The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within

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Customer Reviews:

• 
  2008-02-29
  By JAMIE A. Butcher, Sunny olde England
  We all have poetic license, although for many of us, it remains locked. Stephen Fry will effortlessly guide you through the stages of truly understanding the technical forms of poetry, so that you will be able to understand and possibly write (if you wish to) your own verse. This book is hardly an academic's source - but it should be, and in my opinion is more a more pleasing read than several other, dense 'Poetry Handbooks'.
  
  I am not yet halfway through the book, but I already feel that I can wholeheartedly recommend this title.
  
  
• 
  2008-03-18
  By M. Willis, Sydney, Australia
  I bought this book because I love Stephen Fry's writing, not specifically to learn about poetry. Working my way through it has been a wonderful experience. It is written in a style that feels like a personal tutorial, and the concepts (especially the section on metre) are explained very clearly and with humour. I have been pleasantly surprised at how my writing has developed by doing the exercises, and my appreciation of poetry has deepened. Along with his many other talents, Stephen Fry is a gifted teacher on this subject and I have definitely benefitted by taking this journey with him. I would recommend this book to anyone.
  
  
• 
  2008-04-11
  By Eric Reeder,
  'Stephen Fry' is a pretty reliable brand: he writes stylishly, performs wonderfully, and usually combines wit, wisdom and knowledge in a unique package. I had some doubts that he could work his magic on what is essentially a teaching text about the form and structure of verse - but I should have trusted.
  
  His enthusiasm for poetry shines through every page, and he sverves so swiftly and deftly from exposition to wit to analysis to exercise to opinionated rant to respectful homage, and to much else, that I found myself almost cheering his honesty, directness and clarity. He is a wonderful populariser who manages to mark his teaching with his own personality and yet respects the sources of his knowledge. The exercises are fun and truly helpful (he really understands that we learn best by doing), and the analysis he offers is wonderfully wide-ranging. It takes a certain kind of genius and cheek to productively compare Hopkins, Hardy and McGonagall's 'The Tay Bridge Disaster' within a few pages, but Fry manages it. He also cheekily, but effectively, does much of his teaching by writing samples and explanations in verse.
  
  Just occasionally Fry "luxuriates in the exuberance of his own verbosity" (as apparently Disraeli did) and goes on a fraction too much. His forward is ten pages long and basically tells us that poetry deserves its own 'how to' book. But these moments are rare and others may think them part of his charm. Also, although the book has an excellent glossary and a proper reading list, I would have welcomed an index - this little primer is good enough to continue using as a reference work. It has certainly persuaded me to return to poetry books that have been gathering dust.
  
  And it really should be on the reading list of every would-be English Literature student! Fry can slip from the sublime to the vulgar and back again with an ease which makes him a most endearing teacher.
  
  When you buy it, make sure you also purchase a new notebook, some pencils and a rubber. Fry's homework is hard to resist.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  2008-08-01
  By Sally Douglas, Devon, UK
  Clever, but very opinionated. Its anti freeverse agenda makes it the Daily Mail of poetry books. I hope that would-be poets will balance their reading diet with a few less reactionary tomes.
  
  
• 
  2008-08-27
  By S. H. Quadri, London, UK
  As has been already mentioned by many people and (some) critics. Mr.Fry has this delightful ability to convey the more sophisticated concepts in his own unique and bohemian style. It's as though he is constantly with you at every single step you take towards the "secretive" chambers of poetry.
  
  Much of his mode of instruction is his own understanding and takes on matters. For readers unaccustomed or irreverent towards his sense of humour (and I can see why) - this book may come across as though taught by an unschooled self-taught yet a talented, passionate boy who has a refreshing take on things who tries too hard to come across as smart, casual and formal at the same time.
  
  Regardless, it's a worthy attempt, one that should be encouraged and welcomed and allowed to veneer in unorthodoxy.