Classic American Poetry

November 1, 2000
Gr 10 Up-From the 17th century words of Anne Bradstreet to the 20th century lines of Alice Walker, this collection of 65 poems is a brief sampling of the diverse voices in American literary history. It includes poetry from well-known authors such as Longfellow, Poe, Whitman and Cummings, and anonymous pieces from Native and African American cultures. This anthology was compiled and produced by Garrick Hagon, one of six performers with British and American credits who read with passion and pace. Highlighting lesser-known works by authors such as Dickinson and Thoreau, and less familiar authors such as Elinor Wylie and Frances E.W. Harper offers poetry fans a chance for discovery A lengthy essay in the liner notes traces the development of various movements in American poetry and provides a list of poems on the cassettes. One minor error incorrectly places some of the poems from side one on side two. The notes also identify each reader and the titles of the music used for interludes. The inclusion of poems such as "The Star Spangled Banner" and "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" make this useful for history classes as well as literature and writing courses. A useful purchase for school and public libraries.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT

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