Edward Hirsch began contributing his Poet's Choice column to The Washington Post Book World not long after 9/11, and the weekly feature immediately struck a chord with readers. His new book, Poet's Choice, is a collection of those columns that covers the work of more than 130 poets from different eras and countries. Writing with a gentle touch about a formidable genre, Hirsch invites readers to further explore the work of Vietnam War poets, Asian-American women poets, contemporary Mexican poets and Scottish poets. He also dissects individual works, taking them apart so readers can see how they function. Reviewing new poetry collections from modern authors like Stuart Dischell, Deborah Digges and Bill Knott, he provides ample historical context for their work. A wonderfully accessible book, Poet's Choice is divided into two parts: the first focuses on international writers, while the second looks at American authors. There's plenty of new material in the volume, as Hirsch has revisited and expanded many of his original columns. An acclaimed poet in his own right, Hirsch is the author of six verse collections, as well as the best-selling book How to Read a Poem: And Fall in Love with Poetry. With Poet's Choice, he offers a delightful tutorial in both classic and contemporary verse.
