Chance Would Be a Fine Thing [NOOK Book]

Overview

"chance would be a fine thing" is collection of poems and song lyrics by Irish singer and songwriter Anthony McCann. From tales of supernatural shenanigans and agoraphobic killers, to songs and poems about love and national and spiritual identity, this collection spans a deep well of reflection and insight into both the absurd and the vital.
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Chance Would Be a Fine Thing

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Overview

"chance would be a fine thing" is collection of poems and song lyrics by Irish singer and songwriter Anthony McCann. From tales of supernatural shenanigans and agoraphobic killers, to songs and poems about love and national and spiritual identity, this collection spans a deep well of reflection and insight into both the absurd and the vital.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • BN ID: 2940014557375
  • Publisher: Clarion Publishing
  • Publication date: 4/27/2012
  • Sold by: Barnes & Noble
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 66
  • File size: 488 KB

Meet the Author

Anthony McCann has presented for RTE and the BBC, and has written for The Irish Times and Hot Press Magazine. He is also a Sony award-winning radio producer, and is an experienced ethnomusicologist, anthropologist and folklorist. Notably, he has worked on the UNESCO / Smithsonian World Conference detailing an assessment on the "Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore", and later served at the Smithsonian, as part of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage division.

With a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, and M.Phil in Irish, Dr. McCann has lectured and carried out research in Universities across America, Ireland, Northern Ireland and England.

As passionate as Anthony is about his work in cultural understanding, he is equally if not more passionate about his poetry and his music. His work ranges from the humorous to the more traditional; philosophical to political. All of them are distinctive, with a clear personal voice, and can be tapped into by all who either read or listen to him perform.
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 9 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(6)

3 Star

(2)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

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Sort by: Showing all of 9 Customer Reviews
  • Posted June 25, 2012

    “Chance would be a fine thing“ is a collection of Po

    “Chance would be a fine thing“ is a collection of Poems and Songs written by “Anthony McCann”. Anthony is a songwriter (as well as a writer) He is the founder director of a company, which is dedicated to education, healthcare and the arts. “Chance would be a fine thing“ is Anthony’s first collection of his poems.

    The variety of styles used by Anthony in his collection “Chance would be a fine thing” is commendable. In all there are 23 poems and songs; and these poems are on the topics ranging from Love to Politics and from Humor to Solitude… Some of the poems that I liked( or ‘loved’, as you may) were:
    Some clocks tock upon the wall,
    Chance would be a fine thing,
    Untitled,
    Stand beside the one you love,
    Wanting,
    Cleaning windows,
    Long enough on the island,
    The poltergeist rap!,
    Side to side.

    Critically speaking the Poems and Songs written in the book are very well constructed, and it has some of the best verses I have ever read. The poem will make you smile but the message will (if not make your eyes moist) surely make you think (about lot of things; better not go in details :). But as they say with every good thing comes opposite... some of the poems were simply not for me. This maybe because of appreciation of art is very subjective factor and the ones I didn’t liked might end up being your favorite ones.

    And so on concluding notes, “Chance would be a fine thing” by Anthony McCann is a very nice (and very tiny) book, which says much more than words it has. Take the example of Untitled, shortest verse but full of meaning. Well I’ll give this book 4 of 5. Enjoy.

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  • Posted June 19, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    I love poetry so I was thrilled to be offered the chance to revi

    I love poetry so I was thrilled to be offered the chance to review this book of poetry. The fact that the blurb used the words "funny" and "nerdy" just made it even better! My favorite was a poem entitled "Untitled". 14 words long but full of meaning, as well as humor. Another poem, "Wanting", really struck home for me, too. I truly loved this book, everything about it. There was "tongue-in-cheek" humor, along with themes that made you think. "Song for a Child" was both beautiful and bittersweet at various times throughout it and, when set against the frame of some of the other poems in this book, showed a far more serious side to the author's writing. I loved, loved, LOVED this volume!

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  • Posted May 21, 2012

    Chance Would be a Fine Thing, by Anthony McCann, is a short book

    Chance Would be a Fine Thing, by Anthony McCann, is a short book that is a collection of 24 poems written by the author. McCann includes a very diverse group of poems that range from silly rhymes to sad poetic stories. This book is very catching from beginning to end.

    My favorite poem in this book is titled "Emailing Rachel." It's a very humorous poem about the actress Rachel McAdams. There are also a couple of rap style poems that are a fun read. I really liked this book because it is a light and enjoyable read. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys poetry.

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  • Posted May 21, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    I love poetry that a regular person can read. In "Chance



    I love poetry that a regular person can read. In "Chance Would Be A Fine Thing" by Anthony McCann , you get poems that relate to everyone, and find pleasure in reading them. One doesn't have to have a degree in Literature or Poetry to appreciate the different styles included here. You can just relax and enjoy.

    The author gives us glimpses of his personality with the wide range of emotions and styles in his selections. It isn't just sugary sweet or terribly serious, but has a well-balanced variety of message and feeling.

    This volume includes 24 poems and lyrics that range from rap to rhyme. As I read this book, I shared them with my family. My favorite poem was "Stand beside the one you love". My oldest daughter liked 'Cleaning windows". My youngest daughter liked "The poltergeist rap!", and my husband's favorite was "Border".

    This is a collection that your whole family can enjoy. It is definitely one I will save with my favorite poetry books. And you don't even have to be an English major. Definitely four stars.

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  • Posted May 11, 2012

    Chance is certainly a fine thing and it was chance that brought

    Chance is certainly a fine thing and it was chance that brought me this fine thing and made me so happy.

    Chance would be a Fine Thing is a pretty little gem. I am a poet and I am an avid reader of poetry books too by other writers because it is my own way of learning the craft of others and exploring how others do their poems.

    What I like about this book is that the range of styles that the poet had done and tried in the book are plenty, from free style to rhymed verse, to structured lines following various rules and formats. But most of all, they same the common denominator of eloquence and beauty that only a real poet can effectively manifest in the lines he creates and the words that he chooses to express the pathos, the pain, the angst, the joy and the love stemming from his soul and being forwarded to the whole universe.

    Some of the poems actually do sound like song lyrics. Maybe they can become like that too with suitable music. But more than that, it is the messages of these poems which touched my heart so much. Simple words and yet the profound effect it had to me left me smiling.

    My favorite poem is definitely the title poem, "Chance would be a fine thing" and there are a lot of beautiful poems here you will truly enjoy beyond any doubt.

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  • Posted May 8, 2012

    Chance Would Be A Fine Thing is a short book of poetry written

    Chance Would Be A Fine Thing is a short book of poetry written by Anthony McCann. Contained within this small volume of about forty-two pages are twenty-three poems of varying topics. The subject matter runs anywhere from humorous to melancholy to sad. There’s even a cute little rap poem called “The Poltergeist rap!” which is quite a bit of fun. There’s also quite a wide range of format of poems, some the rhyming kinds we all had to write as kids and even some free form ones. I have to admit that my favorites are the ones that had some form of rhyming in the verses because I love how well they flowed when read out loud. A really fun poem was called “Emailing Rachel” about the actress Rachel McAdams. It has a humorous little story to it that is fun to read in poetry form. I can’t say I liked them all as I found some a bit frenzied and scattered in thought and verse, making them almost difficult to understand. The positive thing is that those kinds of poems are not the norm in this collection. There were more good ones than ones I didn’t take a liking to. This would make an ideal little poetry book for high school students with its great assortment of poems in a slim and easy to read (for the most part) volume. An enjoyable poetic adventure!

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  • Posted May 8, 2012

    Highly Recommend

    Anthony McCann's "chance would be a fine thing" is a small collection of poetry and song lyrics that I found entertaining, inspiring, and downright humorous. (Anthony McCann is an Irish singer and songwriter.) This collection is unlike any I have read previously. I love his wittiness and humor as well as the spiritual and paranormal twist. Seeing any symbolisms and interpretation is a lot like taste, it depended on the individual but I really loved the first poem, "Some clocks tock upon the wall". The poem is about a clock that tocks and not ticks. The child thinks it is "strange" and the clock is doing it on purpose as it maybe "dysfunctional" but his/her mother says it is not for him/her to judge. My favorite part, "Does it think that Time moves forward? Does it think that Time moves back? Is it static or elliptical? Is it fiction or is it fact?" The child goes from thinking the clock is wrong to examining what time is and what the clock is. In different circumstances maybe the clock would be different. I know I will be sharing this poem with my grandchildren and among other things we will discuss the 'judging'. It seems that the author is giving a lesson or sharing good advice in the songs and poems. Others typical of this are "Emailing Rachel" and "Cleaning Windows". I really don't want to be a spoiler so I won't say much about these other than it is very good advise and let's learn from someone else's mistake so we don't make the same ones ourselves. The only thing I can say negative about this book is that it is much too short. It just begs you to read more but alas it is over! I think its a great book to give the child in your life or for teachers to read in class and discuss. Maybe what I see as being negative is really something positive (remembering the look on my son's face the day he read his "whole book") plus I'm sure in class children can finish and discuss it within the school year. So, I guess it is really how you look at it. (Remember, some clocks tock. Lesson learned!)

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  • Posted May 6, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Delightful!! This week I had the pleasure of reading “Ch

    Delightful!!
    This week I had the pleasure of reading “Chance Would Be a Fine Thing”, author Anthony McCann. There are twenty-four writings which include rhyming poetry, prose, and a rap. It is a delightful book for all ages. I am anxious to read some of the book to my granddaughter.

    The author strikes the right balance of rhyme, curiosity, and whimsy with ‘Some Clocks Tock Upon The Wall’. Then in other entries there are Frankenstein’s Monster, a search for Sasquatch, and a rap for Poltergeists.

    There are some very tender poems which I found heart-touching, such as,’Song For A Child’, ‘Stand Beside the One You love’, and ‘Chance Would Be A Fine Thing’.
    Some are serious, ‘Once Alien Here’, ‘Cleaning Windows’ and ‘The Lament for Chicken Little’ I found very thought provoking.
    I enjoyed the inspirational reverie of ‘Apologia Pro Vita Sua’ and ‘At the Foot of the Cross’.

    AND, You must read, ‘Emailing Rachel’ ... I loved it!

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  • Posted May 5, 2012

    This is a very quick read of poetry. My favourites were Some Cl

    This is a very quick read of poetry. My favourites were Some Clocks Tock Upon the Wall and Emailing Rachel. Some of the poems are comical while others deal with faith, relationships, and yes even a killer! I like the descriptive language used and the various topics the poetry covered. Many of the poems are entertaining and some of them have a more profound meaning upon reflection. While reading some of the thoughts/emotions I found I could surprisingly relate to them. I found myself smiling many times. This would be a great read for anyone who enjoys poetry. It would be good for bed time reading or a quick read on a rainy day.

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