National Poetry Month (11/30): Portnoy’s Complaint in 5-7-5

Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth

Most Roth fans I know
Are really narcissistic
Men in their thirties.

(Not that I don’t like Roth.  I’m just saying this is a trend I have noticed.)

Bonus haiku!

Only use one “L”
For Roth’s “Philip.” Two and he’s
The B-movie guy.

(Phillip Roth, a favorite producer of mine and my mom’s, because he specializes in absolutely delightful crappola.)

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(Participate in National Poetry Month! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (10/30): It in 5-7-5

It by Stephen King

My first book by King —
I learned he could tell stories,
But not write endings.

[Buy from Amazon]

(Participate in National Poetry Month! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (9/30): Ender’s Game in 5-7-5

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

You thought Hunger Games
Was about violent children?
Ain’t see nuthin’ yet.

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(Participate in National Poetry Month! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (8/30): Great Gatsby in 5-7-5

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
(this one’s for an old friend)

The last line of this,
The “And so we beat on” part,
Makes me think of you.

[Buy from IndieBound | Buy from Amazon]

(Participate in National Poetry Month! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (5/30): Hitchhiker’s Guide in 5-7-5

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

It’s Poetry Month,
But avoid the Vogon rhymes.
Groop, I implore thee!

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(Participate! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (6/30): Little Women in 5-7-5

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Most women I know
Loved this book when they were kids.
I liked Nancy Drew.

(Not that it’s either/or, of course.  I’m just sayin’.)

[Buy from IndieBound | Buy from Amazon]

(Participate! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (4/30): People’s History of the US in 5-7-5

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn

I read this in college
After years of brainwashing
About Columbus.

[Buy from IndieBound | From Amazon]

(Participate! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (3/30): The Turn of the Screw in 5-7-5

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

Books such as this one
Make me glad I will never
Be a governess.

[Buy from IndieBound | Buy from Amazon]

(Participate! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (2/30): Fellowship of the Ring in 5-7-5

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

You know that long part
With that Tom Bombadil dude?
Yeah.  I skipped that part.

(Participate! Add your own haiku in the comments, and I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!)

National Poetry Month (1/30): Moby-Dick in 5-7-5

In 2010, I ran a series in April for National Poetry Month in which I reviewed a movie a day in haiku format.  It was kind of a weird hit — I’m still confused, frankly.  But a couple of people asked me if I’d consider doing it again this year and, well, SURE.

But this time, let’s do it with books.  I’ll try to stick with ones lots of people are likely familiar with, but I might throw in a few oddballs you may have missed as well.  Please feel free to contribute your own masterworks of poetry in the   comments (keep them on topic with the book of the day, though, please).  I’ll post my favorite reader contributions in May!

I missed yesterday, so I’ll do two today.  Let’s start with one of my all-time favorite novels, and then I’ll do a second this afternoon:

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville (review)

What many don’t know:
This novel’s hilarious!
I [heart] Ishmael.