Poems That Make Grown Men Cry

About Poems That Make Grown Men Cry

Poems That Make Grown Men Cry is an anthology edited by Anthony Holden and Ben Holden, in which one hundred men choose the poem that moves them to tears and explain why. If you have ever wondered which poems make grown men cry, or you want a gift that opens up honest feeling, this book is a treasure. Please message us on WhatsApp at 9906523492 for details of the copy in stock, including the publisher and number of pages.

The editors, a father and son, asked famous and not-so-famous men to name one poem and write a few lines about their choice. The result is a collection of poetry that is also a series of short, candid personal stories. It was produced in partnership with Amnesty International.

What Poems That Make Grown Men Cry is about

• One hundred contributors, each choosing a poem and explaining the memory or feeling behind it.
• Poems about grief, love, fatherhood, friendship, war and the passing of time.
• Contributors named in coverage include John le Carre, Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Salman Rushdie, Jonathan Franzen, Patrick Stewart, Billy Collins and Seamus Heaney.
• Several favourite poets appearing more than once, with W.H. Auden among the most chosen.
• A companion volume exists for women, titled Poems That Make Grown Women Cry.

Part of the book’s charm is how different the contributors are, yet how often the same few poems appear. Some selections are famous, others are surprising. The introductions make the poems feel alive because each is tied to a real life, such as a loss, a childhood memory or a moment of sudden understanding. You do not need to be a poetry expert to enjoy it. The book is also a lovely reminder that a poem does not have to be difficult to be powerful. Short, plain lines can hit hardest, and many contributors choose poems that are simple on the surface and deeply personal underneath. That makes the anthology a very good gift for a reader who says they do not really like poetry, because it shows how personal the whole thing can be.

About the author, Anthony Holden and Ben Holden

Anthony Holden is a British journalist and biographer, and Ben Holden is his son, a writer and film producer. They edited this anthology together and later produced the companion book for women. Their approach is that poetry belongs to everyone, not only to scholars, and that admitting a poem has made you cry can be a bridge between people.

Why Poems That Make Grown Men Cry is worth reading

There is a tradition that men should keep their feelings quiet. This book gently pushes against that. By showing admired, accomplished people talking openly about poems that move them, it makes room for the rest of us to do the same. It also works as a very good introduction to English-language poetry, since the poems are short and the introductions are friendly. If you buy Poems That Make Grown Men Cry as a gift, it suits fathers, brothers, friends and teachers equally well.

Who should read this book

• Poetry lovers who enjoy anthologies.
• Readers who are new to poetry and want an easy way in.
• Fathers, sons and friends looking for something to share.
• Students and teachers of English literature.
• Anyone who likes the idea of poetry connected to real life stories.

How to get the most from this book

Read slowly. Start with the contributors whose names you know, then branch out. Read each poem aloud once, and then read the short introduction again to see how it changes the poem. Keep a notebook of lines you love, and consider choosing your own poem to add to the collection in spirit.

Frequently asked questions

Is the book only for men?
No. It is for anyone who enjoys poetry.

Do the poems come with explanations?
Each contributor writes a short introduction explaining their choice.

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