Keats: Truth & Imagination (Illustrated Poetry Anthology)

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Blend of Art and Poetry - Ideal for Gift
Review: There are many good collections of the poetry of John Keats. Why would you be interested in this particular book, titled "Keats - Truth and Imagination"?

Each poem is accompanied by a painting, often by an artist inspired by Keats' poetry. The paintings are sensual and exquisite, complementing the beauty of Keats' language. This attractive, little book is printed on glossy paper. It is moderately priced and would make an excellent gift.

Amusingly, the book's printing history reads like the credits for a major Hollywood production: Created and Produced by Flame Tree Publishing, part of The Foundry Creative Media Company Limited, published (1999) by Gramercy Books, a trademark of Random House Value Publishing, and written (Introduction, Author's Note, and Chronology) and compiled by K. E. Sullivan. The ISBN is 0-517-16101-X for my 1999 edition.

Sullivan's compilation is quite good; it consists of many of Keats' most popular work as well as some lesser known poems. My only disappointment was that Sullivan decided (or was compelled) to present only a short extract from "The Eve of St. Agnes", one of my favorites.

This collection includes several of Keats' Odes (Grecian Urn, Melancholy, Nightingale, Psyche, and To Autumn) - Fancy - Happy is England! I could be content - How many bards gild the lapses of time - Keen, fitful gusts are whispering here and there - La Belle Dame sans Merci - O solitude! if I must with thee dwell - Ode - On a Leander Gem which Miss Reynolds, my Kind Friend, Gave Me - On First Looking into Chapman's Homer - On the Grasshopper and the Cricket - Stanzas - To Hope - To Leigh Hunt, Esq. - To one who has been long in city pent - and the longer poem Isabella, or The Pot of Basil - and extracts from The Fall of Hyperion and from The Eve of St. Agnes.

John Keats is not a difficult poet, but occasionally the reader may encounter some unfamiliar references to mythology or somewhat archaic words. However, I am quite convinced that the attractive format of this book, the beautiful art work, and the careful selection of poems makes this small book an ideal gift for readers either familiar or unfamiliar with poetry. For that matter, I suggest you consider giving this book to yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Blend of Art and Poetry - Ideal for Gift
Review: There are many good collections of the poetry of John Keats. Why would you be interested in this particular book, titled "Keats - Truth and Imagination"?

Each poem is accompanied by a painting, often by an artist inspired by Keats' poetry. The paintings are sensual and exquisite, complementing the beauty of Keats' language. This attractive, little book is printed on glossy paper. It is moderately priced and would make an excellent gift.

Amusingly, the book's printing history reads like the credits for a major Hollywood production: Created and Produced by Flame Tree Publishing, part of The Foundry Creative Media Company Limited, published (1999) by Gramercy Books, a trademark of Random House Value Publishing, and written (Introduction, Author's Note, and Chronology) and compiled by K. E. Sullivan. The ISBN is 0-517-16101-X for my 1999 edition.

Sullivan's compilation is quite good; it consists of many of Keats' most popular work as well as some lesser known poems. My only disappointment was that Sullivan decided (or was compelled) to present only a short extract from "The Eve of St. Agnes", one of my favorites.

This collection includes several of Keats' Odes (Grecian Urn, Melancholy, Nightingale, Psyche, and To Autumn) - Fancy - Happy is England! I could be content - How many bards gild the lapses of time - Keen, fitful gusts are whispering here and there - La Belle Dame sans Merci - O solitude! if I must with thee dwell - Ode - On a Leander Gem which Miss Reynolds, my Kind Friend, Gave Me - On First Looking into Chapman's Homer - On the Grasshopper and the Cricket - Stanzas - To Hope - To Leigh Hunt, Esq. - To one who has been long in city pent - and the longer poem Isabella, or The Pot of Basil - and extracts from The Fall of Hyperion and from The Eve of St. Agnes.

John Keats is not a difficult poet, but occasionally the reader may encounter some unfamiliar references to mythology or somewhat archaic words. However, I am quite convinced that the attractive format of this book, the beautiful art work, and the careful selection of poems makes this small book an ideal gift for readers either familiar or unfamiliar with poetry. For that matter, I suggest you consider giving this book to yourself.

Rating:
Summary: An ideal gift
Review: This book was given me as a gift by my daughter. At first I thought it was bringing coals to Newcastle as I have Keats poetry in a number of different editions. But the portrait of Keats , the clear presentation of the poems, the colorfulness of the illustrations, a good short introduction to Keats work and life, made this an enjoyable book for dipping into now and then, reexperiencing the special joy of Keats rich complex poetry.
It is a very good gift.
One small caveat. I would have preferred a slightly smaller less heavier book , for more easily wandering with it on a walk.