Review of Considerations: New Essays on Kenneth Slessor, Judith Wright, and Douglas Stewart ed. Brian Kiernan, and Australian Poems in Perspective: A Collection of Poems and Critical Commentaries ed. P.K. Elkin
Abstract
Both these collections of essays on Australian poetry are designed for the student market and will no doubt be duly listed as recommended reading by examining bodies. Brian Kiernan's aim in Considerations is the limited but sound one of printing "the most helpful of recent essays on three Australian poets frequently found on senior secondary and tertiary syllabuses'; and, in making his selection, he has wisely avoided essays already collected in anthologies of criticism. Professor Elkin's aim is rather different. His volume is intended to 'provide a handy collection of some of the best Australian poems, together with commentaries on them that will enable readers to appreciate the poems more keenly and fully than they otherwise might have done'. Kiernan's volume fulfils its purpose very well and should be of value to anyone wishing to reach an independent judgement on the poetry of Kenneth Slessor, Judith Wright, and Douglas Stewart. The value of Elkin's volume is somewhat more dubious.
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Published 1 May 1979 in Volume 9 No. 1. Subjects: Australian poetry, Judith Wright, Kenneth Slessor, Douglas Stewart.
Cite as: Colmer, John. ‘Review of Considerations: New Essays on Kenneth Slessor, Judith Wright, and Douglas Stewart ed. Brian Kiernan, and Australian Poems in Perspective: A Collection of Poems and Critical Commentaries ed. P.K. Elkin.’ Australian Literary Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, 1979, doi: 10.20314/als.99d583898a.