Official Review: Making Sense of Poetry by Rex W Last

Ogoskino · Post by **Ogoskino** » 22 Mar 2020, 04:46

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Making Sense of Poetry" by Rex W Last.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Making Sense of Poetry, by Rex W. Last, is a non-fiction book that seeks to help its reader come to grips with all the richness and complexities of poetry as well as provide the reader with the tools to grapple with the difficulties and fascinating challenges that poetry presents. First published in 1984, this is a second edition that has been largely rewritten and updated to contain a great deal of additional material.

The author starts off by answering questions about the relevance of poetry and the need to study them. He then outlines what he calls "the 12 commandments." These commandments are a guide to show the step by step process in the interpretation of poems. They are explained over twelve chapters. The author also includes exercises on poem interpretation for the reader and provides the solution to these exercises.

When I picked up this book, I had doubts about whether I would understand what was going to be talked about as it involved poetry, which is a topic I usually find difficult to comprehend. While I read the book, I had all my doubts about understanding poetry cleared, as the author broke down his message using a very simple and coherent language. I also liked that I had no distractions in the form of grammatical or typographical errors while I was reading, as the editing team did a flawless job.

I found this book to be very educative not only because it sought to interpret poetry but also because I was exposed to several words that I had not come across before. My vocabulary was widened as a result. I was also pleased that the author included the origin of some words and showed how their meanings evolved with time. For example, ‘pretty’ tended to mean ‘cunning’ in the 14th century. Then it changed to signify ‘good-looking.’

I liked that the author, understanding how boring poetry could be at times, adds humor to his explanations at regular intervals. This is an effective way of teaching, as it made me appreciate what he tried to explain faster. It also made me feel refreshed while I read, as I had some good laughs. Furthermore, I liked that the author included exercises on the interpretation of poems and their solutions to enable readers to test themselves having gained the knowledge that the book sought to teach.

There was nothing to dislike about this book, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. The author structured his message very well and executed it with perfection. As a result, I rate Making Sense of Poetry by Rex W. Last 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book for people who are interested in Poetry.

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Making Sense of Poetry
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NatRose · Post by **NatRose** » 24 Mar 2020, 22:47

I've often felt like I should appreciate poetry more than I do, but I'm just not cultured enough or something. It sounds like this would be the perfect book to give me a better appreciation and understanding of poetry.

Ivana Tomaš · Post by **Ivana Tomaš** » 25 Mar 2020, 03:24

I think this book would come in handy given that sometimes I have trouble understanding poetry. I like the fact that the author used fun and humorous details in the information he provided. Thanks for the great review!

Cynthia_Oluchi · Post by **Cynthia_Oluchi** » 25 Mar 2020, 05:45

I love poetry but have not been able to give it full appreciation. I feel this book will do me a lot of good. Thanks for this review.

Salma_asa · Post by **Salma_asa** » 25 Mar 2020, 07:23

I don’t understand poetry much. I may pass this book. Your review was very good anyway .

FEislandqueen13 · Post by **FEislandqueen13** » 25 Mar 2020, 09:28

I love poetry.

This book would be a great help to my gold of publishing a poetry book. Great review.

Gifted Soul · Post by **Gifted Soul** » 25 Mar 2020, 09:30

I believe I'll find this book a great source of knowledge in matters regarding poetry.
Thanks!

Ekta Swarnkar · Post by **Ekta Swarnkar** » 25 Mar 2020, 11:04

I'm always intrigued by poetry. I believe they are highly meaningful. Thanks for the review!

praise+anyi · Post by **praise+anyi** » 25 Mar 2020, 14:38

Poetry is among the arts that intrigues me. This book is going to serve as a manual to help clear some questions I ask when I read poems. Thanks for your revealing review.

Alex Bezan · Post by **Alex Bezan** » 25 Mar 2020, 18:37

Wow! This was wonderful to read, it made me think more and appreciate poetry. It was truly beautiful and inspiring.

Post by **Sanju Lali** » 26 Mar 2020, 04:58

A book that help reader with tips to understand poetry better looks quite helpful. Thanks for your nice review on this book that enable to decide whether or not to buy this book.

Letora · Post by **Letora** » 26 Mar 2020, 05:32

Maybe I should give this book a try. While I enjoy some poetry, I do think the deeper meanings behind certain poems don't even register to me. Great review!

inaramid · Post by **inaramid** » 26 Mar 2020, 09:45

I don't really enjoy poems - unless they rhyme. Maybe I need a lesson on appreciating poetry. Thanks for the informative review!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 26 Mar 2020, 13:35

I used to enjoy poetry, but I never got really into it, and now it's been a while since I've last read or written a poem. This book sounds like a must-read for me since I would like to know more about the topic. Thanks for the review!

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 26 Mar 2020, 15:41

I like poetry and find the Etymology of words absolutely fascinating. I think this is a book I would like! Thanks for the recommendation and the great review!