This book (The World's Wife) is certainly to be avoided. It's constant battle and disparaging terms towards men are not only unpleasent to read, they also border on sexism.

Ms Duffy appears to live an intellectual bubble the size of a small cupboard in which the non-existent quintessence of femininity is the single most precious thing in the entire universe; which must at all costs be protected from hedonistic behemoths called "men". The only exceptions to this appear to be William Shakespeare (See the only good poem in the book, Anne Hathaway) and the corporeal incarnation of the almighty (See the typically depressing poem Pilate's Wife) - which literally demonstrate Ms Duffy's use of double standards when comparing the virtues of men and women. 'Double' is perhaps insufficient; as the only men worthy of respect and/or existence in the "Duffy bubble" are the greatest playwright in history and Jesus Christ. Ms Duffy clearly has no knowledge or understanding of the greater forces at work in the universe (namely the statistical insignificance that all women and virtuous and all men are not); nor any comprehension of the patheticness of her ideals when compared to the boundless potential of humanity or the true span of the universe. In the face of mankind's potential to, through technological prowess, achieve such immense power and wisdom as to be greater than gods; Ms Duffy chooses to reign supreme over an imaginary land fuelled by male serfs and deprived of the social progresses made from the late nineteen sixties onwards. Even more frustrating is her general lack of literary skill and the heavy handed way she goes about spreading this extraordinarily restricted world view. The one good thing that can POSSIBLY be said about this vision of an apocalyptic wasteland bereft of intelligence of tolerance is that it has the power to reveal to a select view the importance of refusing to tolerate it, as well as other, similar poxes. For example; it immunizes one against a sudden increase of nationalist or bigoted sentiments in the near future. Should someone attempt to establish a fourth reich within my lifetime I would personally take up arms against them; all thanks to the infuriating stupidity of this second rate author.

Carol Ann Duffy, The World's Wife is fairly flimsy and pages become detached easily. Paper use inside gets 'bitty' when rubbed.

Everyone seems to accept this attrocity with the justification that it is a feminist work. People need to pick up the dictionary and find out what feminism means. It is the aim of attaining equal status to men. Insulting men and trying to degrade them is sexist, not feminist. In fact this collection is an insult to English literature. There is no skill to Duffy's work, she is a talentless poet who is desperately using controversy to obtain recognition. It pains me to see the noble and respected works of English literature degraded to such utter filth. It is symbolic of the degradation of literature that works such as this enter the school system. I ask you, would an anti-feminist work ever be taught in schools? The answer is clear enough for us to see.

Carol Ann Duffy's The World's Wife is pants. We read it in english lit and i would not recomend it to my worst enemy!! especialy "pope joan"!!