Nonsense by Edward Lear

Nonsense Reviews

• 
  Ammar

  Verses of nonsense
  If you like to eat mince
  Dine on quince
  Then it is for you
• 
  leynes

  'Nonsense' is probably the perfect title for this selection of Lear's poetry, it was, indeed, utter nonsense. It's not just the fact that his poems didn't make any sense and were imo super pointless, no, they were also quite badly written.
  
  Getting into this collection, I expected poems of Carroll's caliber. Huge mistake. Even though both men are similar in their approach, Carroll excels at writing whimsical and nonsensual poems, that acutally make you think. Just read his collection Frabjous Day and you'll see what I am talking about. Lear, however, didn't challenge me intellectually at all. I am sure that one can read many things into his poetry, but he didn't spark any desire in me to do so.
  
  He seemed to be writing about animals, some of which exist in real life and some of which sprang from his own fantasy, but the narrative never went anywhere. A duck travelling with a kangaroo, the Jumblies going to sea in a sieve, two old bachelors being unable to support themselves. The poems wasn't relatable, and unfortunately, didn't mirror my sense of humour. I am sure that if you'll share Lear's humour, you'll get a lot out of his poetry, but poems like The Akond of Swat acutally kept me gritting my teeth instead of laughing joyfully:

  Who, or why, or which, or what, Is the Akond of SWAT?
  Is he tall or short, or dark or fair?
  Does he sit on a stool or a sofa or a chair, or SQUAT,
  The Akond of Swat.
  
  Is he wise or foolish, young or old?
  Does he drink his soup and his coffe cold, or HOT,
  The Akond of Swat?

  The poem continues in this fashion for 20 fucking more lines... It's a no from me. ;)
  
  The only poem I found somewhat charming was The Scroobious Pip because it reminded me of Carroll's Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
  
  In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this collection of peotry, even if you're into nonsense works and limericks, there are much better ones out there.
• 
  JK

  Finally, a Little Black Classics poetry collection I can say I love. No intellectual stimulation, no interpretation, no smoke and mirrors. Just some simple, joyful, smile inducing nonsense poems.
  
  I spent a lovely half hour reading these, and couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face. Lear’s ridiculous words have a strange kind of magic attached to them - I truly believe he could warm a cold, dead heart.
  
  “The Scroobius Pip looked vaguely round
  And sang these words with a rumbling sound -
  ‘Chippetty Flip - Flippetty Chip -
  My only name is the Scroobius Pip.”
• 
  Marjolein (UrlPhantomhive)

  Read all my reviews on
  http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
  
  This was utter nonsense!
  
  I guess the title should have given fair warning, but I was still surprised at it. Maybe I was missing a lot, but I could not get anything out of these poems and was just hoping the book would finish quickly.
  
  Really not my cup of tea.
  
  ~Little Black Classics 100~
• 
  The Nerd Affair

  I don't think reading poetry is my thing. I didn't understand it. I didn't want to put in the effort to. It's not the book, it's me.
• 
  Peter

  If it were not for Edward Lear we would never have had some of the most beloved rhymes, verse or limericks that have undoubtably stayed with us from childhood. This little sampler is highly recommended it's so full of pleasure and amusement that I think you will enjoy it beyond measure, in fact, I enjoyed it enough that just flicking though it made me run to my local Waterstone to pick up the complete edition.
• 
  Lucy Dawson

  I'm obviously not refined enough to enjoy this. Just found it irritating. Given it 2 stars because a couple of the poems amused me, such as one about a man whose outfit is made of food and gets eaten by wild animals and children until he is naked.
• 
  Sarah

  Oh, this is definitely a ‘No’ from me.
  
  I’ve seen a few people say that the title should have given them some indication as to the quality of the works included in this collection, and I have to say I am in full agreement.
• 
  Larissa Makhoul

  This was a delight to read and I feel if I wasn't a literature student I wouldn't have liked it as much. I couldn't help but pinpoint all of the imagery, metaphores, sound systems, foregrounding it was very fun.
• 
  jay

  A really fun and quick read. One or two poems actually made me laugh out loud.
• 
  Candy Cheung

  Truth be told I understood little. And what little I understood I rarely enjoyed.
• 
  Renāte Saulīte

  Lovely piece of wonderful nonsense.
• 
  Melissa

  the joy this brought me is!! immeasurable!!
• 
  Mesia Loriana

  3.5
• 
  mira.

  not really a fan of classics.
• 
  Olesja Olesja

  The title says it all.
• 
  Regitze

  This was such fun!
• 
  Ted

  A most appropriate title.
• 
  Nele

  This book is nonsense, but enjoyable nonsense.
• 
  Tay

  My final book of 2016 and quite apt that it is titled 'Nonsense'. Beautiful, rambling rhyme that delighted me as a child and still does. To see the year out, I will paraphrase...
  
  I sat upon my Dobie,
  To watch the Evening Star,
  And all the Punkahs as they passed,
  Cried, 'My! How fair you are!'
  Around my bower, with quivering leaves,
  The tall Kamsamahs grew,
  And Kitmugars in wild festoons
  Hung down from Tchokis blue.
  
  Here's to more avid reading in 2017.
• 
  Aly

  Nonsense poetry is so comforting :)
• 
  Katie Lumsden

  Oh Edward Lear. So gloriously silly.
• 
  Rach (pagesofpiper)

  It really is full of Nonsense but I rather liked it. Lovely surprise to see the Owl and the Pussy Cat.
• 
  Pippa

  Lets say that the title did the book absolutely justice.
• 
  phazleeanna

  "And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
  They danced by the light of the moon,
  The moon,
  The moon,
  They danced by the light of the moon."
  
  - The Owl and the Pussy-cat