When, in the books final poem, she states firmly that we have our own constants and to be reasonable is to let go, we are fully prepared to believe her. The privilege 1965 and the nightmare factory 1970 address issues of jewish identity and family and of love between men and women. The real joy of this book is the authors love of all things country and new england. With a cleareyed vision of the natural world, relationships, mortality and the inner lives of women, kumin became one of the countrys most honored poets, whose fourth book of poetry, up. Its a good feeling to have a new book with maxine kumins name on it in your hands. It serves as a great companion to her first memoir, inside the. Maxine kumin maxine kumin is considered one of the best jewish american poets of her time. Maxine kumin has served as poetry consultant to the library of congress 198182, and poet laureate of the state of new hampshire 198994. As soon as i finished reading maxine kumins the pawnbrokers daughter, i started it over again. Maxine kumin nee winokur was born to a reform jewish family an enduring presence in american poetry, maxine kumins career spanned over half a century. She was the author of sixteen books of poems, most recently, where i live.
Kumin also published more than 20 childrens books, a memoir, five. She was appointed poet laureate consultant in poetry to the library of congress in 19811982 born maxine winokur in philadelphia, the daughter of jewish parents, she attended a catholic kindergarten and primary school. Kumin and her husband experienced an idyllic life on their 200acre horse farm in new hampshire, living a wideopen lifestyle. Inscribed by the author to another poet and novelist. She was the author of 18 poetry collections, including up country. Kumin won the pulitzer in 1973 for up country, her fourth volume of verse. Maxine kumin, pulitzerwinning poet with a naturalists. Poems of new england, new and selected kumin, maxine w. Maxine kumin was born in philadelphia, pennsylvania, in 1925. Maxine kumin is currently considered a single author. The poetry and literature center at the library of congress. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Maxine kumin skip to main search results amazon prime.
Jack by maxine kumin poems academy of american poets. She attended catholic and public schools before earning a ba and ma from radcliffe college and married. Maxine kumin was born maxine winokur on june 6, 1925 in philadelphia, the daughter of jewish parents, and attended a catholic kindergarten and primary school. Ap maxine kumin, a prolific new england poet and u.
The author of numerous collections of poetry, maxine kumin received the pulitzer prize for her book up country. By that point, kumin had ensured her place among the great american poets of the 20th century. Second printing, in wrappers, of this pulitzer prizewinning poetry collection. I had read enough of her work to be able to say i thought it was nice, but i hadnt. Woodchucks by maxine kumin poems academy of american. An enduring presence in american poetry, maxine kumins career spanned over half a century. This creative productivity culminated in the publication of up country. Kumin 19252014, born and raised in philadelphia, pennsylvania, received a ba in 1946 and an ma in 1948, both from radcliffe college.
An enduring presence in american poetry, maxine kumins career spanned over half. Confessionalist poets tend to focus their poetry on personal matters that took place in their lives. Poems of new england, which received the pulitzer prize. Poems of new england by maxine kumin 1972, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Maxine kumin nee winokur was born to a reform jewish family in germantown, pennsylvania. Maxine kumin is the author of six books of poetry including up country, which won the pulitzer prize in 1973, and the retrieval system, published in 1978.
Kumins first book of poetry, halfway, was published in 1961. Maxine kumin, former poet laureate of new hampshire died on thursday, february 6th at her home in warner, new hampshire. Many of these early works were collected in kumins first book of poems, halfway. She was an american poet who had been a long time ago poet laureate, and who won the pulitzer prize for her collection up country. Her awards include the pulitzer and ruth lilly poetry prizes, the poets prize, and the harvard arts and robert frost medals. Up country, by maxine kumin harper the pulitzer prizes. Poems of new england, which won her the pulitzer prize in 1973.
See all books authored by maxine kumin, including the microscope, and selected poems 19601990, and more on. Up country poems of new england, new and selected, maxine kumin on. Between 1961 and 1972 she published four poetry collections, four novels, and nineteen childrens books. Depicting the rural lifestyle in new england, up country is representative of kumins pastoral poetry. With jack and other new poems, her fifteenth volume of poetry, kumin continues to offer work similar to that which has delighted readers for decades, especially since her pulitzerprizewinning collection, up country, in 1973. Portraits of donald hall, richard wilbur, maxine kumin, and stanley kunitz.
Up country poems of new england new and selected maxine kumin on. Maxine kumin june 6,1925 february 6,2014 was an american poet and author. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Kumin, who died in february of 2014, is one of those poets whose passing echoes profoundly through her lines. Up country poems of new england, new and selected, hardcover 1972. Book to screen in the news video interviews fully booked podcast. For a distinctive work that melds performance art with the deeper art of poetry to explore collective memory and challenge. The book examined life on and around the tumbledown new hampshire farm.
Maxine kumin was the author of eighteen poetry collections as well as numerous novels, essays, memoirs, and childrens books. She attended catholic and public schools before earning a ba and ma from radcliffe college and married victor kumin in 1946 while still a student, and she would have two daughters and a son. Maxine kumin june 6, 1925 february 6, 2014 was an american poet and author. Poems of new england, which won the 1973 pulitzer prize.
She has been compared to anne sexton, who was a fellow american confessionalist poet. Maxine kumins book up country acknowledges its debt to thoreau, though in my opinion kumins poetry gives us a sharpedged, unflinching and occasionally nightmarish subjectivity. Poems of new england, new and selected by maxine kumin. Maxine kumins 17th poetry collection, published in the spring of 2010, is where i live. Maxine kumin came into my consciousness somewhere along the line a few years ago. Maxine kumins book acknowledges its debt to thoreau, though in my opinion kumins poetry gives us a. Kumins many awards include the eunice tietjens memorial prize for poetry 1972, the pulitzer prize for poetry 1973 for up country, in 1995 the aiken taylor award for modern american poetry, the 1994 poets prize for looking for luck, an american academy and institute of arts and letters award for excellence in literature 1980, an academy of american. R ead together, these two excellent books cause us to ask ourselves. The pawnbrokers daughter by maxine kumin, hardcover. Poems of new england, won the 1973 pulitzer prize for poetry. To make a prairie the university of michigan press. Up country poems of new england, new and selected, by maxine kumin.
Purgatory by maxine kumin poems academy of american poets. She has won a pulitzer prize in 1973 for her work in up country. In maxines own words, she metamorphosed into a recognizable name and suddenly she was in business, the poetry business. Norton, 2015, chronicling her life from childhood through advanced age, closing out a prolific writing career in grand style the book made oprahs 2015 summer reading list. The experience of up countrys 42 poems is dramatic and visionary, but above all convincing. She was appointed poet laureate consultant in poetry to the library of congress in 19811982 born maxine winokur in philadelphia, the daughter of jewish parents, she attended a. This statement is particularly significant for what it implies about kumins jewish background and the role it has played in her worka role frequently overlooked by readers and critics. This new book begins and ends with sonnets, yet even in her more formal poems she manages to present a relaxed or. In an oped for the times, kumin reflects on what shell miss about her new hampshire home during her semester teaching at the university of miami. In addition, she has shown her literary versatility in publishing four novels and more than twenty childrens books. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint. It seems fitting that maxine kumins last published work was her memoir, the pawnbrokers daughter w.
She is the author of 18 poetry collections, including up country. She was appointed poet laureate consultant in poetry to the library of congress in 19811982. A book of animal poems maxine kumin, author, liz rosenberg, editor, pamela zagarenski, illustrator, illus. Maxine kumin poems poems of maxine kumin poem hunter. Maxine kumin kyewmuhn is best known for her work as a poet and received the pulitzer prize in poetry in 1973 for her volume up country.