A Damn Good Book

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I have been trying to read poetry lately, this sounds like a great collection. I recently got Grief is the thing with feathers from the library, at your recommendation. Can't wait to read it!

Yes Yes Yes. I will absolutely be checking this collection out! Thanks for talking about it! :)

It is such fun to see you so happy and excited about this collection! Thank you for posting all the links to the books you mentioned. Your channel is just the best!

i love your analysis of the poems and there connection to various poets/art. It sounds so beautiful and i definitely want to check it out

Yayyyyyy! I'm excited. <3

Sounds amazing. I'll definitely be looking for it.

this collection sounds great, can't wait to get it!

I will definitely check this out. I've been reading more poetry lately but I am still very much new to it.
I love Grief is the Thing with Feathers and this sounds lovely.

Hi Jen, I hope you're well and your writing is amazing. No doubt it is.
I wondered if I could ask you for some advice.. and maybe it could be turned into a possible video idea for you.... as you know I really want to get into poetry this year. I recently purchased the entire works of Emily Dickinson and the other night I settled down and opened the book up so that I could enjoy the poetry.... but I just couldn't get into the zone??? Could you give me some advice on how to get into a poetry zone, how to enjoy them to their full extent and beauty... I don't know, I guess I'm having a tough time focusing on enjoying poetry as it isn't a novel. It isn't fiction.... I find it really hard to get lost in them unlike with novels. I'd so appreciate your advice. Thanks so much, Jade x

Lovely recommendation! Can't wait to read it! Thanks! =)

Jen I'm so jealous you got to read this already!! x

ive had this preorderd for a while i cannot wait

dear jen, thank you for the recommendation - i absolutely loved grief is the thing with feathers (meaning it completely wrecked me), so i cannot wait to get my hands on this... much love, jenny

You know it was that pot of tea you brewed not two cups and you knew that it was going to call your name when you set on your desk. Glad you succumbed to temptation because now everyone knows that new good poetry is heading our way

Have you ever read Over the Moon by Imtiaz Dharker and if so, would you recommend? I heard it mentioned on Radio 4 the other day and it sounds along the same lines.

wow, i think i'll definitely be picking this up. the bits about crying in the mirror reminded me of this from maggie nelson - 'Eventually I confess to a friend some details about my weeping - its intensity, its frequency. She says (kindly) that she thinks we sometimes weep in front of a mirror not to inflame self-pity, but because we want to feel witnessed in our despair. (Can a reflection be a witness? Can one pass oneself the sponge wet with vinegar from a reed?)'

i have a large collection of crying selfies myself and am currently reading a book on the history of crying - maybe a bit of an odd interest but this collection sounds perfect for me!

I love how you make poetry accessible and less intimidating to someone like me who is tentatively starting out in reading poetry. I will definitely be adding this book to my collection, thanks.

Hi, can you recommend any good books about myths?

You have a way of making me want to read poetry so badly. I'll definitely be picking this up.

Thanks Jen for another brilliant recommendation! Definitely going to check this out, I read 'No matter the wreckage' and I absolutely loved it!!

Derek Walcott is my favorite poet

Your enthusiasm is so infectious - I am going to place a pre-order this evening

Yay! Your first poetry video of the new year! This collection sounds excellent. I'm most certainly going to pick up a copy .

This does sound amazing... and I got a private reading what makes it extra special. I am going to have to get myself a copy of this as it sounds like (though I'm still experimenting) my kind of poetry.

Loved your review! You make me want to read poetry, which is outside of my usual reads...

That book sounds amazing. You know, you have inspired me to try reading poetry. I read Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman and a little by the Brownings, but nothing much since I got out of school over 20 years ago. I was wondering if you might have any recommendations for me.

This sounds awesome, and I'm soso glad there's more poetry exposure on book tube - I was always hesitant about poetry but your vids helped me realise it's not impossible to read haha (I recently read Wendy Cope's Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis, which has possibly the best reimagining/parody of The Waste Land ever and is a really good intro to poetry since it's 'light verse.') From this vid I'm getting a load of Sylvia Plath feels and I can't wait to pick up this collection once it's out 😄

Lol. You made me smile. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the whole book:-)

Thanks Jen, I'll definitely be checking this one out. We have a very 'traditional ' collection of poetry in our school library and I'm looking to add some new blood to the stock to try to entice the students to enjoy poetry. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed xx

Oh no, my hand slipped and clicked on your Book Depository link and pre-ordered this. Sorry, wallet. Can't wait to get it!

Hi Jen,

Just curious--Have you ever read any Sharon Olds? If you have, did you like it?

Thanks xx

Jen, have you heard the BBC In our time Philosophy podcast's feminism episode? If you haven't I don't know if I would recommend it, although I love the podcast in general, as it's midly infuriating to listen to, but they talked a bit about poetry, and the two scholars agreed women shouldn't "waste" their time writing poetry as they'll just mimick men.... Yeah, thoughts?

Hi Jen - This collection sounds amazing. So much so that today I bought it (yes, on release day) and I adore it. I love the imagery of the sea. I haven't really read much poetry since studying it at university and recently I find I've been drawn to poetry more than my usual novels. I am a little rusty with my analysis of poetry and want to get back to analysing it as well as appreciating the beauty of the language. Do you have any recommendations of books that explain the various techniques in poetry and equip you with the tools of analysing it? I know you've done some analysis videos which were great, and lots of people tell you they're scared of poetry so this might be another great video idea (and another idea - I know you sometimes give poetry writing workshops. How about poetry appreciation workshops? Kind of like an English literature class on poetry?. I'd certainly be interested in signing up!). - Eleni

This sounds so good! I shall have to pick it up.

thank you for a very enthusiastic review - I enjoyed Dear Boy very much so this has encouraged me to purchase this new work

A Damn Good Review