What I’ve Been Reading This Week: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A poetry anthology and criticism book! That’s right, yr man the shipwrecked sailor read some theory. Some theory about sonnets<\/em>, particularly American sonnets<\/em>, a form of poetry that I am relatively passionate about. I love sonnets, those compact little boxes. Luckily, in addition to theory, this book had lots of sonnets, too. I’m talking, of course, about The American Sonnet: An Anthology of Poems and Essays<\/em> edited by Dora Malech and Laura T. Smith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The American Sonnet: An Anthology of Poems and Essays<\/em> edited by Dora Malech and Laura T. Smith: <\/strong>it\u2019s hard to summarize such an expansive book. It is, as the title says, sonnets (128 pages of them, spanning centuries) and essays (another couple hundred pages of them). I should say that I am not the most attentive reader of scholarly criticism, but I am<\/em> a sonnet writer, and so tried to glean as much as I could. This book reinforced my personal belief that all a sonnet really needs is 14 lines, but I also resolved to start paying attention to meter at least 25% more. I also really appreciated how much sonnets, particularly American sonnets, are used for protest and subversion. The discussion of domestic sonnets, particularly with Gwendolyn Brooks, were illuminating. Not for nothing, all the poetry was super good, too. Who doesn\u2019t love a love sonnet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Should you read this book? If you\u2019re a poet interested in sonnets, yes. If you\u2019re not a poet interested in sonnets, the first 128 pages are great, if you check this book out from your local library. Whether or not you want to read the scholarly criticism is up to your personal threshold for jargon. Me, I\u2019m keeping it on my shelf for ongoing reference and inspiration. It is unlikely I will ever read it cover-to-cover again. I’ll definitely reference the poems themselves again\u2014you’ll be unsurprised to learn that I started really really enjoying these chronologically-arranged poems around the time it got to Patricia Smith, Tyehimba Jess, and Diane Seuss. I’ll have you know, though (internal rhyme, brag), that I enjoyed many of the pre-1960s sonnets, and even many of the pre-1900 sonnets. Someone tell Undergrad Chris, he’ll pass out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One fun note about reading: often, the notes below a poem would point to an essay discussing the poem. So I hopped and skipped around the book, which made for a cool experience.\u00a0Not the speediest way to read a book, but enjoyable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n LINKS!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Something to listen to while you browse? Mallory’s on a big Gully Boys kick recently, which is great for me. Let’s listen to Gully Boys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.lazyandentitled.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/IMG_7202-1024x768.jpg\")