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Poetry for Young People: William Butler Yeats

Poetry for Young People: William Butler Yeats
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Product Description

He was the finest modern poet in the English language--plus a playwright, theatre manager, politician, and passionate believer in supernatural. William Butler Yeats' writing captures all the magic and mystery of his native Ireland, and here are some 26 of his finest, most mesmerizing verses. In "The Stolen Child," fairies come in the night to entice a boy away forever to "where the wave of moonlight glosses the dim grey sands with light." Yeats claimed that a Greek folk song inspired "The Song of Wandering Aengus": the excerpt here follows Aengus on his quest to locate an enchanted girl. Visions of a fierce and terrible battle-where "unknown perishing armies beat about my ears"--emerge in "The Valley of the Black Pig," all seen in a dream. Matching the beauty of Yeats' written images are a series of exquisite and evocative paintings, which range from panoramic natural landscapes to compelling portraits of characters both human and fantastic. And, as always, this acclaimed series features fascinating biographical information, introductions to each verse, and full annotations that define difficult unfamiliar vocabulary.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #856674 in Books
  • Published on: 2002-08-28
  • Original language: English
  • Dimensions: .44" h x 8.22" w x 10.88" l, 1.00 pounds
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 48 pages

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up-Yeats lived a rich, intellectual life and was very much involved in the events of his time. Born in Dublin, the son of a gifted professional family, he trained as a lawyer and also gained fame as a painter, a theatrical manager, and political figure. This collection reveals the poet's love for the landscapes and people of Ireland, especially of County Sligo. Strong themes of Celtic mysticism and the occult appear in several selections. Each poem is prefaced by a few lines that set the scene and is followed by an explanation of difficult words. Beautiful paintings, many full page, show landscapes, people, and animals referred to in the selections. An impressive introduction to this Nobel Prize winner.
Libby K. White, Jewish Vocational Services, Baltimore, MD
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Reviewed with books on Coleridge and Wordsworth in the Poetry for Young People series.

Gr. 6-10. The editors of these handsome collections in the Poetry for Young People series have chosen well, bringing together about 20 of each great poet's most accessible, compelling poems, with selections that range from Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" to Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" and Yeats' stark, dramatic "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death." The full-color paintings on each page are beautiful. Each volume begins with a helpful general biography and a critical introduction to the poet's work. On the page with each poem, brief editorial notes provide useful context and guidance (if only the notes were at the back of the book, so that the reader could first enjoy a poem free of commentary). In fact, the book design is a problem, especially in the Yeats book. Harrington's impressionistic art is lush and beautiful, evoking the Irish landscapes, fantasy worlds, and stormy emotions of the verse; but the large pictures leave no space for readers to imagine what the words suggest, and much of the type is hard to read because it's printed right on the dark, full-page paintings. In the Coleridge and Wordsworth collections there is a lot more white space, and the illustrations evoke each poet's world without totally overwhelming the verbal images. None of this classic poetry is easy reading, and all three books will work best for reading aloud and group discussion. Hazel Rochman
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