You Must Revise Your Life --by William Stafford (Poets on Poetry)

Nonfiction /essay/poetry

136 pages

3 Stars

 

An interesting book by an interesting man. Basically, it’s how he wrote and taught. If you are new to the writing life, or contemplating it, I recommend reading this book. There are some insights you might find useful. The ones that strike a chord in your psyche, take and own. The others—leave in the book.

 

There was, as one reviewer noted, a smugness to the book that I think was neither needed nor intended. How his way of teaching was so much better than other ways. At least, I hope it wasn’t intended. Although I am not a teacher, I have participated in many workshops, and I found the ones that tempered criticism with a little praise, were the most helpful for me. I don’t think I would have enjoyed a class where neither was given. But, then, again…

 

The most fun was in misreading one of his poems. He wrote ‘map’ I read ‘NAP’. When I realized my mistrake, I re-read it. I like it better with nap.

School of the Arts: Poems —by Mark Doty

Nonfiction / poetry

128 pages

5 stars

 

A friend suggested I read Mark Doty. I bought this book, read the first few, and thought, “Yeah, they’re ok, but nothing to write home about.” Then I turned the page and was clobbered up the side of the head with POETRY! OMG! My friend was right!!!

 

Whereas I had planned on finishing it, and giving it to someone else, now that I’m finished, if anyone wants to borrow it, they will have to have clean hands, wear cotton gloves, and promise not to get greasy eye marks all over it.

 

Most of these poems are multi paged; however, there is a lot of white space, artfully placed. From Notebook/To Lucian Freud/On the Veil, “I love starting things // Fat and shadow, oil and wax / mobility solidified, / like cooled grease in a can—"//

 

Somehow, he has managed to paint his song with words in in both bright and subdued melodic colors. A great bedtime read. A great anytime read.

The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010 (American Poets Continuum_ --by Lucille Clifton, author and Kevin Young, editor (plus 2 ore_

Nonfiction / poetry

720 pages, Hardback (2.7 pounds)

5x5 stars

My sister, a poet, insisted I buy and read this book. I’m so glad I listened. I whined a bit about the weight, but I learned, or relearned, to enjoy reading sitting up instead of horizontal in bed.

In all the poems, there was not one I did not like, and many I liked very much. Several times, something she said, the somehow of her saying it, flipped a switch in my mind, and I put the book down, and wrote poems because of her work. Not copies, not even similar, not even on the same topic, but her words, her beauty, spurred me to write.

I am so sorry I will not have the opportunity to meet her, to take a class from her, to tell her ‘Thank You’ for so much beauty, so much song, so much life, in person. When I grow up, I want to be Lucille Clifton. I am so grateful I have this wonderful book. Kevin Young did a marvelous job putting it together.

When I grow up, I want to be Lucille Clifton

A Rule Against Murder --by Louise Penny

Fiction / Armand Gamache Mystery (book 4)

313 pages 

5 stars

Armand and his wife, Reine-Marie visit their favorite ‘back woods’ lodge for a few days before their anniversary—the luxurious, isolated Manoir Bellechase. The Finney family are having their annual reunion, a month early, during the same time. The Finney’s are a dysfunctional family actually, quite nasty. Imagine the surprise when the late-comers turn out to be friends of the Gamache’s. Imagine the surprise of the Finney’s when one of their own is murdered, and it comes out that the polite and soft-spoken gentleman is Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surete Homicide and not a grounds man married to a housekeeper.

Ms. Penny uses a lot of French in her books, they are after all, set in French Quebec. However, she carefully lets those of us who don’t know French, know what the character’s say. 

Madame Dubois, who runs the lodge, has a rule against murder, and is none too pleased that the rule has been broken and one of her guests has been killed. I was fairly sure I had this one figured out, but, alas. I didn’t. I wasn’t even close. And very little of the book takes place in the village of Three Pines. 

The Cruelest Month --by Louise Penny

Fiction / Armand Gamache Mystery

320 pages

5 stars

I truly enjoy these books. They are mysteries like I enjoyed years ago, not full of violence for violence sake, we don’t get long, drawn out sequences of how the body came to be, we just come upon it, fait accompli.

The village of Three Pines makes me homesick for a place I’ve never been, a place that doesn’t exist, except in the collective imaginations of those of us who live there. Or at least get to visit now and then. I miss my ‘neighbors,’ especially the irascible poet, Ruth Zardo, and love it when I can go home to my mythical village for a visit.

Gabri has scheduled a Good Friday séance that doesn’t go quite as planned, and a second séance is scheduled for Easter Sunday in the old Hadley House. That doesn’t go as planned, either, as one of the guests is killed.  Quite literally, scared to death.

The Team Gamache sets up in the volunteer fire department ‘garage’ and Gamache brings in a new member, that everyone likes, and is easy to work with, and agent Yvette Nichol returns, as disruptive and manipulative as ever. Possibly more so. Plot twists and turns, and you may rest assured the butler didn’t do it. Did he?

Taboo --by Yusef Komunyakaa

Nonfiction / poetry

144 pages

5 stars

A tad apprehensive when I bought this book, leery of a whole book in three-line stanzas, I quickly became enamored with the writing. I didn’t understand some of it, I felt like I’d been invited to a party, and my date left me standing with strangers and expected me to know who they were a time or two, but mostly I knew the other guests and I never felt alone. 

These poems are different than the ones in Dien Cai Dau, the first of his books I purchased and read. Yusef Komunyakaa is a poet of many talents, and I look forward to reading more of his books.

This book is book one of The Wishbone Trilogy, what are the other two books? Are they written? Are they published?

The Bone Jar --by S. W. Kane

Fiction / Mystery

328 pages / 2229 KB

5 Stars

 

 

If the F-bomb offends thee, read not this book! Yes, it’s used liberally, but is there for a reason, not just gratuitous use. After all, it’s a perfectly good word, and has a very legitimate and historical use. 

 

First book in a new series I had a hard time putting down. A cop, DI Kirby, who is normal, not rogue. He plays well with others—his partner, his boss, his parents, and his new girlfriend. He gets along with all of his suspects, isn’t a bully, in short, he’s a decent cop. 

 

An old woman is killed and placed in an abandoned mental asylum. She is obviously posed, no identification, and someone’s cell phone found nearby. As we all know, the identification of the deceased is paramount to finding her murderer. In the search, we learn the people connected to the story have a connection, one way or another, to the abandoned home. We also learn the old woman was a Saint personified, or a Witch, depending on one’s point of view. 

 

This is one of those stories I did not want to skim to get to the end. I wanted to read every word. And every word was important. Like other reviewers, I hope Connie and Raymond return in later books. Especially Raymond. What’s he going to do now? How is he doing? I hope the next book comes sooner than later!