Poetry FM: American Poetry and Radio Counterculture

In the age of the internet (and before that, television), radio was the form of mainstream media. Like our media today, it shaped the way people viewed the world. In this account of the airways post-World War II, we focus on poetry and the dawn of FM.

Focusing mostly on the 1950s-1960s, Lisa Hollenbach lays out a history of radio poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Susan Howe, and several others, their impact on society, and the struggles they such as censorship and politics. Naturally, there's a focus on the Cold War era as well.

I can't say I was engaged from start to finish, but I definitely found the book informative. I learned a lot and it's a section of history I've never given much thought to. I was impressed that I did know some of the names mentioned here. Given it's under 300 pages, it's not a taxing read yet doesn't feel like it's leaving out large sums of information.

Thanks to NetGalley and University of Iowa Press for providing me with a free digital ARC to read and review!