Great introduction to many poets I had heard of but hadn't read. Annoyed by Author's insinuating his snide into his biography's. It's like he's saying there someone else's great modern poets, but apart of Auden, they're not mine. ( )

This is a fairly standard short anthology of modern poetry. What makes it exceptional is the accompanying CD, which has rare recordings of distinguished moderns reading their own work: Yeats, Frost, Eliot, WC Williams, Ezra Pound, Robert Frost, WH Auden, and Langston Hughes, just to name a few. One major highlight is Ginsberg's reading of "Howl," complete and unabridged -- an 18-minute performance. I found this remaindered at Borders for $10. A treasure at a bargain price. ( )

Over 150 essential poems are accompanied by a brief discussion by poetry authority Michael Schmidt that provides insight, observations and the historical context for each poet and their work. 50 English-language poets are explored, including Thomas Hardy, A E Housman, W B Yeats, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Frost, Edward Thomas, D H
Lawrence, Ezra Pound, T S Eliot, Wilfred Owen, Robert Graves, John Betjeman, W H Auden, Dylan Thomas, Philip Larkin, Allen Ginsberg, Ted Hughes, Derek Walcott, Sylvia Plath, Seamus Heaney and James Fenton. With an introduction that suggests way to appreciate the poems, and a glossary that demystifies the concepts and movements of modern poetry.