Sharon Olds Books

The only thing I can think to say about this book of poems is that they are TERRIBLE. I've never heard so may nasty words -
I mean really nasty, sex words, that do not belong in decent books. I feel ashamed to have read them, and cannot recommend this book to anyone.

I will give the other reviews slight credence to the nasty words. some words could be considered 'nasty' words if you are a prude. but that's life. probably the most poignant and introspective book i've ever had the absolute joy to read. how vulnerable most of us would feel describing our most intimate, truthful emotions.

i'm sorry, i realize that people can disagree and not everyone is going to like similar things. but how this?

As I was reading this book, I came across many poems that were far too sexually explicit for my taste, to name a few: "The First," "Early Images of Heaven" and "Full Summer." I found these poems to be highly offensive, and improper for the general audience.

Had I been warned of the book's sexually explicit content ahead of time, I would not have read it. I believe that it should be so marked on the cover so potential readers know what they are
getting into.

The people who wrote the incredibly off negative reviews of this book do not understand contemporary poetry. If you don't like this book because of its real world language and content, which is only a small part of the book, by the way, you are a prude or a snob. Sharon Olds rocks--she is brave and honest and writes what is real. We don't live in Victorian England or the Middle Ages anymore, do we? These poems are beautifully written and are about life--love, kids, hate, childhood, everything. Thank God poetry does not have to only be about flowers and birds and oh how lovely everything is.

Sharon Olds work is always well-crafted and honest. Shocking to some, perhaps. (Evidently it does disturb Catherine Ross, whose anti Sharon Olds crusade from April of this year is so transparent--each of her neg reviews written in the same voice, though supposedly penned by different reviewers.) As a man, I have always had a great respect for Olds' writing, her views into the world and her ability to somehow transform pain from the past into something greater and more life-affirming. You will love this book, unless you are profoundly prudish.

This book is a rehash of other Tombstone books only poorly written and edited. I was underlining so many misspelled words and tangled up sentences that I found myself reading this with a pen in my hand. I was expecting some decent examples of the spirits and mystery the title alluded to, but all I got were repeated phrases such as, "They smelled cigar smoke ", "Things flew through the air", " We could hear footsteps." There is a story about a poker chip that keeps appearing and disappearing that is repeated 3 or 4 times. Luckily the stories are short, except for the one on the Bird Cage Theatre which seems to end and then starts up again repeating the previous sentences. I'm sure this book sells well in Tombstone to the tourists, but if you really want History and Mystery look elsewhere.