From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-Combining updated material from editor Frank N. Magill's Critical Survey of Poetry from the Foreign Language Series (1984), the Supplement (1987; o.p.), and the English Language Series, Revised Edition (1992, all Salem), this edition provides alphabetically arranged essays on 697 culturally and geographically diverse poets (117 entirely new), from ancient through modern times. Black-and-white portraits are included for most poets. Each signed (3 to 10 page) essay begins with a list of principal poetry and an overview of the poet's life and works and concludes with an annotated bibliography; authoritative, informative analyses of specific anthologies and poems form the heart of the essays. Unlike the "Poetry Criticism" series (Gale), which provides multiple criticisms reprinted from book and journal sources, Critical Survey provides original critiques by single reviewers. The final volume is comprised of two broad essay sections ("Criticism and Theory" and "Poetry Around the World"); "Research Tools" (including award lists, a glossary of poetic terms, and a primer on explicating poetry); and three indexes: geographical, categorized, subject-all useful aids to student understanding. The category index is particularly helpful: students can search by cultural identity, historical periods and literary movements, and poetic forms and themes. Poets' names and poem titles are included in the subject index. Critical Survey fills the vast middle ground between the "Poetry for Students" and "Poetry Criticism" series (both Gale) in comprehensiveness and accessibility, in a clear, concise, and unrepentantly staid presentation. A valuable resource.Mary Ann Carcich, Mattituck-Laurel Public Library, Mattituck, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
A new edition of a familiar reference work is usually a cause for celebration, and there is much to cheer about here. This work incorporates all the material from the 1984 Critical Sur vey of Poetry: Foreign Language Series and its 1987 Supplement as well as that of the 1992 Critical Survey of Poetry: English Language Series Revised Edition in addition to entries for well over 100 additional poets. The result is a wealth of background material on nearly 700 poets from ancient times to the present from many nations around the world.The first seven volumes contain signed, alphabetically arranged articles on individual poets from Dannie Abse to Stefan Zweig, ranging in length from a half-dozen to a dozen pages. Each entry includes a listing of the subject's major collections of poetry, a description of work done in other literary genres, a list of awards and honors, a biographical sketch, an analytic essay, a list of other literary works, and a bibliography of secondary print sources. More than half of the entries include something not always found in works like these: a picture of the writer. Volume 8 is a virtual mini-reference library on poetry consisting of 7 essays on various types of theory and criticism, 45 essays surveying poetry around the world, a selection of "research tools" including a list of poetry awards and award winners, explanatory essays on language and linguistics and poetical terms, and a chronological list of poets. A 20-page bibliography completes the volume, while a trio of indexes (geographical, categorical, and subject) provides easy access to individual entries and essays throughout the set.Intended for students in high school and college, the Critical Survey of Poetry provides a solid foundation for any student of poetry. The selection of poets is wide and varied, with contemporary poets like Rita Dove, Martin Espada, Robert Pinsky, Mark Strand, and Wislawa Szymborska represented along with such predecessors as Catullus, Sappho, Cynewulf, and Homer and just about every other major poet in between. This will be a valuable addition to reference collections in public, high-school, and college libraries. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

SYNOPSIS

Book News eschews gushing, but this is an incredible reference work at a reasonable price. It is cited in Guide to Reference Books and is suitable for high school and university libraries. The new edition has 20 percent new material, 20 percent revised, and some 740 heavily revised or new essay-bibliographies. It combines published essays in the Critical Survey of Poetry from the Foreign Language Series (1984), the Supplement (1987), and the English Language Series, Revised Edition (1992), and includes 117 poets not previously covered. Poets range from the classic tradition (Ovid and Pindar) to the contemporary era (Li-Young Lee and Martín Espada). Of the 698 poets, there are 301 reflecting a diverse US populace, 195 anglophones from other nations, and the rest from all over the globe. Poet-essays in volumes 1-7 are 2,000 words or longer. Volume 8 contains 700 pages of essays on seven strands of criticism and theory, 45 poetries from around the world (e.g. Croatian, Tibetan, and English by century), research tools (awards, poetical terms, chronology etc.), and indexes (geography, category, and subject). Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

Combining essays from two previous editions of Critical Survey of Poetry-the 1984 edition on foreign-language poets, its 1987 supplement, and the 1992 edition on English-language poets-this eight-volume set is one hell of a research tool. It is not only broader in scope than most other references on the subject but also more thorough, authoritative, and current. Of the nearly 700 poets included-both American and from abroad, from ancient times to today-117 have never before been covered in any Salem publication. The rest of the entries have been usefully updated. Contributed by scholars, both independent and affiliated with various U.S. universities, the essays vary in length from 2000 words to seven pages and include birth and death data, a full listing of the poet's works, his or her achievements, a critical analysis, a brief biography, and bibliographic sources for further study. The black-and-white photographs of 450 poets interspersed throughout seem to have been selected randomly (the captions merely identify each poet and would have benefited from more information); still, they nicely break the monotony of the standardized format. Volume 8 contains 50-plus "overview essays" on critical theory (organized by schools of thought) and on poetry from around the world (organized by country), eight of which are completely new. This volume's "Research Tools" section provides details on various literary awards, poetical terms, and language and linguistics, and there is even a guide on how to explicate a poem. Lastly, the three sweeping indexes (geographical, categorized, and subject) allow for a quick, easy, and enjoyable exploration. A gem of a reference, this competitively priced set is essential for academic libraries and strongly recommended for all others.-Mirela Roncevic, "Library Journal" Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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