ture. 46 tracks. 70 minutes. Pure poetry in motion.

Buy cheap Wild Poppies: A Poetry Jam Across Prison Walls - Poets And Musicians Honor Poet And Political Prisoner Marilyn Buck now.

Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from the NYPD's First "Hip-Hop Cop" Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)NOTORIOUS C.O.P. by Derrick Parker gives the unknown stories of many hip-hop crimes. Parker was a detective with the New York Police Department and the first cop on the special unit set up strictly to solve hip-hop crimes. Parker was raised in the same neighborhoods and personally knew many of these hip-hop icons which gave added depth to his story. He was in Las Vegas after the Tupac Shakur murder and in Los Angeles following the murder of Biggie Smalls. He even had details that never made the papers, yet pointed directly to the killers. He gave interesting details of Li'l Kim's conviction on perjury and good reasons why she did it. Before Jam Master Jay's murder, Derrick Parker had retired from the police department, but he was still very interested and as a result, he personally protected one of the eye witnesses and requested witness protection from the department for her. Needless to say, they reneged after promising to help and it angered him very much. He also tells of hip-hop crimes that were never reported such as the home invasion Foxy Brown and her mother endured.

If you've ever wondered what is really going on in the hip-hop world, then NOTORIOUS C.O.P. is the book to read. It gives the background of the rappers as well as a vivid description of the neighborhoods and backgrounds they come from. Parker even explains why there is so much crime in the hip-hop music business. As he so realistically points out, it is going on in the regular business world also, just on a much lower key and so we never hear about it until an Enron explodes. It is a fascinating and enlightening book.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Click Here to see more reviews about: Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from the NYPD's First "Hip-Hop Cop"

As head of the first special force unit devoted exclusively to the investigation of hip-hop crime, first-grade detective Derrick Parker worked on some of the biggest criminal cases in rap history. From the shooting at Club New York to the murder of Tupac Shakur, Derrick was on the inside of hip-hop’s most notorious crimes.Always straddling the fence between "po-po” and NYPD outsider, Derrick threatened police tradition to try and get the cases solved. He was the first New York detective on the Biggie Smalls’ murder and discovered shocking and never-before-revealed information from an unlikely informant. He protected one of the only surviving eyewitnesses to the Jam Master Jay murder and knows the identity of the killers as well as the motivation behind the shooting. Notorious C.O.P. reveals hip-hop crimes that never made the paper--like the robbing of Foxy Brown and the first Hot 97 shooting--and answers some lingering questions about murders that have remained unsolved. The book that both the NYPD and the hip-hop community don’t want you to read, Notorious C.O.P. is the first insider look at the real links between crime and hip-hop and the inefficiencies that have left some of the most widely publicized murders in entertainment history unsolved.

Get 61% OFF

Buy cheap Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from the NYPD's First "Hip-Hop Cop" now.

The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A delightful book -- Kay Ryan's sparkling verse, encircled by
Carl Dern's witty drawings. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan's poems need no enhancement, but this little volume - perfect in shape, size, and execution - is a charming tribute. A perfect gift.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed

Kay Ryan is the Poet Laureate of the United States. Her intensely strange, yet humorous and musical poems have been compared to those of Emily Dickenson. Playful and darkly witty, The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed delves into the oddities of human behavior. Each of the fifteen poems are Ryan's response to a randomly selected entry in Ripley's Believe It or Not!. The poems are accompanied by delightful full color illustrations by Carl Dern. This is a perfect gift for any poetry lover.

Buy cheap The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed now.

Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There are few poetry anthologies that one will turn to time and time again for a poetic take on reality. Bum Rush the Page is that sort of anthology and more. It is filled with poetry that will make you cry, laugh out loud, say "Amen," say "Well alright," and make you nod your head in solidarity. It's the kind of book you can read on the train, subway, bus, plane, the kind of book you can read in bed, alone or not, on the couch, alone or not. The poems tell it like it is, they dance, they sway and they groove. They are tough, funny, inspirational, and blunt. In some cases, they are..., sensual and revolutionary. In the end, they are works of some of the best poets with fresh voices and fresh styles, saying it loud.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam

Get 33% OFF

Buy cheap Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam now.