“David Orr is no starry-eyed cheerleader for contemporary poetry; Orrs a critic, and a good one. . . . Beautiful & Pointless is a clear-eyed, opinionated, and idiosyncratic guide to a vibrant but endangered art form, essential reading for anyone who loves poetry, and also for those of us who mostly just admire it from afar.” Tom Perrotta

Award-winning New York Times Book Review poetry columnist David Orr delivers an engaging, amusing, and stimulating tour through the world of poetry. With echoes of Francine Proses Reading Like a Writer, Orrs Beautiful & Pointless offers a smart and funny approach to appreciating an art form that many find difficult to embrace.