This story of a young boy who finds music in his imagination is wonderful. I read it to my students and they loved it! It has humor and is beautifully illustrated.

This is by far one of the best biographies of a contemporary poet I've ever read. Gilmore gives us Oppenheimer the drinker, chain-smoker, cuckold, cocksman, lover, friend, good-guy, wise-man, and master of the directly stated, simply worded, poem. Oppenheimer comes across as a person who was--somehow--more than the sum of his parts. That "somehow" was his gift for living close to the bone, surviving break-ups and bouts with the bottle, and ultimately writing well. No hagiography (as so many paeons to the Beats turn out to be), Don't Touch the Poet allows us to hear from enemies and not-so-impressed-ex-wives as well as life-long friends. The end result is similar to Boswell's portrait of Dr. Johnson holding forth in his dressing gown: at one and the same time a bit off-putting, yet somewhat charming, wholly fascinating, and, one feels, totally true to life.

I really enjoyed this book. As a 1987 graduate of New England College, I had Joel as a teacher and an advisor, and most importantly as a friend. (and a fellow Mets fan!)
Joel helped me to transform from a disjointed, disorganized and immature college freshman to a more focused and interested writer.
The book shed light on his life and reminded me of a few stories he told me in my four years of knowing him.
I can vividly remember sitting in his smoke filled office arguing over my lack of attention to my studies...:)
What a great guy, I sure wish he was still here with us.

As good a biography as we are likely to get of Joel Oppenheimer and perhaps the only one. Joel's earlier years are especially well researched and told. The absence of Amiri Baraka's voice is a pity.

The book would have benefited with more input from Pete Hamill, Sam Abrams and a few others. Also, a few of Joel's more notable students are silent: Tom Weatherly; and Bob Rixon, who has been telling lovely anecdotes about Joel for years over WFMU in New York.

Which is maybe a complaint that the book is too short at 246 pages. But Gilmore writes with devotion and leaves us with the belief that "every spring he saw we see still"

Fine work.

It's perfectly Gilmore!! (If you watch the show you know what I mean)

These books are great! I love the show and just had to read the books also! If you love the show, you'll love the books!

Grown up fans will like this book just as much as teenagers. The writing style is simple and beautifully conveys the feel of the show.

The book covers Rory's attempt to get extra curricular credit to get into Harvard; Max and the wedding plans; the B&B and the visit to Harvard; and Lane's trip to Korea. Along the way, Dean, Michel, Luke, Miss Patty, Sookie, Paris and, of course, Emily and Richard (the rich grandparents).