Another great entry in this series of brief books focusing on a knowledgeable author’s personal essays on a topic. In this one, Jacquelyn Ardam, who formerly taught classes on poetry, argues that poetry is now mainstream, thanks to social media. While her chapter on internet poetry certainly supports her claim, I unfortunately do not think as many people are reading poetry as should.

Regardless, this is an enjoyable easy read that will encourage you to seek out new poets, and excuse your secret dislike of enormously popular poets (ahem). It will also make you laugh out loud.

Trump supporters will not appreciate some comments in the book, but I can’t imagine many would read a book on poetry anyway. I wish I could have taken one of Ardam’s classes when she taught in Maine. #AvidlyReadsPoetry #NetGalley

Avidly Reads Poetry has four chapters: the sonnet, the alphabet poem, the documentary poem, and the internet poem. Although I was expecting a chapter about sonnets, I was surprised by the focus on the abecedarian. By sharing her in-depth knowledge, readers will undoubtedly gain new insight into this form that children often first encounter in alphabet books. As an educator, I appreciated the chapter on the documentary poem the most because the author talked about her experiences teaching a university class titled "Poetry as Resistance: Remixing the Archive" which included works such as "Zong!" by M. NourbeSe Philip and "38" by Long Soldier. As such, this book showcases Ardam's personal and professional experiences with poems--it is a book that only she could write, but one that many readers can enjoy.

Thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!

I’m not familiar with any of the other books in the avidly reads series, but I would check them out on the basis of this one. Ardam is a good writer, clearly very knowledgable, and as a Professor is able to recognize when to stop and not overload someone with information. I’m adding a lot of things to be tbr stack because of this book, such as the book of the dead,

I will say though that I really disagree with Ardam’s opinion on certain poems, such as Wild Geese by Mary Oliver and Good Bones by Maggie Smith! Those are two that I really love! But I also like that Ardam was okay with going there and putting her opinion out there and talking about it. I respect her opinion on them, even if I don’t agree. I wouldn't mind either taking her poetry class or at least going over her syllabus and taking things out of it to read.

An intuitive, very personal work that emphasises how poetry can be accessible, relevant and enjoyable to the layman and (high school) student. How barriers and stigmas that so often surround the validity and legitimacy of poetry can be broken down.
Poetry’s influences are all around, in culture, politics, etc., and this work should encourage teens/young adults in particular to find their voice.

“Poetry has leapt out of its world and into <i>the</i> world”

A very inspiring read. I would love to sit in on a lecture or meet the author in person!

My thanks to NetGalley and NYU Press for granting this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm an odd reader for this book, as like Ardam, I'm a 19th-century literature scholar who, due to a variety of blocks (including the nonexistent job market) will probably not get to make a career out of 19th-century literature scholarship. So, I suspect parts of the book hit closer to home for me than for other readers. I enjoyed the volume, which feels like an enjoyable string of early-week lectures in a Poetry 101 class--in a good way! Like other reviewers, I did feel the absence of queer theory (particularly in the Internet Poem chapter) and wanted a more robust discussion/theorization of circulation. Put in the right hands, this book can serve as a delicious gateway to poetry for many readers--that possibility certainly earns it a spot on my shelf!