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Best Japanese Poetry & Haiku

Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry For Your...Brains
In your hands is a poetry journal written by an undead poet, recounting his firsthand experience during the zombie plague. Ryan Mecum has quite possibly found the only corner of entertainment not yet infected by the zombie plague--haiku--and made me wonder why it took this long, as the two seem to go together like zombies and brains. "The most inventive zombie book in years!" Ryan Mecum is the author of the adorably disgusting Horror Haiku series that includes Zombie Haiku , Vampire Haiku , Werewolf Haiku , and Dawn Of Zombie Haiku .
Reviews
"Great read for everyone."
"At first I had no interest but after reading the first few pages I was hooked."
"This would make a perfect gift for that special someone with zombies on the brain!"
"I loved it so much I bought a few and passed them around as Christmas gifts this past year to anyone I knew that would appreciate this kind of humor."
"Book #1 Read in 2014. Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum. This was a quick read, told in haiku format, about the zombie uprising."
"Yes, sometimes repetitive and gory, with silly photos and no happy ending, nevertheless, a good addition to any haiku library."
"This is a fun haiku poetry book that is perfect for quick reading while waiting."
"My Son owns all the Haiku books by Ryan Mecum so I have read them all."
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The Heart of Haiku (Kindle Single)
In seventeenth-century Japan, the wandering poet Basho developed haiku, a seventeen-syllable poetic form now perhaps the most widely written type of poetry in the world. Absolutely no prior interest in poetry is necessary to take from Hirshfield's essay the inspiration to drop everything, walk out in to the wide world, open your eyes, and find out for yourself that "even the briefest form of poetry can have a wing-span of immeasurable breadth."
Reviews
"Jane Hirshfield's Nine Gates: Entering the Mind of Poetry, a series of deep but approachable, gentle but commanding essays on poetry, is my favorite book on literature of all time."
"Overwhelming because of the possibilities & suppleness of the verse, the beauty of the visual imagery, & the perceptions that permeate your senses. She takes us through a mollifying journey of the poet's life & points out how his circumstance changed affected his verse. She, like Basho, stays away from the dramatic & displays remarkable composure in stitching this story of remarkable beauty & pathos."
"I've been reading Basho & other Haiku masters for years, but Hirshfield in this essay has created an illumination of Basho much as Basho's haiku poems illuminate the moments & places where they came to rest. I started reading this book around 3am, planning to read a few pages & off to sleep... but Hirshfield managed to make a must read cliff-hanger out of Basho's life & development as one of the world's greatest poets."
"It's inevitable to don't end loving deeply to Bashō and feel a calmness to enter a spirit so kind that talks to us intimately."
"A little book, it is a window to the art, life, and essence of Bashō, a poet eternally tied to haiku form."
"This authoritative yet unpretentious and engaging introduction to haiku, especially the work of Basho, is a gem."
"As an author of haiku myself (I have some. in my poetry collection Carry On Dancing and some in Leap ) I'm always looking to learn how the Great haiku artists treat the genre, and what we can learn from haiku."
"A riveting biography of Basho and a brilliant examination of the history and nature of haiku, this short book contains more than most books ten times longer."
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Japanese Death Poems: Written by Zen Monks and Haiku Poets on the Verge of Death
— Tricycle: The Buddhist Review Although the consciousness of death is, in most cultures, very much a part of life, this is perhaps nowhere more true than in Japan, where the approach of death has given rise to a centuries-old tradition of writing jisei , or the "death poem." by Bokusui A Swollen Bottle Gourd by Botange Shohaku Yesterday, It Was Hibiscus by Botange Shohaku Oh, I Don't Care by Bufu I Crossed From Last by Bunzan The Running Stream by Chiboku Butterflies In Flight: by Chikuro It Lights Up by Chine Feast Of The Dead- by Chiri First Crops: by Chiri In Earth And Sky by Chirin A Fawn Frolics by Chiyo Ni I Saw The Moon As Well by Chiyoni I Long For People- by Chogo A Raging Sea by Choha This Final Scene I'l Not See by Choko Paradise, by Chora Leaves Never Fall by Chori On The Way West by Choshi I Wait, White Clouds by Chosui This Is One Poem by Chowa My Seventy Years-a Withered by Daibai You Cannot Tell by Daibai A Tune Of Non-being by Daido Ichi'i Needles Pierce My Ailing Body, And Pain Grows by Daigu Sochiku My Whole Life Long I've Sharpened My Sword by Dairin Soto Cargoless, by Dohaku Here In The Shadow Of Death It Is Hard by Dokyo Etan Lotus Seed In Ten by Donsui In All My Six And Fifty Years by Doyu All My Life I Taught Zen To The People- by Enni Ben'en Autumn Waters by Enryo A Parting Gift To My Body: by Ensei Autumn Gust: by Ensetsu Many Things Befell Me A S I Followed Buddha by Ensetsu All Moving Things by Enshi My Companion In The Skies by Fufu Rise, Let Us Go- by Fujo Empty Cicada Shell: by Fukaku A Bright And Pleasant by Fukyu Today, Then, Is The Day by Fusen Upon The Lotus Flower by Fuso The Earth Is Fragrant by Fuwa One Spot, Alone by Gaki Blow If You Will, by Gansan I Lean Against by Gazen Morning Glory by Gengen'ichi A Graveyard: by Gensho Inhale, Exhale by Gesshu Soko Stumble, by Getsurei Illness Lingers On And On by Gimei I Leap From Depths by Ginka See- by Ginko Clear Sky- by Gitoku All Doctrines Split Asunder by Giun I Was Born Into This World by Gizan Zenrai This Is What I Think: by Gochu Chrysanthemums Were Yellow by Godo I Have Not Yet Grown Weary by Gofu A Lone Paulownia Leaf by Gohei The Second Month: by Gohei Fields Dying Off: by Gokei The Truth Embodied In The Buddhas by Goku Kyonen Spring Will Meet This Year by Gosen Returning Thanks by Goshi Disgusted With by Goshu A Cuckoo Cries by Goshuku Blossoms Scent The Air by Gozan The Snow Of Yesterday by Gozan I Wonder Where by Hakuen What Is It But A Dream? by Koho Kennichi And If I Do by Koju For Over Sixty Years by Kokei Sochin Farewell, Sire- by Konishi Raizan Raizan Had Died by Konishi Raizan This Stone Made Ready For My Tomb by Konkan When I Leave The World by Konkan The Joy Of Dewdrops by Koraku Autumn Ends: by Kosai Poor Kosai- by Kosai Three Years: by Kosai Swear To Me, Pine, by Koseki I Die by Koson If I Must Die by Koyo How Sublime- by Kozan Empty-handed I Entered The World by Kozan Ichikyo My Morning Porridge, by Kusamaru A Last Fart: by Kyo'on I Am Not Worthy by Kyohaku When You Contemplate The Waters by Kyokusai A Journey Of No Return: by Kyoshu In Heavy Snow by Kyutaro Tender Winds Above The Snow by Kyutaro Moon In A Barrel: by Mabutsu The Snowman's Eyes by Mabutsu Now That My Storehouse by Masahide While I Walk On by Masahide I Draw The Willow by Masumi Kato The Path To Paradise by Masumi Kato The Surface by Masumi Kato An Ailing Mallard by Matsuo Munefusa Airing Out The Robe by Matsuo Munefusa On A Journey, Ill: by Matsuo Munefusa My Only Hope Against by Meisetsu Today I Put On Summer by Michikaze Fall, Plum Petals, by Minteisengan The Foam On The Last Water by Mitoku I Constantly Aspire by Mokudo Clouds Breaking Up, by Momen Today by Moritake The Drone Of The Mosquitoes by Motojo Sadly I See by Mukai Kyorai Life Is An Ever-rolling Wheel by Mumon Gensen When It Comes-just So! by Rochu On The Ground by Rogan The Times Are Torn Asunder- by Rogen Evening Shadows Steal by Roka I Wake Up by Rokushi Sweep Away by Rosen Time To Go... by Roshu Now It Reveals Its Hidden Side by Ryokan Is Man A by Ryosa I Understand: by Ryoto Till Now by Ryoto A Plover Rises by Ryou The New Year by Ryu'u Now I Understand How by Ryuho Brittle Pampas Grass- by Ryusai Man Is Buddha- by Ryushi I Shift My Pillow by Saiba I Borrow Moonlight by Saikaku In This Delusive World by Saikaku I'll Cross The Ridge by Saimaro Dawn Breaks by Saimu How Sad... by Sakyoku Cherry Blossoms Fall by Saruo Joy Of Living, by Seigan Soi Not Even For A Moment by Seiju Water Veins by Seiju Boarding The Boat by Seira My Body, Useless by Seisa My Hour Draws Near And I Am Sill Alive, by Seisetsu Shucho Rain Clouds Clear Away: by Seishu Deep In The Underbrush by Sempo I Cup My Ears by Senchojo He Who Comes Knows Only His Coming by Sengai Gibbon Somehow Or Other by Senkei Bitter Winds Of Winter- by Senryu Like Dewdrops by Senryu A Willow Tree In Fall: by Senryu At Long Last I Am Leaving: by Senseki Like Ice In Storage by Sentoku Now Then, by Setsudo Reality Is Flowerlike: by Shagai I Have Gone Through by Sharyu Hold On!- by Shayo Returning As It Came, by Shidoken Of Such A Time As This by Shiei Farewell To Blessed Be by Shigan A Willow Branch by Shigenobu To Grass It Comes by Shikaku A Barrelful Of Phlegm- by Shiki The Loofah Blooms And by Shiki Loofah Water by Shiki A Cricket, Crying, by Shiko I Vanish- by Shiko Feast Of The Dead: by Shinga Fickle Winter Shower: by Shinseki And Won't There Be by Shiyo Snow On The Pines by Shiyo Surely There's A Teahouse by Shiyo Willingly by Shizan One Moon- by Shofu Autumn Ends: by Shogetsu Today The Sky Above Mount Hiei, Too, by Shogo O Morning Glory- by Shohi My Shame In This World by Shokei Chilling Cold: by Shoku'u Pampas Grass, Now Dry, by Shoro Flowers Bloomed Yesterday, by Shoshun The Fall Of Leaves by Shozan Cicada Shell: by Shuho Is It Me The Raven Calls by Shukabo Above The Fence by Shukyo The Winter Fowl by Shumpan My Sword Leans Against The Sky. by Shumpo Soki No Single Bone In My Body Is Holy- by Shumpo Soki Adrift Between The Earth And Sky by Shun'oku Soen I Wake And Find by Shushiki Frost On S Summer Day: by Shutei Walking Westward, by So'oku Whether Or Not A Paradise by Soa Full Autumn Moon: by Sodo Festival Of Souls: by Sofu Empty Are by Sohoku This Winter by Sohoku The Road I Take by Sokin Like Full, Plump by Soko Shadows From A Lingering Sun by Soko A Green Gourd by Somaru Skies At Dawn- by Sonome Autumn Winds: by Soryu Lotus Seeds by Sosen The Years Have Piled Up by Sugetsu By The Fifth Month by Suikoku Spitting Blood by Sunao This Frosty Month by Tadatomo I Raise The Mirror Of My Life by Taigen Sofu The Deutzia Has Bloomed- by Taikyo Flowers Bloom A Score Of Days- by Tairyu Brittle Autumn Leaves by Takao When Summoned, by Takuchi Soon I Shall Hear by Takuro Cool- by Tamanari A Lone Monk by Tamashichi Such Is The World's Way: by Tanehiko The First Snow by Tanko For Eight And Fifty Years by Tanko Life-cutting Axe: by Tanko The Moon Leaks Out by Tanko Today Too, by Tanko With My Cane by Tantan Open The Shutters by Teikitsu A Plover Wades Through by Teisa A Morning Glory- by Teishi New Year- by Teishitsu I Wish This Body by Tembo Among The Barley Stalks by Tesshi When I Leave by Tesshu Full Of Great Changes by Tetsugen Doko I Look Now At The Very Moment by Tetto Giko The Truth Is Never Taken by Tetto Giko When Autumn Winds Blow by Togyu Food Is Steaming by Toho Within Your Life And Mine by Toho I Go Back by Tojaku Even Dew Distilled by Tojun Death Poems by Toko My Life Was by Tokugen Sound Of A Melody: by Tomoemon Seventy Years And More by Tosui Unkei Though My Dwelling Be Small by Tosui Unkei Today Is The End Of Religion's Work- by Tosui Unkei All Four Pillars Of Enlightenment by Toyo Eicho Is It Like by Toyokuni From The Day Of My Coming Hither by Tsugen Jakurei Give My Dream Back, by Uejima Onitsura Cuckoo, by Uko The Voice Of The Nightingale by Uko I Came Into The World After Buddha.
Reviews
"My favorite poems are the shorter type (Haiku) which is why I love Japanese poetry with its Zen like approach to writing poetry. To those not familiar with death poetry, it was a practice of Japanese monks, Samurai, (warriors) and other Haiku Poets to write a poem at the moment of their death. The first part includes the introduction, the poetry of Japan, death and its poetry in the cultural history of Japan and a note on the poems."
"I enjoyed reading the transcendent death poems."
"I love the analysis done with the poems."
"this is a book to meditate, great."
"About halfway through and already one of my favorites."
"Exquisite reflections at the end of this life by mindful beings."
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Best Chinese Poetry

The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain
storied cliffs were the fortune I cast. bird trails beyond human tracks. what surrounds my yard. white clouds nesting dark rocks. I've lived here quite a few years. and always seen the spring-water change. tell those people with tripods and bells. empty names are no damn good. my place is on Cold Mountain. perched on a cliff beyond the circuit of affliction. images leave no trace when they vanish. I roam the whole galaxy from here. lights and shadows flash across my mind. not one dharma comes before me. since I found the magic pearl. I can go anywhere everywhere it's perfect. The Poems Of Big Stick: 1. The Poems Of Big Stick: 2. The Poems Of Big Stick: 3. The Poems Of Big Stick: 4. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 1. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 10. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 100. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 101. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 102. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 103. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 104. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 105. The Poems Of Cold Mountain: 106. 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The Poems Of Pickup: 6. The Poems Of Pickup: 7. The Poems Of Pickup: 8. The Poems Of Pickup: 9. -- Table of Poems from Poem Finder® Text: English, Chinese (translation).
Reviews
"Han Shan was a medieval Chinese poet, often considered part of the Ch'an (Zen) Buddhist tradition. The poems are short, but the book is long, containing 307 poems by Han Shan, 49 by Shih Te, and four by Feng Kan. Han Shan's style is simple and straightforward, lyrical at times and rhetorical, even invective, at others."
"I have an old addition with about a third of the poems, so it was great to get the complete work."
"Book is in new condition."
"These mostly short thoughts set life into perspective in a satisfying way."
"Elegant words from a master poet."
"Hanshan, Cold Mountain, is a great poet who's work remains interesting and inviting in any age."
"Beautiful and provocative."
"The history was better than I expected and he (Han Shan) has such succinct poems."
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Best Spanish Poetry

The Aeneid (Vintage Classics)
Virgil's great epic transforms the Homeric tradition into a triumphal statement of the Roman civilizing mission. Long the bane of second-year Latin students thrust into a rhetoric of sweeping, seemingly endless sentences full of difficult verb forms and obscure words, Virgil's Aeneid finds a helpful translator in Robert Fitzgerald, who turns the lines into beautiful, accessible American English. “Fitzgerald’s is so decisively the best modern Aeneid that it is unthinkable anyone will want to use any other version for a long time to come.” – New York Review of Books “A rendering that is both marvelously readable and scrupulously faithful . Fitzgerald has managed, by a sensitive use of faintly archaic vocabulary and a keen ear for sound and rhythm, to suggest the solemnity and the movement of Virgil’s poetry as no previous translator has done . Fitzgerald hides his consummate artistry, effaces his own prodigious labor, until the text speaks to us directly, without foreignness of time or place.” – The Boston Review.
Reviews
"This is a superb translation by John Dryden (17th century English poet)."
"There are many good translations of Virgil's Aeneid, but Dryden's is special."
"This makes The Aeneid actually readable."
"A good translation."
"I had to read it for my humanities class at UCSD, and it was one of the better books to read."
"This is a good translation of Vergil's masterpiece: The Aeneid."
"It was sometimes hard to keep track of the same people or nations having 3 or 4 separate names, but this offered a quick reference and short description that I found invaluable."
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Best Asian Poetry

The Way of Chuang Tzu (Second Edition)
Chuang Tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries B.C., is the chief authentic historical spokesperson for Taoism and its founder Lao Tzu (a legendary character known largely through Chuang Tzu’s writings). (Alan Watts, The New York Times Book Review) Thomas Merton is the saintly man who caused the Dalai Lama to come to admire Christianity as the equal of his beloved Buddhism. (Thich Nhat Hanh) ". Thomas Merton is the saintly man who caused the Dalai Lama to come to admire Christianity as the equal of his beloved Buddhism.
Reviews
"wonderful quotes from old school Chinese soul challenging."
"Merton in his opening puts the books poem in a Christian context that makes them more relevant to my journey."
"There is something so mesmerizing about Chuang Tzu, so loving and necessary."
"Chuang Tzu."
"This is an amazing book about understanding the Tao by a Christian monk."
"Scalpel like, yet accessible, this collection of thoughts serve as a wonderful guide and reminder of many of the core principles of The Tao."
"Love this."
"I used this book for spiritual reading."
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Best Italian Poetry

The Divine Comedy
The authoritative translations of The Inferno , The Purgatorio , and The Paradiso —together in one volume. Critic extraordinaire James (Cultural Amnesia, 2007) is also a poet (Opal Sunset: Selected Poems, 2008), and he has been working his way to this daring project ever since he was in Florence in the mid-1960s while studying at Cambridge, as he explains in his rousing introduction. James’ revitalizing translation allows this endlessly analyzed, epic, archetypal “journey to salvation” to once again stride, whirl, blaze, and sing. Anyone heretofore reluctant to pick up The Divine Comedy will discover that James’ bold, earthy, rhythmic and rhyming, all-the-way live English translation fulsomely and brilliantly liberates the profound humanity of Dante’s timeless masterpiece.
Reviews
"I'm happy to report that Clive James has made even this abstract exploration of light and doctrine (and, I might add, occasionally smug self-righteousness on Dante's part) a fascinating journey. James has chosen an unusual verse form - quatrains, with an abab rhyme scheme - to translate this, but it works well: it moves quickly and smoothly, each line pulling you forward to the next. For example, the "one who made the great refusal" is identified in the verse as Pope Celestine: if you have to pick one among many, that IS the closest to a scholarly consensus; but purists would argue against closing off other possibilities."
"Not being a fan of Italian material, or ancient poetry, this attempt, although no doubt brilliant, is still not going to put Dante front and center in our time."
"One of the best; I always enjoyed reading it; over and over."
"I wish the verses were numbered as well, but with the Kindle you can search by word and the results give you ample clues as to which canto the word on which the search was performed is located."
"Dante is part of my "Life Curriculum," books that I read and reread throughout my years, inorder to establish a good basis for thinking and believing."
"His style is both poetic and dramatic, and while he strives to make the text accessible to a modern reader, he does not make the mistake of cheapening the genius of Dante by making a "modern" translation. And, of course, all the various characters and personalities that Dante encounters in his journey toward and into Heaven are explained (if the reader does not have an extremely solid grasp of Medieval European politics (and how many of us do?"
"I read a different version that had extensive use of very fancy words which made keeping up with the story line a bit difficult."
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Best Women's Poetry

Milk and Honey
The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. (USA Today). “Rupi Kaur has vision beyond her years … Her work is simply but powerfully expressed, and viscerally captures both universal human experience and the particular struggles of a young woman today." Rupi Kaur's first book, Milk and Honey is the poetry collection every woman needs on her nightstand or coffee table. Rupi Kaur’s writing echoes of artistry and wisdom which is seen in the work of those that have been writing for years. rupi kaur is a bestselling author and illustrator of two collections of poetry. while studying at the university of waterloo rupi self-published her first collection milk and honey in 2014. milk and honey became an international phenomenon that's been translated into over 30 languages and sold over 2.5 million copies. through her poetry rupi explores a variety of themes ranging from love.
Reviews
"I would've maybe given it two stars if I checked it out at the local library for free, but I'm annoyed I invested my hard earned American dollars into this book. I seriously don't understand if everyone is just reading into the completely non-thought provoking "poems" in this book and making up their own deep meaning or if I'm just totally missing the boat on this one. If you told me my 9-year-old nephew and 6-month-old niece collabed on this book, with him covering the poetry while she handled the artwork, I would fully believe you. If you're a 10th grader who just got dumped by Jimmy from home room and you wanna post a snapchat of one of these heart wrenching break up poems to express how angsty you are, you'll love it."
"I found Rupi Kaur (after hearing her name drifting about) when I saw a breathtaking piece by her (starting with "let me tell you about a selfish person..."). I love poetry. I love traditional poetry, struxtured poetry, unstructured poetry, modern poetry, stand up poetry, you name it. My shelves are lined with just as much edgy, modern, is-this-even-poetry books from up-and-coming poets as they are lined with TS Elliot and Tennyson."
"This is some of the most trite poetry I have ever read, and exemplifies zero skill of poetic craft."
"I have been seeing this at all of the bookstores and decided to give it a read based on the brilliant cover design and book description. It has been a while since I have read a book of poetry, but I have to say I don't feel like I just read one."
"I had so much hope for this book since it had become so popular so I was of course eager to read it."
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Best Epic Poetry

The Odyssey
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s “nimble gallop” and brings an ancient epic to new life. “A staggeringly superior translation―true, poetic, lively and readable, and always closely engaged with the original Greek―that brings to life the fascinating variety of voices in Homer’s great epic.”. - Richard F. Thomas, Harvard University. Emily Wilson has convincingly answered this call: hers is a vital Odyssey for the twenty-first century that brings into rhythmic English the power, dignity, variety, and immediacy of this great poem.”. - Laura Slatkin, New York University. Ever readable but endlessly surprising, this translation redefines the terms of modern engagement with Homer’s poetry.”. - Tim Whitmarsh, author of Battling the Gods.
Reviews
"More than in other translations, the Odyssey comes across here strongly as a historical document, the product of a culture from a particular time and place. Muse, tell me how he wandered and was lost. when he had wrecked the holy town of Troy, and where he went, and who he met, the pain. he suffered in the storms at sea, and how. he worked to save his life and bring his men. back home. Compare Wilson's language with that of the opening of Robert Fitzgerald's translation: "Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story. of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end, after he plundered the stronghold. on the proud height of Troy. He saw the townlands. and learned the minds of many distant men, and weathered many bitter nights and days. in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only. to save his life, to bring his shipmates home. Fitzgerald translates it as "skilled in all ways of contending," and Fagles as "the man of twists and turns.""
"I have read and taught the Odyssey at least five times over the past twenty years. And Emily Wilson's version is a godsend."
"The first stanzas will make you perk up and realize that this is the most interesting translation of the Odyssey for our time."
"but at age 81 I consider The Odyssey the greatest book I have ever read, for itself and for its influence on my ways of thinking and of living. The main reason is that, in comparison to the others, it is best at creating the mood of an ancient, epic, poem. I love it when he repeats, for the nth time, "Son of Laertes and the Gods of old, Odysseus, master of land ways and sea ways..." and other such formulaic hints that we are not reading a James Bond or even a Scott Fitzgerald, nor Salinger, nor McEwan, nor certainly a Hemingway novel -- the content should perhaps be enough to distinguish Odyssey as the great epic it is, but I like the complementing embellishments of Fitzgerald's version. For a more important difference, compare the climax, as Odysseus is about to slaughter the suitors: Fitzgerald has him say: "You yellow dogs, you thought I'd never make it. home from the land of Troy. But Fitzgerald focuses on breaking the rules, on disrespecting the mores of their time: the suitors were contemptuous of both the gods, and the opinions of their fellow men."
"And the Translator's Note will introduce current readers to Emily Wilson's point of view and focus as she translated Homer's lines."
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Best German Poetry

Letters to a Young Poet
Rilke's timeless letters about poetry, sensitive observation, and the complicated workings of the human heart. At the end of this millennium, his slender book holds everything a student of the century could want: the unedited thoughts of (arguably) the most important European poet of the modern age. Yet he spends most of the time encouraging the student in his own work, delivering a sublime, one-on-one equivalent of the modern writing workshop: --Jennifer Buckendorff "...I cannot think of a better book to put into the hands of any young would-be poet, as an inspirational guide to poetry and to surviving as a poet in a hostile world."
Reviews
"Beautiful, inspiring, poetic."
"The German language is so perfectly succinct that finding a translation that flows as lovely as Rilke is difficult."
"Great gift for aspiring poets."
"This is one of Rilke's most popular and accessible works, able to be appreciated by poets and the general reader equally well."
"I have wanted to get a sense of Rilke' s ideas/ philosophy."
"One of the most remarkable books I've read."
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Best Irish Poetry

Puckoon
Puckoon is Spike Milligan's classic slapstick novel, reissued for the first time since it was published in 1963. 'Bursts at the seams with superb comic characters involved in unbelievably likely troubles on the Irish border' Observer 'Our first comic philosopher' Eddie Izzard Spike Milligan was one of the greatest and most influential comedians of the twentieth century. Bursts at the seams with superb comic characters involved in unbelievably likely troubles on the Irish border * Observer * Pops with the erratic brilliance of a careless match in a box of fireworks * Daily Mail * Our first comic philosopher -- Eddie Izzard Milligan is the Great God to all of us -- John Cleese The legendary and iconic figure, Spike Milligan was born at Ahmednagar in India in 1918.
Reviews
"This is a classic Irish farce about the futility of the war between the IRA and the British."
"Spike Milligan appears to be a clever comic..but..in this book it is very clear that he was appalled by how easily girls (of the 1970's) found it to have an abortion..Apart from this coming over so clearly.the book is typically Spike Milligan at his funniest...I chuckled my way through it and, all too soon it was finished..please read it..Spike would be thrilled to pieces that you do.."
"I have a neighbor, born in England, came to the U.S. at the age of 19 as a nanny, married, had a family, and now, at 73, talks a lot about "growing up"."
"Everything was as should be."
"Spike Milligan's tale is one which allows his characters to give the reader a good chuckle throughout the story."
"I read this book years ago and it is still one of the funniest ones I have ever read!"
"Its an old book written in 1950's i think so some of the writing is less than PC."
"I have read this book seven times."
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Best French Poetry

Marie de France: Poetry (Norton Critical Editions)
This Norton Critical Edition includes all of Marie’s lais (short narrative verse poems); selected fables; and a generous excerpt from Saint Patrick’s Purgatory , a long poem based on a well-known medieval legend. Topics include “The Supernatural,” “Love and Romance,” “Medical Traditions,” “Fable Sources and Analogues: Similar Themes,” and “Purgatory and the Afterlife.” Ovid, Chaucer, Andreas Capellanus, Boccaccio, Aristotle, and Bede are among the authors included. Dorothy Gilbert has served on the faculties of the University of California at Davis, Mills College, Merritt College, and the California State University, East Bay; since retiring from the California State University, she has taught in the Fall Program for Freshmen at the University of California, Berkeley.
Reviews
"Great collection of a very key player in Midieval Literature."
"While it is easy to find copies of MDF's lais, it was nice to find a book that contained the fables and St. Patrick's Purgatory as well."
"Dorothy Gilbert's translations of Marie de France's verse narratives are lucid and lovely."
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Best African Poetry

soft magic.
is the debut collection of prose and poetry by Malawian writer, Upile Chisala.
Reviews
"You can't read this set of poems and then just put them away."
"Perfect."
"wow this book was exactly what i needed."
"Abosolutely lovely!"
"A fantastic collection of poems!"
"There is hope for poetry, for words without fear of criticism, for thoughts with heart, for sharing with fearless compassion."
"Profoundly magical."
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Best American Poetry

Milk and Honey
The book is divided into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose. (USA Today). “Rupi Kaur has vision beyond her years … Her work is simply but powerfully expressed, and viscerally captures both universal human experience and the particular struggles of a young woman today." Rupi Kaur's first book, Milk and Honey is the poetry collection every woman needs on her nightstand or coffee table. Rupi Kaur’s writing echoes of artistry and wisdom which is seen in the work of those that have been writing for years. rupi kaur is a bestselling author and illustrator of two collections of poetry. while studying at the university of waterloo rupi self-published her first collection milk and honey in 2014. milk and honey became an international phenomenon that's been translated into over 30 languages and sold over 2.5 million copies. through her poetry rupi explores a variety of themes ranging from love.
Reviews
"I would've maybe given it two stars if I checked it out at the local library for free, but I'm annoyed I invested my hard earned American dollars into this book. I seriously don't understand if everyone is just reading into the completely non-thought provoking "poems" in this book and making up their own deep meaning or if I'm just totally missing the boat on this one. If you told me my 9-year-old nephew and 6-month-old niece collabed on this book, with him covering the poetry while she handled the artwork, I would fully believe you. If you're a 10th grader who just got dumped by Jimmy from home room and you wanna post a snapchat of one of these heart wrenching break up poems to express how angsty you are, you'll love it."
"I found Rupi Kaur (after hearing her name drifting about) when I saw a breathtaking piece by her (starting with "let me tell you about a selfish person..."). I love poetry. I love traditional poetry, struxtured poetry, unstructured poetry, modern poetry, stand up poetry, you name it. My shelves are lined with just as much edgy, modern, is-this-even-poetry books from up-and-coming poets as they are lined with TS Elliot and Tennyson."
"I have been seeing this at all of the bookstores and decided to give it a read based on the brilliant cover design and book description. It has been a while since I have read a book of poetry, but I have to say I don't feel like I just read one."
"This is some of the most trite poetry I have ever read, and exemplifies zero skill of poetic craft."
"I had so much hope for this book since it had become so popular so I was of course eager to read it."
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Best Contemporary Poetry

Lee Child's Jack Reacher Books 1-6
For the first time—the first six explosive novels in Lee Child's #1 New York Times bestselling Jack Reacher series—now together in one e-book package! KILLING FLOOR Ex-military policeman Jack Reacher isn’t in the small town of Margrave, Georgia for less than an hour before he’s arrested for murder. DIE TRYING When a woman is kidnapped off a Chicago street in broad daylight, Jack Reacher is unlucky enough to be taken with her. RUNNING BLIND Across the country, women are being murdered, victims of a disciplined and clever killer who leaves no evidence, no fatal wounds, no signs of struggle, and no apparent motive. WITHOUT FAIL Skilled, cautious, and anonymous, Jack Reacher is perfect for the job: assassinate the vice president of the United States. A female Secret Service agent wants Reacher to find the holes in her system, and fast—because a covert group already has the vice president in their sights. “A riveting thriller, brought to life with well-observed detail and paced with taut, evocative prose. “Child presents his tense, action-packed adventure in vivid prose, as lean and capable as his central character.
Reviews
"Fine source of early Reacher in case you missed the first ones."
"My favourite author & I love all the Jack Reacher books."
"My fiance couldnt put these down."
"Action and adventure at its finest!"
"I enjoyed the hell out of these books."
"My husband has thoroughly enjoyed reading all these books."
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Best Love & Erotic Poetry

The Sun and Her Flowers
Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, the sun and her flowers is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. [She’s] perhaps the best-known poet in the English-speaking world at this point.” (Bustle). “Rupi Kaur is kicking down the doors of publishing.” (The New York Times (Style)). “The poet who touched a nerve.” (The Times (London)). “Her work is human experience, tidily aestheticized and monetized, rendered inspirational and relatable in perfect balance.” (The Cut). “At once simple, current and hard-hitting.” (The Guardian (London)). “One of the most popular writers in the world, full stop.” (The Globe and Mail). “The line drawings that accompany her poems are raw, evocative and utterly striking.” (Toronto Star). “Rupi Kaur reinvents poetry.” (The Economist). “Rupi Kaur sits atop a new wave in poetry.” (The Wall Street Journal). “At age 24, Rupi Kaur has been called the voice of her generation (move over, Lena Dunham).” (USA Today). “There’s no denying that Rupi Kaur is currently one of the most — if not the most — popular poets in America.” (Boston Globe). “Rupi Kaur is a rock star.” (Kansas City Star).
Reviews
"I did not think she could equal Milk and Honey, but The Sun and Her Flowers has blown me away, and more than lived up to my expectations."
"i can't count how many times I cried while reading this set of poetry."
"She includes a lot about self-love and the abuse she has faced in the past."
"A beautiful read for hurting souls."
"“The Sun and Her Flowers” was even better than “Milk and Honey”."
"I really love her Milk and Honey book and relate to a lot of the poems in that one."
"Sexually explicit poems and drawings not suitable for the 80 year-old woman we purchased it for."
"i really enjoyed milk and honey so i preordered this thinking it would be equally enjoyable."
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Best Middle Eastern Poetry

The Prophet
The Prophet is a book of 26 poetic essays written in English in 1923 by the Lebanese-American artist, philosopher and writer Khalil Gibran. The people gather round, each asks a question of the heart, and the man's wisdom is his gift.
Reviews
"I bought this to replenish my lending library."
"The seller was very prompt, and even agreed to add a birthday note with the shipment."
"Must read before you Die."
"It seems to be one of those books you keep passing forward, like Gift From the Sea. All I can say, at the time is, to continue maintaining your amazing customer service."
"This was given to me as a gift so I purchased one to give as a gift."
"It has helped to replace the many dysfunctional premises my sociopathic parents modeled!"
"This is my favorite gift for graduating seniors."
"This is a classic."
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Best Australian & Oceanian Poetry

Olelo Noeau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings
This book is the product of a collecting effort that was begun by Mrs. Pukui at about the age of fifteen, around 1910, and continued throughout her long and honored career as a translator and collector of historic Hawaiian materials and as a teacher and lecturer on the language, music, and dance of traditional Hawaii. Text: English (translation).
Reviews
"The phrases are available online at several websites, but many more are available in the book and it is really easy to use as a reference since I don't have to spend all that time online looking for just the right phrase. I also found myself getting caught up in the book and reading way beyond the phrase chosen for each month and enjoying it very much."
"This book is a collection of Hawaiian Proverbs and sayings, and each proverb is listed in its traditional Hawaiian followed by the literal translation, then a short summary of the significance of the proverb."
"Quality of the item is choice and perfect to hand down for generations."
"This well-worn book is in Hawaiian Hall at Bishop Museum."
"I have owned many copies of this book over the years as it often disappeared from my office library."
"Glad it was available as an ebook so I could search for specifics when I needed to."
"This is a most informative book that explains why Hawaiian language is so tricky to learn."
"If you love the poetry of language and the Hawaiian language, this is a great book to read or just flip through from time to time."
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Best Religious & Inspirational Poetry

The Essential Rumi - reissue: New Expanded Edition
The Essential Rumi continues to be the bestselling of all Rumi books, and the definitive selection of his beautiful, mystical poetry. -- Huston Smith, author of "The World's Religions""In this.delightful treasury, Barks sparklingly demonstratesonce again why his free-form interpretations of [Rumi's] poetryhave been a major impetus for the current Rumi vogue."
Reviews
"One can pick up this volume and turn to any page for a shot of verbal adrenaline, for Rumi talks about everything under the sun and is completely free of puritanical shame - so very refreshing. In fact, he writes as if the listener is on the same level and can ignite the identical inner spark that Rumi has through some kind of spontaneous combustion. I'd also like to see a few hundred copies of Rumi circulated at our nation's capitol, since it's hard to imagine anyone there having read something even as basic and moral as "A Thousand and One Nights," either as a child or by their parents, to expand their perspective on the world as an adult - and unfortunately this contracted and limited view of life really really shows and the rest of us have to suffer for it... Free copies for everyone paid out of the military budget."
"One of best book of great Rumi."
"In September of 2012, I created a photographic gallery of Rumi quotations and used a few of the quotes from Coleman Bark's book with direct permission from the author - I thought it was so cool that he emailed me back and was gracious about it. The translation is great but the content is very hard to put into context.... it's like reading about another person's dreams.... they make very little sense except a few moments in time when something clarifying and brilliant happens."
"Great poetry that inspires and is easily relate able to modern times."
"One of my all-time favorite books which I can and will read over and over."
"I read this book daily."
"I have had this in book form and I need something I can just carry with me anywhere I go."
"Coleman Barks is one of the best for bringing Rumi to the 21st century!..not literal translations from Persian, I've heard, but renderings that do capture the taste of Rumi's message."
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Best Caribbean & Latin American Poetry

HER
Every woman should know the feelings of being loved and radiating those feelings back to her mate.
Reviews
"What a captivating caption and equally captivating words inside."
"My girl loved it, read the whole thing in 5 days."
"this is a great book and i think all women will love it."
"Great book."
"Bought as a gift."
"I love this book so much that I bought a second one for a friend as a gift."
"I'm a sucker for good poetry read it in a day literally!!"
"Great book really encouraging."
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Best Russian & Former Soviet Union Poetry

Eugene Onegin: A Novel in Verse (Penguin Classics)
Engaging, full of suspense, and varied in tone, it contains a large cast of characters and offers the reader many literary, philosophical, and autobiographical digressions, often in a highly satirical vein. Given a sinecure in the Foreign Office, he spent three dissipated years in St Petersburg writing light, erotic and highly polished verse. In 1824 he was transferred to his parents’ estate at Mikhaylovskoe in north-west Russia, where he spent two solitary but fruitful years during which he wrote his historical drama Boris Godunov , continued Eugene Onegin and finished The Gipsies . In 1829 he went with the Russian army to Transcaucasia, and the following year, stranded by a cholera outbreak at the small family estate of Boldino, he wrote his experimental Little Tragedies in blank verse and The Tales of Belkin in prose, and virtually completed Eugene Onegin .
Reviews
"Enjoyed this very much."
"Onegin is a 5 star story but this is hardly annotated- it had only 3 endnotes!"
"Needed for a report."
"Definitely the most poetic and beautiful translation I've read of Eugene Onegin, though less "accurate" than the Nabokov translation."
"since then, there have been several good new poetic translations into english, and this is one of them."
"For asn English scvore it was fine,however many companies are now performing this in Russian and I expected Schirmer editions to have included the Russian text by now."
"It is important to read the works of major writers from different cultures and if you are unfamiliar with Russian literature this is a good place to begin."
"I fully understand what Hofstadter meant when he said that after reading Falen's translation one gets the true sense of having read the original (this despite my not reading Russian)."
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Best Ancient, Classical & Medieval Poetry

The Odyssey
A lean, fleet-footed translation that recaptures Homer’s “nimble gallop” and brings an ancient epic to new life. “A staggeringly superior translation―true, poetic, lively and readable, and always closely engaged with the original Greek―that brings to life the fascinating variety of voices in Homer’s great epic.”. - Richard F. Thomas, Harvard University. Emily Wilson has convincingly answered this call: hers is a vital Odyssey for the twenty-first century that brings into rhythmic English the power, dignity, variety, and immediacy of this great poem.”. - Laura Slatkin, New York University. Ever readable but endlessly surprising, this translation redefines the terms of modern engagement with Homer’s poetry.”. - Tim Whitmarsh, author of Battling the Gods.
Reviews
"More than in other translations, the Odyssey comes across here strongly as a historical document, the product of a culture from a particular time and place. Muse, tell me how he wandered and was lost. when he had wrecked the holy town of Troy, and where he went, and who he met, the pain. he suffered in the storms at sea, and how. he worked to save his life and bring his men. back home. Compare Wilson's language with that of the opening of Robert Fitzgerald's translation: "Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story. of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years on end, after he plundered the stronghold. on the proud height of Troy. He saw the townlands. and learned the minds of many distant men, and weathered many bitter nights and days. in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only. to save his life, to bring his shipmates home. Fitzgerald translates it as "skilled in all ways of contending," and Fagles as "the man of twists and turns.""
"I have read and taught the Odyssey at least five times over the past twenty years. And Emily Wilson's version is a godsend."
"The first stanzas will make you perk up and realize that this is the most interesting translation of the Odyssey for our time."
"but at age 81 I consider The Odyssey the greatest book I have ever read, for itself and for its influence on my ways of thinking and of living. The main reason is that, in comparison to the others, it is best at creating the mood of an ancient, epic, poem. I love it when he repeats, for the nth time, "Son of Laertes and the Gods of old, Odysseus, master of land ways and sea ways..." and other such formulaic hints that we are not reading a James Bond or even a Scott Fitzgerald, nor Salinger, nor McEwan, nor certainly a Hemingway novel -- the content should perhaps be enough to distinguish Odyssey as the great epic it is, but I like the complementing embellishments of Fitzgerald's version. For a more important difference, compare the climax, as Odysseus is about to slaughter the suitors: Fitzgerald has him say: "You yellow dogs, you thought I'd never make it. home from the land of Troy. But Fitzgerald focuses on breaking the rules, on disrespecting the mores of their time: the suitors were contemptuous of both the gods, and the opinions of their fellow men."
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Best Norse & Icelandic Sagas

Eaters of the Dead
The refined Arab courtier Ibn Fadlan is accompanying a party of Viking warriors back to their home. This remarkable true story originated from actual journal entries of an Arab man who traveled with a group of Vikings throughout northern Europe. The unabridged story is read by actor Victor Garber ( Titanic ; The First Wives Club ), who brings life and a personality to the plot--convincingly portraying each character with appropriate accents. This engaging audio adaptation presents Crichton's (The Lost World) variation on the Beowulf tale from the perspective of a contemporary reporter. The narrator, Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, courtier in the court of the Caliph of Bagdad, is detoured from his diplomatic mission and joins a group of Vikings on a heroic quest.
Reviews
"Crichton is to be commended for his approach to the subject matter and the nerve to re-write the Beowulf story."
"Great book!"
"Although a little different than typical Crichton fare, I greatly enjoyed the book."
"A very nice book."
"About 2/5th of the book I think is about the journey but the rest is about his time with the Northmen and the Eaters of the Dead that they encountered."
"So happy with this find!"
"A lifelong fan of Crichton’s, this historical entry is interesting only for its juxtaposition of the narrator’s Muslim ways versus the heathen vikings’ wisdoms."
"Seems to me this is very like the movie "the thirteenth warrior" starring Antonio Banderos."
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