A review by alexandra_avital
The Apple That Astonished Paris by Billy Collins

3.0

The main issue with this book is that I started with Collins’ later books and moved backward until I got to this one. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with the writing but it is more self conscious and stilted than his later work. The poems are good but rarely have those enchanting whimsical turns that he is known for (now). If I had read this book first, I would have loved it and eagerly grabbed for more but having read it last, it just makes me wistful for his other work. The poems are very good. They just don’t so much as stir the soul as create small ripples. In short, read this if you are a diehard fan or looking for a place to start with his works or want to see the evolution of his writing.