The Heart of American Poetry - A Review

 

The Heart of
American Poetry

by

Edward Hirsch

A Review

Edward Hirsch has compiled an eclectic collection of poetry written by Americans, some well-known and some less so. The poems are accompanied with essays which help the reader understand the environment within which the authors were writing.

Though I only recently found a new appreciation for poetry, I think if this book had been the first I had stumbled upon to refresh my exposure to this genre, I would have said, “No, thank you.” There is little to unite the pieces included except (as indicated in the title) it is American Poetry. As I read, I felt as if I were back in my very unsatisfying freshman literature class. As I did, so many years ago, I would walk away and say, “No more!”

Some of the poems were engaging, but many were not. The result is a collection, a book, that receives only three stars from this reader.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Semester of Our Discontent - A Review

The Semester of Our Discontent

by

Cynthia Kuhn

A Review

Having spent 25+ years as a faculty member on the college campus, I have spotted dozens of opportunities for murder and other crimes to become a piece of the college work environment. Though I do not know this author, it was fun to see a writer choose the small college campus to set a murder or two.

I was able to recognize the campus characters and places that present themselves during course of Lila Maclean’s first semester on campus:

• The overly critical department chair
• The newly hired faculty member
• The obviously well-prepared professor who is forever kept waiting to hear about a expected (and uncertain) tenure decision
• The faculty member who is willing to mentor new colleagues
• The secret tunnels that run between campus buildings
• The traditions that define a college campus beyond the college catalog and handbooks

These elements go into the first book in the Lila Maclean Mystery Series where someone is killing off one, then two, and almost three members of the literature department at Stonedale University. There are a number of viable suspects – after all almost no one likes the department chair. And Lila seems to be present each time a body is found.

The book is well-written. Though I know little about little about literature, M. Kuhn’s newest book provided opportunities to discover new authors, even the real kind. Occasionally, a fictional author is referenced, but there are enough real authors mentioned to send the reader searching the Internet for more information.

Whether the reader is an academic or just a lover of cozy mysteries, the current volume will keep him or her in the book for a few evenings of light reading. A smile or two will cross the face the reader who has spent time on a college campus as well for the reader who has not. Enjoy your time as you seek to discover who is killing Stonedale’s faculty.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are my own.