Product Description

In asking "Who, as a writer, am I?" e.e. Cummings's affirmation of life resolved into serenity as he described himself as someone "whose only happiness is to transcend himself, whose every agony is to grow." This collection of Cummings reading his own poetry embodies this in an unforgettable way.

While perhaps best remembered for his use of such visual devices as typography and punctuation, the sheer sound of Cummings's work imparts a greater, deeper understanding of how its cadences reveal its profound meaning. This rich sampling of his poems and lectures is rendered in what the great Robert Graves called Cummings "own beautifully modulated voice."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1345372 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Released on: 2001-04-03
• Formats: Unabridged, Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Audio Cassette

From Library Journal
When Caedmon originally produced these recordings, in the 1950s, they were on vinyl. Remastering them for cassette brings with it the question of how attentive potential listeners are going to be. And for Cummings and Pound, it's important that people listen closely. Cummings's voice is melodic, but those unfamiliar with his poems on the page will miss much of the subtle play with words that has become his trademark. Pound is, arguably, the finest poet here, but even his narrative portraits are speckled with foreign phrases, and there aren't clear demarcations between poems, further confusing the listener. It's therefore not surprising that this package contains only one cassette. Sandburg, who considered himself a populist poet, addressing the people much as an orator would, is actually better heard than read. All his finest longer works are here, including a more than generous selection from "The People, Yes." Keep in mind that these tapes were culled from several different recordings, so there are wide variances in tone, pitch, and quality. Sandburg is highly recommended; the other two are for larger collections. Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
e.e. cummings (1894-1962) was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After earning a B.A. and M.A. at Harvard in Latin and Greek, he went to France as a volunteer ambulance driver with the French army during World War I. The majority of his life was spent writing poetry and painting in New York's Greenwich Village.

From AudioFile
Cummings's eccentric use of punctuation and typography often intimidated readers. But the sheer cadences of the poems in this long program reveal their profound meanings. We gain further insight into his art through the lectures included in the program. Cummings's voice is unexpectedly high, and, like many poets, he has a habit of raising the inflection in his voice at the end of phrases. He seems to come alive as a reader in the selections recorded before a live audience. Because the recordings span Cummings's career, the quality is uneven. He gives no introduction to any of his poems. P.B.J. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Fully Delightful.
It is so cool to hear this uniquely wonderful poet's own voice resonating his own works. Its art. Its history. Its beautiful. Its magical. And real. You often hear background noises of people coughing in the audience, occassional laughter, etc. that gives these recordings such an authentic feel - its like your right in the room with him. Its very interesting to hear how he reads his works in comparison with the way they are placed on the page - this helps in the understanding of them, with his varied tones, and rhythms. His words and his voice are fully delightful - all that such a great poet's should be. I love it and am so glad that these recordings are available to the public - such a rich treasure.

(I found some of the poems to alter in volume rather significantly - some being much quieter than others, so you may have to play with the volume knob every now and then.)