Book Recommendation: David Orr’s Beautiful and Pointless * * * * *

I greatly enjoyed David Orr’s book Beautiful and Pointless.

It is intended to be an introduction to understanding modern poetry. I found the book to be interesting, enlightening, and well written. I was surprised and pleased with the unexpected humor found in the book.

I appreciated Orr’s examples and poetry recommendations. I now have several new artists to investigate.

I felt a kinship to Orr and his writing, as well as his take on poetry. I’m sincerely grateful someone recommended this book to me.

This week I’m reading The Discovery of Poetry by Frances Mayes (which I found mentioned in an Amazon review of Orr’s book), and Edge by Jeffery Deaver.

I think the Mayes book is going to be really good. It already made me cry, and I'm not even through the first chapter.

Relevant references:
Amazon Link to Beautiful and Pointless.

OSU library link to Beautiful and pointless.

OSU Library call number:
808.1
075b

Happy reading!

Odd Thomas

I have been reading Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. I'm not a big scary book fan. I am more into suspense. But I've been struck by the poetry in Koontz's writing.

It really amazes me how it is written. Like this:

"The soft features of his wan face brought to mind pale mushrooms that I once glimpsed in a dark dank corner of a basement, mealy puffballs clustered in a moist mounds of forest mast." Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas

Now that's a whole lot different than saying perhaps - He had a pale mushy face. There is a greater depth of description, and it's beautiful.

I also liked this -

"She served it hot, kissing plate to counter without a rattle, as she always does." Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas

What a depth of meaning in two short lines. I love it.

I've been using the Stephen King principle in my writing (KISS), just tell the story and get it done, don't put too many ruffles on it. But when I get good - really good - I hope I have some flavor of Koontz in my writing.

King doesn't seem to think much of Koontz. Go figure.

Luckily - I can love them both. Who do you think is better?

Happy Thursday!