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Good Poems (Abridged): Selected and Introduced by Garrison Keillor Audiobook
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(4.01) - 3,129 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Every day people tune in to The Writer's Almanac on public radio and hear Garrison Keillor read them a poem. And here, for the first time, is an anthology of poems from the show, chosen by the narrator for their wit, their frankness, their passion, their "utter clarity in the face of everything else a person has to deal with at 7 a.m." Good Poems includes poems about lovers, children, failure, everyday life, death, and transcendence. It features the work of classic poets, such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Robert Frost, as well as the work of contemporary greats such as Howard Nemerov, Charles Bukowski, Donald Hall, Billy Collins, Robert Bly, and Sharon Olds.
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"I've been reading this one off and on for four or five months; it's not to be digested all at once! The poems Keillor chooses are, on average, sentimental and accessible, and I mean that in the best way. They are poems that bridge the gap between your heart and the poet's, rather than separating you. They are also, very largely, twentieth-century poems written by people I've never heard of; these are mostly not the endlessly anthologized poems found in most volumes like this one. A really excellent read."
— Brian (4 out of 5 stars)
Good Poems Listener Reviews
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" This is the single best anthology of poetry. I read it cover to cover, and decided at the beginning to mark my favorite poems, or the ones that I wanted to read a second time (possibly a third or twenty-seventh), and I marked nearly every page. The poems are brief and powerful. I recommend it to everyone whether or not they think of themselves as poetry readers. "
— Kristy, 2/20/2014 -
" I always feel at home with Garrison Keillor "
— Theresa, 2/10/2014 -
" The anthology I keep by the bed and read from every morning "
— Ann, 1/29/2014 -
" This is an amazing collection of poems selected by Garrison Keillor from his "Writers Almanac" radio program. The majority of the poems are accessible to the average reader - an advanced understanding of literature or poetry is not required prior to reading this collection. Some poems are not appropriate for younger readers, though I believe there is another collection put together by Keillor that features poetry for the family. "
— Lynsey, 1/27/2014 -
" I really liked this book. It offered a great variety of authors. I haven't read much poetry but will start now that I can pick some favorites as I came across several from this book that I find worth checking out further. I'm inspired to try my hand at writing some of my own. "
— Barb, 1/27/2014 -
" Good collection to flip through at random. "
— Kristen, 1/22/2014 -
" It's a nice collection, and it's really nice Garrison Keillor found a way to make money off material in the public domain. "
— Todd, 1/22/2014 -
" This is a great introduction to poetry for those who haven't read a lot of it! "
— Bailey, 1/16/2014 -
" One of my very favorite poetry anthologies. Great selection of poems. "
— Denise, 1/13/2014 -
" I think if you only ever own one good poetry anthology--this should be it. The collection put together by Keillor is fabulously enjoyable and never obtuse. Highly, highly, highly recommend. My personal favorite? "Mae West." "
— Becca, 1/7/2014 -
" Old friends, new friends and all bound together by Garrison Keillor's effortless prose. A joy. "
— Julie, 12/5/2013 -
" Love this book. If you're not a page folder, you'll want to have plenty of bookmarks on hand. I can't seem to stop myself from sharing these... "
— Lynda, 12/4/2013 -
" Jeremy loves Garrison Keillor; I love poetry. It's a match made in heaven! "
— Laura, 11/29/2013 -
" This is a great collection of poetry. It had a lot of my old favorites in it, and a lot of new favorites as well. I'll definitely want to revisit this collection again and again. I enjoyed the biographies of the poets, at the end of the book, too. "
— Laura, 10/29/2013 -
" 3 1/2 stars. Lovely collection of poems, some that I loved and some that I didn't even like, but with wonderful variety and a very nice read. "
— Susan, 6/29/2013 -
" Well organized - original choices. Many poets I now wish to read more of. "
— Peter, 1/8/2013 -
" Keillor is king. A great collection. "
— Babsmu, 8/16/2012 -
" Makes a great gift. "
— Jodie, 8/12/2012 -
" An outstanding collection of poems by authors of all walks of life, including all my favorites. In keeping with Garrison Keillor's radio show at 7 am, I would read a poem each morning from this book and begin my day with inspiration. "
— Donna, 5/23/2012 -
" A poem for every occasion. "
— Esmeralda, 4/8/2012 -
" Very accessible poems (Garrison Keillor read all of them aloud on his radio show at some point). Moving, funny, courageous...get this book and enjoy. "
— Dina, 12/12/2011 -
" If you read one anthology of poetry, this is the book to read. I have read it 3 times and find something new each time. "
— Harley, 11/21/2011 -
" there is a poem in here for everything, everytime, everyone. some funny, some poignant, some depressing, some uplifting, etc. "
— Maggie, 10/14/2011 -
" Love this collection of powerful, accessible poems. I go back to it often. "
— Braden, 9/10/2011 -
" Lovely collection of poems that are going to 'hit you' today. You don't have to sift through the bad ones because they are all actually GOOD poems! Fitting title! "
— Ms., 7/16/2011 -
" Exactly as the title states, these are good, down-to-earth, thought-provoking poems... stuff even the anti-poet would like. "
— Cori, 3/24/2011 -
" One of my favorite collections of poetry. Very eclectic, meant for everyday reading and enjoyment as they were originally read on Garrison Keilor's daily show on NPR "The Writer's Almanac". Great poetry anthology for people who think they don't like poetry. "
— Allison, 3/7/2011 -
" What a nice selection of poems. And how my tastes change, as I get older! "
— Camilla, 2/16/2011 -
" I really liked this book. It offered a great variety of authors. I haven't read much poetry but will start now that I can pick some favorites as I came across several from this book that I find worth checking out further. I'm inspired to try my hand at writing some of my own. "
— Barb, 2/4/2011 -
" awesome book. got it from my sister. he does radio on WNPR every a.m. love it. "
— Amanda, 1/6/2011 -
" The anthology I keep by the bed and read from every morning "
— Ann, 12/1/2010 -
" I love Garrison Keillor's choices. He might not suit you. "
— Graeme, 9/25/2010 -
" One of my very favorite poetry anthologies. Great selection of poems. "
— Denise, 8/16/2010 -
" Wonderful selections of poems. Will read them all over time. "
— Jean, 8/11/2010 -
" Old friends, new friends and all bound together by Garrison Keillor's effortless prose. A joy. "
— Julie, 7/26/2010 -
" Great great great. Re-reading, randomly picking -- it all works with this collection. "
— Casey, 6/29/2010
About the Authors
Gerard Doyle, a seasoned audio narrator, he has been awarded dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards, was named a Best Voice in Young Adult Fiction in 2008, and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He was born of Irish parents and raised and educated in England. In Great Britain he has enjoyed an extensive career in both television and repertory theater and toured nationally and internationally with the English Shakespeare Company. He has appeared in London’s West End in the gritty musical The Hired Man. In America he has appeared on Broadway in The Weir and on television in New York Undercover and Law & Order. He has taught drama at Ross School for the several years.
Don Leslie has appeared on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theaters throughout the country. He has been heard in thousands of commercials, promos for all the broadcast networks and most cable stations, political campaigns, movie trailers, and over fifty audiobooks.
About the Narrators
NPR is a mission-driven, multimedia news organization and radio program producer of news, talk, music, and entertainment programs with a strong base of member stations and supporters nationwide. Since 1971, NPR and its journalists and programs have won hundreds of awards, including some of the most prestigious honors in journalism.
Garrison Keillor is America’s favorite storyteller. For more than forty years, as the host of A Prairie Home Companion, he has captivated millions of listeners with his weekly News from Lake Wobegon monologues. A Prairie Home Companion is heard on hundreds of public radio stations, as well as America One, the Armed Forces Networks, Sirius Satellite Radio, and via a live audio webcast. Keillor is also the author of several books and a frequent contributor to national publications including Time, the New Yorker, and National Geographic, in addition to writing his own syndicated column. He has been awarded a National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment of the Humanities. He is the winner of nine AudioFile Earphones Awards, several of which were for his own books. When not touring, he resides in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.