new titles

Here are some recommended titles to look forward to in 2021:

• Beatdom – New Beat Generation Books 2021
• The Guardian – 2021 in books: what to look forward to this year
• Library Journal – Books and Authors To Know: Poetry Titles To Watch 2021
• The Millions – Must-Read Poetry: January 2021
• The Millions – Must-Read Poetry: February 2021
• NPR – A Different Day: A 2021 Poetry Preview, Part 2
• NPR – While the Possible is Possible: A 2021 Poetry Preview, Part 3

Happy reading!

what a list!

PEN America has announced the finalists for the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards, and what a list it is!

To make their decisions, the judges narrowed down 1850+ submissions to 55 books, spanning 11 awards in the categories of science writing, the essay, poetry and short story collections, translation, the novel, and more. Twenty of the books featured are from writers making their literary debuts. Half of the open-genre award finalists are poetry collections.

The winners will be celebrated at the PEN America Literary Awards Ceremony, to take place virtually on Thursday, April 8, 2021, and will be open to a global audience. (Details TBA.)

new poetry

Newly published poetry books are on the shelves, and with in-person launches still unavailable, poets hope you’ll find your way to their titles and help spread the word. Here are some recommended new releases for early 2021:

• BookAuthority – 21 Best New Poetry Books To Read In 2021
• Book Riot – 8 Great Poetry Audiobooks Performed by Their Authors
• Electric Lit – 10 Highly Anticipated Poetry Books to Redeem 2021
• NPR – Glimmers Of Hope: A 2021 Poetry Preview, Part 1
• read poetry – 8 January Poetry Releases to Refresh Your Bookshelf
• Small Press Distribution (SPD) – New Poetry

These selections are, of course, in addition to the book that’s on the top of everyone’s list right now: The Hill We Climb and Other Poems by Amanda Gorman.

more titles

Even as the critics and publications are declaring their favorites for 2020, they are still offering up current recommendations, such as:

• Electric Lit – New Poetry Collections that Highlight the Diversity of Latinx Identity
• The Millions – Must-Read Poetry: December 2020
• The New York Times – New & Noteworthy Poetry, From Eavan Boland to the African-American Canon
• PEN America – Transgender Awareness Week: A Reading List

yet more books…

Soon it will be “Best-of” season, but we are still finding lists of recommended poetry books for 2020:

• Book Riot – 10 Recent Books by Asian American Poets
• CBC – 37 Canadian poetry collections to watch for in fall 2020
• The Guardian – The best recent poetry – review roundup

Happy reading!

more recommendations

As if your to-read shelf was running low, here are a few more recommendations:

• The Guardian – The best recent poetry collections
• National Poetry Day – 40 Recommended Poetry Books
• PEN America – Healing through Stories: A Latinx Heritage Month Reading List from Tia Chucha Press and Bookstore
• Spectator Life – Seven poetry collections every child should read
• The West Review – Ten Underrated Poetry Collections to Read This Summer and Twenty Queer Books to Read During Quarantine

Happy reading!

books, books, books

More recommendations for autumn reading:

CBC – 37 Canadian poetry collections to watch for in fall 2020

Esquire – The Best Books of Fall 2020 For Those Long, Chilly Nights (includes poetry)

Good Housekeeping (yup, really) – 10 of the best poetry books

Independent – 10 best kids’ poetry books: Anthologies that inspire and educate

The New York Times – New & Noteworthy Poetry, From the Ancient Greeks to Billy Collins

San Francisco Chronicle – 3 poetry anthologies deliver the wisdom and beauty we desperately need

Happy reading!

reading autumn

It’s the first day of fall and many of us are likely to keep spending more time at home over the coming months, so here are some additional suggestions for stocking the book larder:

• 49th Shelf – Most Anticipated: Our 2020 Fall Poetry Preview
• Book Marks – 11 of the Most Anticipated Poetry Collections of Fall/Winter
• Book Riot – 5 Books To Get Your Buddhism Through Poetry
• Book Riot – 5 Poetry Collections As History Lessons
• Library Journal – Provocations: 10 More Poetry Collections for Fall
• The Millions – Must-Read Poetry: September 2020
• Poetry Book Society – Autumn 2020

If you’d care to recommend a recently published book of poetry, leave a comment!

more books

Here are a few more recommendations for your burgeoning list:

• The Guardian – The best recent poetry – review roundup
• Library Journal – Longing and Speech: Nine Major Poetry Collections from Writers Veteran and New (note: site opens with an intrusive pop-up, but it’s easily closed)
• The Millions – Must-Read Poetry: August 2020
• The New York Times – New & Noteworthy Poetry, From a Hungry God to a Fake Shepherd

Want more recommendations? See earlier posts here.

more books!

A few more books for your list, current, recent, and otherwise:

• Cave Canem – National Poetry Month: Staff Book Picks
• Electric Lit – 8 Poetry Collections on Blackness
• Five Books – recommendations for the best poetry books to read for both study and pleasure
• The Jewish News of Northern California – New Jewish poetry books to accompany you through isolation
• Kundiman – 20 Books to Read for Pride

Happy reading!