The Things You Can Read: Review: Aimless Love by Billy Collins

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Review: Aimless Love by Billy Collins

Review: Aimless Love by Billy Collins
Five out of Five Stars
Expected publication: October 22, 2013

I was introduced to Billy Collins back in the 90s, I gobbled up The Art of Drowning, Picnic, Lightning, Sailing Alone Around the Room, Nine Horses, and The Apple That Astonished Paris, each one a treasure in its own right. Ecstatic, doesn't describe how I felt when I heard that Collins was to release a new volume of poetry, his first since 2011, because in my opinion, Billy Collins is the Pied Piper for Poetry! His work is simply amazing, and this new volume of poetry proves it. He may be in his seventies, but he hasn't lost his poetry mojo. Yes, this volume is a mix of new and previously published work, but a gem of a poem is easily devoured over and over again.

If you have always wanted to like poetry, but just never found the right poet, here is your chance to rectify all that has been missing in your quest to enter the genre of poetry. Give Aimless Love a shot and see if you haven't found just what you needed to fill your poetry gap. With poems like "Cheerios" your love of Billy Collins' poetic genius will start to grow. Lines like, "I opened the Tribune only to discover that I was the same age as Cheerios," will keep you reading to discover where Collins is headed.

I feel obligated to mention that in addition to his ten published collections of poetry, Mr. Collins was named Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 through 2003, and he served as Poet Laureate of the state of New York from 2004 through 2006. Collins is also credited with starting Poetry 180 and is currently its editor.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me access to an advance readers copy (ARC) of Aimless Love by Billy Collins.

Does Aimless Love by Billy Collins grab your attention? Is it a book of poetry you'd be interested in reading? Let us know here at The Things You Can Read!