Books by Robert von Hallberg

Challenging the common perception of poets as standing apart from the mainstream of American culture, Robert von Hallberg gives us a fresh and unpredictable assessment of the poetry that has come directly out of the American experience since 1945.

The authority of poetry varies from one period to another, from one culture to another. To explain why a reader might prefer one kind of poem to another, this book analyzes - beyond the political and intellectual significance of poems - the musicality of both lyric poetry and popular song, including that of Tin Pan Alley and doo-wop.

Described as one of the most influential American literary figures of the mid-20th century and a near-prophet of the Black Mountain School, Olson was highly regarded as both a theorist and a poet. Here is an examination of Olson's understanding of poetry that provides the framework needed for understanding his work.