Fear Less

That poems are like people is a point the former U.S. poet laureate Tracy K. Smith nods to repeatedly in her wonderful new book of criticism, Fear Less, which will open your eyes to aspects of poetry you may not have thought of on your own… [a] rewarding little book.–David Kirby “New York Times Book Review”Fear Less is a great inhale of much-needed air. Smith has once again shown us that she is both brilliant and tender as she explores the ways poems can change us. This is a must-have book.–Ada Limón, 24th U. S. Poet Laureate and author of The Hurting KindWhat a sincere kindness we have been granted with this book. Fear Less is an invitation for even the most reticent among us to approach poems with generosity, curiosity, and an open heart. And in the process, Smith reminds us to cultivate those same habits in our dealings with others and with ourselves.–Eve L. Ewing, author of 1919

Tracy K. Smith is the Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States and is the author of five poetry collections, including the Pulitzer Prize–winning Life on Mars.