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Six Poets
- Hardy to Larkin: An Anthology
- Narrated by: Alan Bennett
- Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
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Six Poets
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Summary
Writers like to elude their public, lead them a bit of a dance. They take them down untrodden paths, land them in unknown country where they have to ask for directions.
In this personal anthology, Alan Bennett has chosen over seventy poems by six well-loved poets, discussing the writers and their verse in his customary conversational style through anecdote, shrewd appraisal and spare but telling biographical detail. Ranging from hidden treasures to famous poems, this is a collection for the beginner and the expert alike. Speaking with candour about his own reactions to the work, Alan Bennett creates profound and witty portraits of Thomas Hardy, A. E. Housman, John Betjeman, W. H. Auden, Louis MacNeice and Philip Larkin, all the more enjoyable for being in his own particular voice.
Anybody writing poetry in the thirties had somehow to come to terms with Auden. Auden, you see, had got a head start on the other poets. He'd got into the thirties first, like someone taking over the digs.
What listeners say about Six Poets
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 18-08-23
A very enjoyable and informative read.
Useful for poetry beginners such as myself and expertly read and contextualised by the legend that is Alan Bennett.
To my shame, it has taken me until now to realise Thomas Hardy was known as a poet as a poet as well as a novelist. I just thought he dabbled a bit.
AE Housman's A Shropshire Lad isn't what the title would first suggest. No spoilers here, but surface to say I am now intrigued to read the collection.
John Betjeman wrote funny poems! I just thought he wrote serious ones. He was also fond of being on TV.
WH Auðen followed love to America and became a naturalised American. I thought he spent his days here.
I learned all about a new to me poet Louis Macniece from Northern Ireland. Well known for being able to see both sides of a story.
I have finally heard more than the first few lines of that well known poem by Philip Larkin concerning parental responsibility. You know the one, and if you don't, I heartily recommend you let Alan Bennett's dulcet tones enlighten you.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- F Gibb
- 10-02-21
great book. terrible recording
Too much background noise spoiled, a little, the experience of a wonderful book.
Would I swap this unclear recording of Alan Bennett performing in his own personable way for a clean and well produced version by another?
Not a chance!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 19-06-21
Bennett's gentle whit is a delight
Bennett's gentle whit is a delight, but it is a little over shadowed by the quality of the recording. Perhaps time to revisit and polish? It would do both the poets and the commentator justice.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Brookes
- 30-05-16
Acute and humorous
Well chosen and excellently read extracts from each of the poets to illustrate the kind of poetry Alan likes best. He does not veer from the contentious, which is a good thing.
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12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Mystery man
- 03-04-18
Most enjoyable.
A fantastic book . Pure pleasure, he reads it quite well with loads of passion.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. Evans
- 14-01-20
Beautiful, gentle genius
This is the perfect match of narrator, guide and companion, with six wonderful poets, all represented by a handful of very well chosen verses. It's much too short of course, one never wants to leave.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-03-23
Great stuff
Funny, poignant and insightful. As someone who barely reads poetry these days, this was pitched at just the right level to keep me enthralled throughout.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- J. F. Wrin
- 27-08-21
Loved this
I am listening to this over and over again, what a treat.
I think that any and all people interested in poetry would enjoy this.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Rturn
- 09-04-22
Just lovely
I really enjoyed this journey through the 30s poets discussed and narrated by the inimitable Alan Bennett. It ignited a desire to explore more poetry. Absolutely perfect for me (interested in literature but not particularly familiar with poetry).
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- J. Drew
- 12-08-22
Look at 6 C20 poets
- ‘Six poets’ by Alan Bennett is from a Channel 4 series of programmes. Alan Bennet takes six of the most iconic and best poets of the 20th century (though not T S Elliot) and gives a typical (no bad thing) Alan Bennett short summary about each poet and then reads out (if you listen to the audio book) and includes a number of poems by said poets. There are some wonderful poems that are worth listening to again and again.
- The book includes Larkin, Hardy, Auden, Houseman and also includes Louis MacNeice which was good - someone I feel is often neglected regarding 20th century poets. My favourite section is the one that features Larkin who is my favourite 20th century poet. It's just a shame there wasn't anything on TS Eliot who I really would like to know more about.
- The sound quality is also a bit all over the place, sometimes clear and sometimes relating to versions of audio tracks or clearly taken from the Channel 4 program and does let it down.
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