"[An] intelligent, elegant and valuable defense of poetry."
— John Palattella, The Nation
Named "Outstanding Academic Title" by Choice
— Choice
"Longenbach's spare method is that of a poet, his careful exposition like that of a poem. . . . [A] beautiful little book."
— Vince Brewton, Library Journal
"Throughout nine small and expertly constellated essays, Longenbach demonstrates that poems are a form of thinking: a resistance to the clear-cut, uncomplicated thought that tries to pin them down as statements....A compact and exponentially provocative book."
— Brian Phillips, Poetry
"This is a book of poetics, & a brilliant book of poetics it is. . . . There is not a dull, unintelligent, unimaginative point in this book. You will learn from Longenbach. This book will make you love poetry more."
— Redactions
"Longenbach's ear for the artistic workings of many, many poems is instructive. He is especially good at displaying Stephens and Bishop. His ability to teach us about the choices writers make--and why they make them--is also instructive. Page by page, Resistance toPoetry teaches us to be better readers."
— David Garrison, South Atlantic Review