Six Poets
Hardy to Larkin: An Anthology
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Six Poets
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Narrated by:
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Alan Bennett
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By:
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Alan Bennett
About this listen
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.
©1990 Alan Bennett (P)2014 Channel 4Listeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Six Poets
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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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3 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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1 person 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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- 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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1 person 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
- 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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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Long John
- 02-12-24
A surprising pleasure
Alan Bennett's delivery can be either amusing or irritating, but as the book progresses he comes across as both a decent, non-judgemental commentator on the selected authors.
Funny and sad, it suits Bennett's style. Overall a pleasantly intelligent, interesting and insightful book.
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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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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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- 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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- Amazon Customer
- 11-03-20
Insight and gentle humour combined
great poetry brought to life, along with the lives of the poets , by a great man .
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- AdamGR
- 20-11-20
Do not think you are coming under this umbrella
Wonderful little pen pictures of poets and examples of their poems. What more could you ask for.
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