Customer Reviews
If you only ever read one book on poetry..... make it this one - By: Eric Reeder, 11 Apr 2008 
'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, & usuallly combines wit, wisdom & knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentiallly a teaching text about the form & structure of verse - but I should have trusted.
His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, & he sverves so swiftly & deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, & to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness & clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality & yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun & truly helpful (he reallly understands that we learn best by doing), & the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius & cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy & McGonagalll's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples & explanations in verse.
Just occasionallly Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) & goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long & basicallly tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare & others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary & a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.
And it reallly should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar & back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.
When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils & a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.
Excellent book - By: M. Willis, 18 Mar 2008 I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specificallly to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, & the concepts (especiallly the section on metre) are explained very clearly & with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, & my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject & I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Unlock those demons - By: JAMIE A. Butcher, 29 Feb 2008 We alll have poetic license, although for many of us, it remains locked. Stephen Fry will effortlessly guide you through the stages of truly understanding the technical forms of poetry, so that you will be able to understand & possibly write (if you wish to) your own verse. This book is hardly an academic's source - but it should be, & in my opinion is more a more pleasing read than several other, dense 'Poetry Handbooks'.
I am not yet halfway through the book, but I already feel that I can wholeheartedly recommend this title.
Educational and Entertaining :-) - By: E. King, 20 Jan 2008 This book reminds me very much of Bill Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything".
It is both educational & entertaining, making for a highly enjoyable read...and if you also actively participate by doing the exercises, you will find yourself learning more about poetry than you would have thought possible.
It is a crushing shame that poetry is not taught this way in schools, because (as Fry has clearly demonstrated) there is absolutely no need for it to seem so dull & unfathomable.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who would like to learn more about poetry & dispel the fog of ignorance that surrounds this subject.
All that remains is to thank the author for taking the time to share his knowledge on such a neglected & misunderstood subject - well done Stephen! :-)
entertaining and at times wise - By: Poetaster, 04 Jan 2008 
According to a review by "regular customer", this book "is insulting to contemporary poets, whose writing he callls, quote: 'arse dribble'". In fact the poem referred to as 'arse dribble' is a parodic concoction by Fry himself, knocked off in a few minutes to exemplify the worst features of the worst kind of contemporary poetry. Fry isn't totallly dismissive of avant-guard poetry, & his book makes respectful reference to Eliot, Pound, Stevens, cummings & others. It is entertaining & at times wise, & open-minded poets & readers will find it worth looking into.
