20 Books of Poetry Everyone Should Own
Verse to reach for on a lazy evening—or a difficult day: The poetry no reader's library should be without.
By Carmela Ciuraru
17 of 20
The Essential Gwendolyn Brooks
By Gwendolyn Brooks
200 pages;
Library of America
Raised on Chicago's South Side, Brooks (who died in 2000) devoted her work to the lives of African-Americans, depicting scenes of anger, compassion, and resilience. In addition to the classic "We Real Cool," this edition also includes treasures like "The Lovers of the Poor."
— Carmela Ciuraru
Published 03/18/2011
