Sonnets are among the most admired and daunting poems in the English language. In his Sonnets: How To Write Them in Minutes, noted poet and teacher Robert McDowell flawlessly explains and demonstrates the characteristics of the English, Italian and Spenserian sonnets and provides excellent examples of each one. His insightful, playful exercises, or writing prompts, encourage reader/writer participation in the most positive ways. In very little time, the diligent reader will be creating her own sonnets, and learning something valuable about the organizing power of form in writing. There is nothing so liberating as a perfectly made object. This makes a super gift, and it works well in the classroom, too. Writers of all ages and stages can benefit.
