Books by Ted Kooser

In this captivating collection of poetry, celebrated poets Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek, along with illustrator Richard Jones, explore the wonders of nature in a spirited and magical way ¿ and invite our imaginations out to play.This stunning gift-book contains thirty exquisite poems by celebrated US poets Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek, beautifully illustrated by artist Richard Jones. A freewheeling romp through the world of imagery and metaphor, this quietly startling collection is framed by the four elements and divided into thoughtfully-curated sections, exploring art and reality, fact and fancy. Look around: what do you see? A clown balancing a pie in a tree, or an empty nest perched on a leafless branch? This charming compendium of the fleeting and unexpected turns the everyday ¿ towering trees and tiny tadpoles; roaring fires, lazy afternoons, and pillowy white marshmallows ¿ into poetic gold. A brilliant and timeless collaboration that evokes both the mystery and grandeur of the natural world and the cosy, mundane moments of daily life, this wonderfully illustrated collection is the go-to gift book of the season for poetry fans of all ages.

Offers a sequence of contemplative prose observations about nature, place, and time arranged according to the calendar year. Written by one of America's most beloved poets, this book is published in the year in which Ted Kooser turns seventy-five, with sixty years of workbooks stretching behind him.

Suitable for aspiring and praciticng writers, this book states that writing well means breaking free of the rules learned in school.

Describes with detail and humour the place the author calls home in the Bohemian Alps of southeastern Nebraska.

A collection of poems recording the devastation unleashed on the Great Plains by the blizzard of January 12, 1888. This book is based on the actual reminiscences of the survivors as recorded in documents from the time and written reminiscences from years later.

Like the yellow, pink, and blue irises that had been transplanted from house to house over the years, the stories of poet Ted Kooser's family had been handed down until, as his mother lay ill and dying, he felt an urgency to write them down. With a poet's eye for detail, Kooser captures the beauty of the landscape and the vibrancy of his mother's Iowa family in precise, evocative language.

Much more than a guidebook to writing and revising poems, this manual has all the comforts and merits of an enlightening conversation with a wise, patient friend, one willing to share everything he' s learned about the art he spent a lifetime learning. Ted Kooser offers tools, insights, and instructions (and warnings against instructions). Using examples from his own rich literary oeuvre and from the work of a number of successful contemporary poets, he schools us in the critical relationship between poet and reader, which is fundamental to what he believes is poetry' s ultimate purpose: to reach other people and touch their hearts. An index has been added to this Bison Books edition.