Monday, June 20, 2016

Summer Reading


Today we celebrate the summer solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere—
the longest day of the year and the shortest night—
a good time to discover or revisit Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream
(which you can read online by clicking on the title above).

I thought today would also be a good time to share some of my favorite recently-published poetry books by way of  recommendation for your summer reading.





Before I list the books, and I know I promised myself that this wouldn't be an "about me" poetry blog, I'm breaking my own rule because I'm so happy and honored to share that my book A Lightness, A Thirst, or Nothing At All is a 2016 Paterson Poetry Prize finalist (for books published in 2015). 


   
  
Mark Doty's book Deep Lane is the winner and here are the finalists:

  • Vivian Shipley, Perennial (Negative Capability Press, Mobile, AL)
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Following are my top ten 2016 poetry books 
recommended for your summer reading 
(in alphabetical order by title).
 
 Atlas Apothecary by Tom Plante (Finishing Line Press)

Bright Stranger by Katherine Soniat (Louisiana State University Press)

Coat Thief by Jeffrey Davis (Saint Julian Press)

Collected Poems: 1974–2004 by Rita Dove (Norton).

Confessions of a Captured Angel by Neil Carpathios (Terrapin Books)

The Big Book of Exit Strategies by Jamaal May (Alice James)

The Uneaten Carrots of Atonement by Diane Lockward (Wind Publications)

The View from the Body by Renée Ashley (Black Lawrence Press)

Then Come Back: The Lost Neruda by Pablo Neruda (Copper Canyon)

To the Left of Time by Thomas Lux (Mariner: Houghton)


If you have other poetry books that you recommend,
I'd love to know about them, so please post their titles and authors as comments!

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BTW ...
If you're looking for journals that accept submissions during the summer, 
be sure to visit Diane Lockward's blog, Blogalicious.


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Enjoy the season and all the poetry that comes your way!
 I wish each of you, dear blog readers,
 a happy, restful, and healthy summer! 

Summer reruns will begin on Saturday, July 2nd, 
so please stay tuned!



10 comments:

  1. Adele, congratulations on being a finalist for the 2016 Paterson Prize. A Lightness, a Thirst, or Nothing At All would be on my list of recommended books. I was thinking about one of its poems just yesterday.

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    1. Thanks so much, Michael, for your congrats and kind words!

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  2. Wonderful suggestions. I've read THE UNEATEN CARROTS OF ATONEMENT already and loved it.

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    1. Thanks so much, Jamie! Carrots is a wonderful book,isn't it?

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  3. BIG congrats, Adele! And thanks for the recommended books.

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  4. Is that picture one of your garden? So beautiful! Congrats to you, Adele, on the book award; and thank you to Diane Lockward for the comprehensive lists of summer submission possibilities.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, that's part of my backyard garden. Thanks for your comments and kind words

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  5. Amita Jayaraman (Mumbai)June 25, 2016 at 1:07 PM

    Lovely news, congratulations, Adele! Thank you for the books suggestions (not always easy to find here in Mumbai), and Thank You to Diane Lockward for the three lists of journals

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Amita. I hope you're able to find the books you'd like to read.

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