Starred review in Library Journal of the new book of criticism, out early next month. * Logan, William. Guilty Knowledge, Guilty Pleasure: The Dirty Art of Poetry Columbia Univ. Apr. 2014. 352p. ISBN 9780231166867. $35 Open this wonderful collection of criticism at any point and just start reading: Logan . . . , winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for The Undiscovered Country, is thoughtful, insightful, and often hilariously funny in his consideration of this most daunting corner of literatures field. A master at deciphering the almost indecipherable syntactic ambiguities indulged in by contemporary poets, the author is also an expert at pricking pompous and overinflated pretensions. And though some might see his piercing insights as occasionally harsh or even bitter, they never feel cruel or personal but merely true. . . . It’s bracing as well as inspiring to spend time in his company, as he challenges poets to earn attention. Included are several delightful omnibus articles, “Verse Chronicles,” . . . that collect six reviews each in a helpful snapshot of contemporary poetry. But the highlight might be three writings on Elizabeth Bishop, including “Elizabeth at Summer Camp,” which puts in print for the first time some of her very early “adolescent verse” as well as “intimate letters.” VERDICT Logan’s criticism is filled with both insight and delight, revealing him as our 21st-century Samuel Johnson.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 07:14:54 +0000
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