Shelf Control: Learn Famous Poems By Heart With This New Penguin Classics App
April 8, 2013
How many classic poems do you know by heart? If you know only one, then you're already better than me in that regard. Yes, I can't recite any classic poem from memory. But I'm about to rectify that with a recently released app that is the focus of this week's Shelf Control, Poems by Heart from Penguin Classics. And I invite you to join me in this noble endeavor.
Poems by Heart from Penguin Classics is essentially a memorization game that's aimed at helping you learn by heart some of the most beloved poems of all time.
The app is free to download, and it initially comes with two free poems from two famous Williams: "Eternity" by William Blake and "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare.
But 28 more poems from other famous poets not necessarily named William are offered in Poems by Heart via in-app purchase. These "premium" poems are divided into seven bundles, each of which costs $0.99 to unlock: Love, Adventures, Gothic Tales, Early Innovators, Romantic, Elizabethan, and Odes.
If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here.
Whichever poem you choose to learn by heart, Poems by Heart will guide you through the process with a well-designed interface that boosts memorization. Each poem features dramatic readings rendered in male and female voices, which you can listen to before filling in the missing words in the memorization games.
As you progress through the different difficulty stages, you get to earn high scores and achievements. You can also record recitals, which you can attach to an email or share on SoundCloud.
Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, Poems by Heart from Penguin Classics is available now in the App Store for free.
As always, if you have suggestions for Shelf Control, please feel free to email me at aldrin@appadvice.com or simply leave a comment below.
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