Introducing the Next Generation of Poetry...

Poetry You Can Hear

“A poem can change your life.”
- Elise Paschen, Poetry Speaks Expanded

In the brief, staccato lines of a Gertrude Stein poem or amid the impassioned ramblings of Allen Ginsberg you’ll discover thoughts and feelings that resonate with your deepest emotions. And when read aloud, by the poet, poetry takes on a whole new life.

The books that make up our Poetry You Can Hear collection are instant classics that will be treasured by lovers of poetry for generations.

Audio CDs accompany each book in our Poetry You Can Hear collection, so you can personally experience poetry in its original form. From its earliest days, poetry has always been, at its heart, a spoken art. It’s an unforgettable experience rich with treasured poets reading their own works and modern artists—from actors and musicians to poet laureates—providing their own interpretations.

The only place to find all of this in one convenient location is in our Poetry You Can Hear collection. Experience it for yourself.

So… Which one will change your life?

• Poetry Speaks Expanded
• The Spoken Word Revolution Redux
• Something About the Blues
• The Poem I Turn To
• The Voices and Poetry of Ireland
• Hip Hop Speaks to Children
• Poetry Speaks to Children
• The Adventures of Isabel

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Poetry Speaks Expanded $49.95 400 pages

In 2001, Poetry Speaks brought together the words and voices of poetry for the first time, breaking onto bestseller lists and changing the way people experience and enjoy poetry. Poetry Speaks Expanded is the update to that groundbreaking anthology. The new version features three audio CDs containing the poetry of more than 45 of the greatest poets who ever lived, read by the poets themselves, from Walt Whitman to Jack Kerouac. For the first time ever, you can experience the pleasure of hearing James Joyce read from Finnegans Wake. Plus, listen to Alan Ginsberg tackle “Howl” and hear Gwendolyn Brooks bring “We Real Cool” to life.

Praise for Poetry Speaks and Poetry Speaks Expanded:

*A Book Sense Top-10 Selection*

“New additions to the anthology include Jack Kerouac and, in the biggest coup of all, James Joyce. Previous difficulties with securing the rights to his work prevented his inclusion in 2001, but now readers can listen in awe as he reads from “Anna Livia Plurabelle” in Finnegans Wake. Poetry is the oldest of art forms. It’s fitting, then, that here its voice rings louder and ever more true.”
BOOKPAGE

“This book has the potential to draw more readers to poetry than any collection in years.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, STARRED REVIEW

“Superb, accessible … A unique and essential purchase.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

“The definitive anthology of poets reading their own work.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

 “Readers and listeners are guaranteed to hear poems in a new way after spending time with this book and CD set.”
LIBRARY JOURNAL, STARRED REVIEW

 “It is the rare combination of spoken and written words that makes Poetry Speaks one of the most comprehensive and enjoyable anthologies available.”
SALON.COM

“The most ambitious, innovative poetry project to be published in years.”
QUALITY PAPERBACK BOOK CLUB

 “It speaks volumes for Poetry Speaks that by the time you’re done, your biggest problem may be that you wish there were more.”
WALL STREET JOURNAL

“As a guide to the greatest influences on the development of US poetry over the past century it is an invaluable resource … The CDs demonstrate very clearly the importance of poetry as a spoken art form. The poems are felt differently when they are heard read by the original poet.”
CRAFTYGREENPOET.BLOGSPOT.COM

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The Spoken Word Revolution $19.95 256 pages

Hear more than 70 minutes of electrifying live poetry on 1 audio CD

The Spoken Word Revolution brings to life the written and performed works of more than 40 of the most influential slam, hip hop, performance art and contemporary poets in the world today. This defining collection of spoken word poetry captures today’s electrifying words and voices, in text and immediately live on one audio CD.

“Accompanied by a terrific CD that showcases the great variety of styles performance poetry embraces, from the purest of recitations to seductive musical presentations, this dynamic anthology embodies the thrilling and mutually beneficial rapprochement between the traditionalists and the slammers, something that seemed about as likely 10 years ago as that proverbial cold day in hell.”
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

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The Spoken Word Revolution Redux $24.95 256 pages

Gripping, stirring, electrifying poetry from musicians, artists and geniuses of the slam poetry movement, such as The Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley and four-time national poetry slam champion Patricia Smith. Spoken Word Revolution was the top-selling, most influential book on the spoken word poetry scene. Redux offers even more absorbing, challenging, moving poetry in the oral tradition, including a CD that features more than 75 minutes of live poetry. Under the same motley tent you’ll read and hear slam poetry, hip hop, performance art and youth movements.

“The placement of traditional poets’ work and readings next to those of today’s performance artists forces readers/listeners to question the very definition of poetry.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

“There are outstanding poems in the anthology¾made even more powerful by their moving readings included in the accompanying audio CD … It is interesting to witness the words taking flight off of the page and coming directly from the author’s mouth.”
BOOKSLUT

“The promise of hip-hop and celebrities will draw teens in, the power and immediacy of the poetry and commentary will keep them reading and listening.”
BOOKLIST

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Something About the Blues $22.95 224 pages

Threaded through America’s musical mosaic, the blues make you feel and hear. Sometimes you can count them off in measures and beats, but largely they dwell in a wild and menacing state. Like poetry, the blues will always be dramatically unpredictable - and therein lays the pleasure of this collection. California Poet Laureate Al Young, accompanied by a live blues band, brings his distinctive approach to more than an hour of soulful readings on this fascinating, original book/CD combo featuring 120+ blues-themed poems.

“Poetry is music, everyone knows. But few poets connect the two as fluently as California Poet Laureate Al Young.”
THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

“This collection is a real treat … a must-have for anyone who loves music, or words, or (especially) both.”
AMAZON.COM REVIEW

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The Poem I Turn To $24.95 256 pages

If you had to pick just one poem, your desert-island poem, which would it be? In The Poem I Turn To, author Jason Shinder has compiled favorite, meaningful poetry selections from more than 40 acclaimed entertainers, including Alan Arkin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Simon and Alfre Woodward. The relationship between cinema and poetry runs deep: Poets have drawn inspiration from movies, and actors have written, and been inspired by, poetry. The Poem I Turn To is a must-read for lovers of poetry, cinema, and the arts.

“Shinder and advisory editors Michael O’Keefe and Lili Taylor have put together one lovely collection that, by extension, shows the power of poetry in the daily life of creative people everywhere.”
JANET GRACE RIEHL, AUTHOR OF “SIGHTLINES: A POET’S DIARY”

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The Voices and Poetry of Ireland $18.95 112 pages

Ireland is an island steeped in literary tradition, populated with writers inspired by its piercing landscape, rich history and colorful past. It has produced an astonishing wealth of writers, from Oscar Wilde to W.B. Yeats, and now, for the first time ever, more than 30 of the country’s best-loved poems have been recorded on one stirring CD. You’ll hear the poems of Patrick Kavanagh, Seamus Heaney and others read by some of the most moving, resonant, memorable voices ever to come out of the Emerald Isle, including Bono, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Farrell.

* 2006 Ben Franklin Award Winner *

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Hip Hop Speaks to Children $19.99 80 pages

Hip Hop Speaks to Children, an anthology of poetry arranged by Nikki Giovanni that includes artists such as Maya Angelou, Queen Latifah, Langston Hughes., and Common, is a celebration of poetry with a beat. The compilation of 50 remarkable poems and songs has captured the imagination of an entirely new generation of poetry lovers with a pulse that grooves to the sounds of the times, and found praise from parents, educators and reviewers around the country. A New York Times Bestseller and a Booklist Top 10 Art Book, Hip Hop Speaks to Children belongs on the bookshelf of every child - or adult - who wants to feel the beat.

“With its archival recordings of poems read by the poets themselves, [Hip Hop] reminds everyone that poetry springs from an oral tradition.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“With appeal for preliterate children, their great grandparents, and every generation between, this will be fun for families to share as they get their groove on.”
BOOKLIST

“The variety of poetic forms and performance styles … makes this collection an excellent source of material not found together elsewhere.”
KIRKUS

“This is the way to get children interested in reading and loving poetry … a great book for both teachers and parents.”
VALERIE LEWIS, OWNER OF HICKLEBEE’S CHILDREN’S BOOKSTORE

“The poems, the artwork, the CD … all complement each other to create a wonderful experience.”
BECKY LANEY, BECKY LANEY’S BOOKS BLOG

“Whether you read poetry or you read it in a rap song, Giovanni’s genius endeavor will inspire children of all ages to have fun while listening to poetry. Rap is poetry, right?”
AMY BOWLLAN, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

“I highly recommend this one for all collections. If the title didn’t include the word ‘children’ it’d be an excellent book all the way to high school.”
JENNIFER ROTHSCHILD, BIBLIO FILE BLOG

“This is an incredibly powerful, beautiful and important book. Both the book and CD are stellar in quality and diversity. The artwork is amazing and I find myself pulling it out of the shelf over and over for just one more re-read.”
GINA RUIZ, BLOGCRITICS MAGAZINE

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Poetry Speaks to Children $19.95 112 pages

Rhyme. Rhythm. Fun. A teeny bit of mischief. It’s all inside Poetry Speaks to Children. Elise Paschen has carefully selected the best of the best poems to appeal to the elements of spoken and written word that kids love best. If you’ve ever wondered how to get your kids interested in poetry, Poetry Speaks to Children cracks the code. The book contains more than 90 poems aimed at kids age six and up, from beloved poets including Roald Dahl, J.R.R. Tolkien, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Nikki Giovanni. The 50 poems on the accompanying CD are often read by the poets themselves, so children can hear the poems as the authors intended. Turn the page and tune in¾kids won’t be the only ones hooked!

“[A] wonderful new anthology [that has] broken new ground.”
NANCY PEARL, LIBRARIAN AND AUTHOR OF BOOK LUST

“[My son] was enchanted when we first walked through the book, his ears perked by the cadence, his imagination intrigued by the imagery, his eyes delighted by the colorful illustrations. Poetry Speaks to Children is an indulgence for anyone to enjoy¾parent or child, teacher or student.”
FIVE MINUTES FOR MOM BLOG

“Poetry Speaks to Children would make a fabulous addition to any home school library. It was truly a thrill to hear Robert Frost read “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening.”
CHRISTIAN-PARENTING-SOURCE.COM

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Meet Isabel, a remarkable girl who encounters fearsome foes and doesn’t worry, scream, or scurry. Inside the first edition of our new Poetry Telling Stories Collection you’ll discover not only calm, fearless Isabel, but an audio CD featuring author Ogden Nash, (who based Isabel on his real-life daughter) reading the poem aloud. Delight in the beauty of Isabel’s world and the thrill of finding secret details in the brilliant illustrations.

“Adventuresome, fearless, and always clever…Isabel, Isabel is as hilarious as ever. …Nash’s classic poem is cheerfully and humorously depicted and sure to invite many readings.”
THE BLOOMSBURY REVIEW

“Isabel is a good candidate for showing kids the storytelling prowess of a poem.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

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