I love the cover of this book! And I enjoyed many of the poems in it. I think this would be a perfect book for the poem lovers. And I'm sure it would make a great gift.

This book was received as an ARC from Storey Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Very uplifting poems that are shoot, clear, direct, and inspiring. With all of these difficult times, we need more books that bring positivity and optimism back in this world and this book is sure to do that. Love always trumps hate and I am so happy and glad there are people in this world who can see that through all of the damage of hate crimes that exist. This book also gives a great view on the current rising issues such as Black Lives Matter, the Police, and others as well. I know this book will have its following at our library and I am excited to hear their thoughts.

We will consider adding this title to our Poetry collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

The poetry was very nice the book not so much. The poetry is very thought provoking, but most of the book has to do with the biographies of the writers and a quarter of the book is a reflection about the poetry that happens in the first quarter of the book. There was enough poetry in the book, to bad.

I want to thank Storey Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I really dislike giving low ratings on poetry, because i recognize the vulnerability that accompanies it. But this book simply just was not for me. This may be someone else's favorite poetry collection, but it just didn't hold my attention, or evoke any emotion from me, with the exception of a couple poems.

Can gratitude be taught? Well, we can teach children to say "Thank You" when young, but that is no guarantee they will learn to be thankful when they grow up. The key question in this book of poems is this: "Are you happy to be alive?" It is a given that in the West, the pursuit of happiness is not only deemed a necessary purpose, it is also considered a right in itself. With experience and thoughtful reflections, the contributors to this collection of poems help maneuver ourselves along the rivers of hope through the vessels of gratitude. The beauty of this is that these poems come from a diversity of people from all over the world. There are artists, farmers, engineers, professors, speakers, teachers, medical professionals, etc, all trying their hand on writing poetry. There is a poem for many different circumstances to describe this journey toward hope via gratitude. Some of these are quite painful. Injecting hope can be a challenge but when expressed through meaningful words, it brings lots of comfort and peace. Though the poems are not categorized specifically, they are collected and separated by reflective pauses. In the necessity of joy, the poems teach us how to appreciate the small things in our daily lives. Even the humble dandelion can show us the way if we have eyes to see. In racially charged environments, sometimes we are tempted to look down even on our own skin colour, especially when we have been discriminated against. Joy comes when we willingly accept who we are and not to be derailed by the behaviour of others on the basis of skin colour. Just observing the love of a father to his son parallels the vision of angels watching over us.
Hope also comes via the joy of presence. There is a poem about autism too, prompting us to pause and see from the person's point of view. The world might celebrate Valentine's Day with young couples buying chocolates and flowers for each other. When we take a moment to reflect, it encourages us to make the love as inclusive as possible for all. Resist the poisonous thought and the vice of unforgiveness. Just being aware of a future heaven brings hope. We learn that what we cannot do today, there is always another chance tomorrow. Like a farmer who tills the land and waters the seeds, all the hard work is due to the hope that the seeds will grow and bear fruit in its season. We learn to be grateful for small victories. We consider the pieces of heaven on earth to help us realize that not all is messy in this world. One of the most powerful gifts we have is the gift of creation. Whether it is a personal work of art or a word of inspiration, thankfulness gives us the impetus to milk our creative juices. Over and over, we are reminded that even in the darkest moments, there will always be a ray of hope that shines through the cracks of life.

My Thoughts
How do we love the world? It begins by noticing the little things that make the world go round. The two guiding virtues are Hope and Gratitude. Like a flashlight shining on a path in the dark, hope lights up the way ahead for us. We may not know the destination but the reason we embark upon the path is that belief that the way ahead will be much better than what we leave behind. The poems in this book cast different rays of hope from a diversity of voices to a wide range of life circumstances. Covering many ordinary events that we are all familiar with, the contributors help us first to see from their eyes and gradually invites us to make sense of our own surroundings and circumstances. Just to be able to see what the poets see is in itself a marvelous exercise of connecting with life. In our busy world, we tend to rush things and push people to do what we want. Poets are able to take a step back and just observe. They are not too concerned about problem solving. They are more concerned about expressing what they see, where they are, who they encounter, when they experience is, and how they feel. The "why" is left to others while poets maintain an existential awareness. Back to the question of how do we love the world. Here, we love the world through different angles of entry. If we have joy, we can love the world with joy. When we appreciate the present, we love the world without waiting for tomorrow. When we pause to think about the future, we realize that hope is essentially trusting in a better tomorrow. When we are grateful for small victories, we learn not to be discouraged by setbacks but to cross the stream of distress by stepping on the visible stones of encouragement.

With so many different variety of poems from people from an assortment of places, we are able to look outside our own little worlds and learn to see from the perspectives of others. In an increasingly multicultural and pluralistic world, this is becoming more important. Perhaps, the biggest common denominator is this: We are all human and as long as we learn to interact with nature as humans, there is much to hope and be thankful for. This book helps us to see and to appreciate the human side of seeing the world, and loving the world.

James Crews is the author of three collections of poetry: The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment. He is also the editor of the popular Healing the Divide: Poems of Kindness and Connection. His poems have appeared in Ploughshares, The New Republic, and The Christian Century, and have been reprinted in former US poet laureate Ted Kooser’s weekly newspaper column, “American Life in Poetry,” and featured on Tracy K. Smith’s podcast, The Slowdown. Crews holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a PhD in writing and literature from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He worked with Ted Kooser on “American Life in Poetry,” which reaches millions of readers across the world. He teaches poetry at the University at Albany and lives with his husband on an organic farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Storey Publishing and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

3.5 Stars.
How to love the world is a book of modern day poetry from numerous different authors (non of which I've heard of before) writing about gratitude and hope. Some of the poems mention covid19.
I didn't overly enjoy this book - it wasn't as endearing in quality to myself as other poetry books I have read. The cover is absolutely gorgeous but the poems fell flat for me sadly. Don't let this put you off though as poetry is often a matter of taste, and just because it didn't appeal to me doesn't mean it won't to you.
The back of the book gives information about each author who has written in the book which I enjoyed reading.

This is a nice uplifting, accessible book of poetry for those who want poems that are easy to read and understand. I agree with another reviewer that they lack the subtlety of good poetry (i.e. symbolism, alliteration, hidden meanings and other poetic devices) but some people prefer that. I didn't know any of the poets but I don't follow many modern poets. You can tell this was quickly compiled, as many of the poems mention covid-19 and the lockdown. Some of the poems did move me or speak to me, while others seemed more amateurish. Still a nice compilation, especially if you are looking for poems to connect to others in these challenging times.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

A beautiful book. Simply beautiful. Full of hope, heartfelt messages, and a stirring resilience for life. Different than what I normally read, this title is badly needed during this time of upset in our world. Bravo!

How to Love the World is a lovely collection of poetry by vatious poets which will bring feelings of hope and comfort to the reader. This is a great example of heartfelt and beautifully simple contemporary poetry.
Many thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advance copy.

How to Love the World is a beautiful collection of poems I've been reading that have lifted my heart and brought gratitude and hope to my soul.

If there is anything you can say about the world right now is we need love. Love for Ourselves, Love for Each other, Love for the World. I'm part way through this book and these poems are SO powerful and exactly what our world needs to heal right now.

They're broken, raw, vulnerable poems that are relatable and uplifting. Also that cover gives me all the feels 😍

F A V. Q U O T E:
If we are fractured
we are fractured
like stars
bred to shine
in every direction.

GETTING INTO BED ON A DECEMBER NIGHT
“When I slip beneath the quilt and fold into
her warmth, I think we are like the pages
of a love letter written thirty years ago
that some aging god still reads each day
and then tucks back into its envelope.”

What a lovely, heart-warming collection of poems! This is exactly what we need at the moment, the world’s going crazy, everybody’s under quarantine or away from their loved ones, everything’s sour and going south. These poems of hope and being in the moment remind us of simple things that we take for granted in our daily lives. In a time when we have lost hope and overly-focus on the bleak future; these poems slow the time and help us stop and smell the flowers. The collection consists of poems from various authors and they have one thing in common: they enliven something inside and awaken warm feelings. I especially enjoyed the reflective pauses after some of the poems that stop the reader and help us appreciate the now. One of my favorite poems here was “How quickly I lose my love of all things”, it’s almost a shocking revelation that we are not usually in the moment and lose our love for the basic things we are lucky to have in our lives.
Even though I did not relate to some of the selection, my overall impression was positive and I’m happy to have come across it.

This collection was beautiful and exactly what I needed. It reminded me of the small everyday things I love and the things that make us human andI believe we all desperately needs reminders of those things right now. Absolutely loved this.

Ich habe Gedichte schon immer geliebt und lese auch sehr viele Bücher, in denen Lyrik eine große Rolle spielen, von daher habe ich mich sehr gefreut, dass ich "How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope" bereits vorab lesen durfte.

Hier erwarten einen so viele wunderschöne Texte, die nicht nur Mut machen, sondern auch vor allem zum Nachdenken anregen. James Crews, der diese wunderschöne Ausgabe herausgibt, hat viele tolle Autoren und Poeten für das Werk gewinnen können, sodass man hier nicht nur viele verschiedene Stile erleben kann, sondern auch von jedem ein gewisses Statement und Gedankengänge erhält, die interessant sind, die berühren können und vor allem Eindruck hinterlassen.

Eine ausführliche Rezension erfolgt am Erscheinungstag.

How To Love The World is a beautiful collection of poems. I really enjoyed reading this collection, especially in these challenging times. It reminds you to stay positive and have hope for the future. The poems are relatable and uplifting.

A collection of unique and wholesome poems put together in a book dedicated to gratitude and finding hope. This was the perfect poetry read for these challenging times, and a fantastic reminder to look for the positives in life, no matter what.

I would recommend this to anybody looking to be reminded of what to be grateful for during lockdown.

I also loved the cover!

Thank you Net Galley, the author and publisher for the advance copy.

** A copy of How To Love The World was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

I loved this collection of poetry so much! It's like a hug - something we all need now. What makes anthology stand out from others is the reflection and writing prompts. I also particularly appreciated the choice to include some lesser known poets, whose work I am excited to now follow.

This was such a lovely little book, and the meaning of allowing gratefulness and joy to still have a place in our hearts was beautiful. 

I didn’t love all the poems, however, most I enjoyed. I started reading this in the middle of lockdown, and it was a lovely way to get me through. 

I loved the reflection pauses dotted throughout the book. I thought it added a unique element to the book. It allowed you to just reflect or even write your own poem or piece of writing. It was great to just think about what I’m grateful for, because sometimes it’s easy to forget, especially in this time.

At a time of isolation, and a life lacking hope, I think this book is just what the doctor ordered.

Within the compilation of poems there is something for every heartache, reminding us to find joy in the little things. "Any Morning" by William Stafford struck me specifically as it reminds us that is "OK" to do nothing. Self-care is important, the pressures of society need to be alleviated sometimes. As the saying goes, "one cannot pour from an empty cup".
Another poem that has stuck with me is "In the Company of Women" by January Gill O’Neil. I loved this because it depicts exactly what I'm missing the most, reminding me how it feels to be carefree and enjoy a meeting with my friends, which during lockdown is an opportunity that is unfortunately not always possible!

I am grateful for the opportunity to read this collection of wonderful, heartbreaking and heartwarming poetry. I know I will be buying a hard copy to cherish and keep on my shelf for occasions when I need a little reflection on my life.

Some of the poems touched me and made me feel the hope, love, and gratitude I wished I’d find in this collection. Others, well, they upset me because they didn’t show respect and love for all of our fellow earthlings and made me feel hopeless for our future. It’s a well known fact that eating animals and their secretions is destroying our bodies and our world - why then, are there poems included about eating the flesh and secretions of non-humans? Of hunting fishes just trying to live their lives and then being hooked in the face? Disturbing and definitely not a way to demonstrate gratitude.

Had the editor caught these contradictions and not included them in an otherwise uplifting book it could be appreciated by a wider audience.

A few of my favorite poems include: Praise of Darkness by Francine Marie Tolf, Wondrous by Sarah Freligh, Goldfinches by Danusha Lameris, Winter Morning by James Crews, A Dervish of Leaves by Ted Kooser, and In Love With the World by Mark Nepo,

Thank you to James Crews, the other authors, Storey Publishing, and #NetGallery for an eARC of #HowtoLovetheWorld in return for an honest review. Review will be posted on NetGallery and Goodreads.

Name: How to love the world
Author: James Crews
Genre: Poetry, Anthology
Rating: 4/5
Review:
An anthology of poetries about hope, gratitude and forgiveness from well known poets. Each poetry is different from the other, unique in their own ways, in thoughts, in ideas, but they resonate to each other, like the different colour of light, so different, yet the same.This book gives the feeling of being whole, being complete. I found most of the poetries delightful and pleasing, some were heartbreaking like the poem "At the age of 18" by Amanda Gorman and "Forgiveness" by Marie McCue. I found the poem " In Gratitude" by Abigail Carroll.
It is perfect for all type of readers. This book contains all kinds of sentiments, pain, loss, hope, gratitude, forgiveness, and happiness. How To Love The World is definitely an amazing book and I would recommend it to all the readers.