Stephen Fry did the impossible with The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within. He broke through all my inhibitions and not only introduced me to the forms of poetry but with such humor and excellence that I am now fascinated. He has taken away all the stumbling blocks to writing and presented the classic sonnet as a starter with examples to whet the appetite and not just the flowery sweet tones but challenging sonnets...
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Stephen Fry's "Ode Less Travelled" is a very good companion for all who wish to learn about poetry. It is, in a sense, just like any textbook you've seen in school. There are presentations of terms, rules and traditions and exercises for you to do, to show that you've mastered the before mentioned rules and terms. What makes it stand above all normal textbooks is, that although mr. Fry does bring examples from the works of...
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Having just enjoyed listening to Mr. Fry read his novel "The Hippopotamus" on my long commutes, I was immediately attracted when I heard of "The Ode Less Traveled." I have often wondered why I don't understand many poems, (and not just modern ones), and can't tell good from bad. I have tried a number of other books on poetry with no success. Beginning "The Ode..." however, I immediately recognized Mr. Fry's cadence of speech...
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One of my favorite quotes about poetry is from Dame Edith Sitwell. "Poetry is like horticulture," she said. "Each poem should be allowed to grow according to its natural form." In his new book, "The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within," Stephen Fry creates a veritable topiary garden of poetry, providing not only an encyclopedic overview of poetic meters and forms in English but a cogent, bracing and witty demonstration...
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There was a fine fellow named Fry...who has here given the world a very funny (at times downright filthy), knowledgeable, reliable and, I would say, unique volume about the art & craft of writing poetry. I know Fry`s erudition & relentless wit can put off some people (mostly English ones - how we suspect success and excellence in this fearful country!) but I forgive the man his exuberant excesses and prefer to celebrate...
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