It's possible you've read Ó Tuama's 2023 collection, 50 Poems to Open Your World. If so, you'll be familiar with the format and appearance of this new collection: a brief introductory statement from the author on a relatable topic or experience, an excellent poem with some connection to that topic or experience, and a three or four page reflection and examination by the author on the preceding poem. Listeners to Pádraig Ó Tuama's podcast series, Poetry Unbound, will be familiar with this approach already, as it is also the format he uses for each episode of the podcast. In fact, many of the poems included in this volume have also been featured on Poetry Unbound, though the commentary in the book appears to have been slightly altered or updated.
Ó Tuama has a good eye for great poems, consistently making selections of some of the best poetry out there. You'll most likely recognize many of the poets included in the collection, especially if you're of a fan of the genre. He also includes several less well-known poets, creating a collection that features some recent contemporary compositions by an impressive and diverse group of talented writers. If you don't read something in this book that inspires you to explore a poet's work further, and buy a volume or two of the original books that featured these poems, I would be surprised to know it. I'm already looking greatly forward to seeking out several of these poets and their collections, so I can continue the pleasure of reading and discovering some more unusually good verse.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to review 44 Poems On Being With Each Other thanks to the advance electronic reader copy provided by W. W. Norton and Company Publishers and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐️ (Rounded up)

Thanks to NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, & Pádraig Ó. Tuama for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In gathering my thoughts while reading this book, I first thought that this book read like a textbook. That didn’t seem to fit and I couldn’t figure out why until I went to write this review. It reads almost like a collection of essays. The poem is there and then there are some lengthy, detailed notes just after the poem. These notes are very, very long and it was somehow just not enjoyable.

Personally, I like to read through poetry really quickly to get an idea of the immediate emotions and then take time to dive in and digest it. That didn’t seem possible with this format. I was just forced to slow down and digest everything right away which was kind of annoying. The selection of poetry was nice and varied—theme was well represented.

Tuama's choice of poems perfectly encapsulates the human desire for connection. I especially loved reading his notes at the end as he provided context to the political and social atmosphere the poet experienced while writing. This is an excellent choice for a lover of poetry or someone that only pays attention to Instagram poetry.

44 poems on being with each other by pádraig ó tuama is essentially close to what I would consider a poetry textbook. A group of 44 poems is presented to the audience, and beside each poem is an in depth analysis of the poem. I adored reading over this, I think poetry lovers or those studying it would find great help in this work.

This title will speak to so many. After all, we all are in relationships and many of us want to spend a bit of time contemplating them, perhaps with the hope of doing better. O Tuama is a great guide and makes this collection accessible, even to those who may think that they don’t want to or can’t read poetry.

Begin with the introduction or, if tempted to begin with a poem, return to the introduction later. It gives a sense of who O Tuama is and his attitudes toward life. He is an engaging guide.

O Tuama offers poems by those who are perhaps more or less well known. A few of those whose names I recognized were Rita Dove, Mary Oliver, Lucille Clifton and Wendy Cope. That said, the poets whose names were unfamiliar gave me much to think about beginning with the first poem in the collection called A Word on Statistics. I highly recommend it.

For each work, O Tuama provides commentary. These are insightful and deepened my appreciation of the poetry.

This is a book that I will return to many times. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley & W.W. Norton and Company for this title. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this collection of poems and the commentary that accompanied them. One of the reasons I love reading poetry is that it makes me feel less alone in my own thoughts. The commentary made it seem like I had a friend debriefing the poems with me.

A unique approach to an anthology of poems and a very personal approach which is why I savor this collection. I enjoyed learning about new poems (new to me) and appreciated the small introduction to the poems. I felt I got to know the editor better as he shared some of his personal history and anecdotes. At first I wasn't interested in what I thought were explications of the poems, but after reading a few, I realized they weren't purely explications. Instead, I got to understand how Pádraig Ó. Tuama entered the poems and made sense of them. A worthy collection.

Beautifully compiled titles with riveting commentary. I adored every word and couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more from Padraig. I listen to his podcast, so I "heard" him talking to me. It was delightful!