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Ghost River

Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Ghost River invites readers to explore the rugged landscape of America’s Pacific Northwest through a series of lyrical and intimate poems. The collection weaves wilderness and home together, confronting both the natural beauty and the encroachments of modern life such as strip malls and wildfires. It reimagines the region through the eyes of British explorer George Vancouver, reflecting on history, loss, renewal, and the meaning of home amid the terrain of early motherhood.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$4800

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers of contemporary poetry interested in themes of nature, history, motherhood and personal identity, particularly those who appreciate a rich sense of place and lyrical language.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Kris Johnson’s first collection presents a lyrical and intimate portrait of America’s Pacific Northwest, in which wilderness and home are interwoven. Its central sequence reimagines this landscape from the perspective of the British explorer, George Vancouver. These poems of loss and renewal explore what it is to be home.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Ghost River invites readers to stare down blue-mouthed crevasses, venture into old growth forests, and peer beneath the floorboards of ancestral homesteads.

In this lyrical and intimate portrait of America's Pacific Northwest, wilderness and home are interwoven. But this is not Arcadia. Deep time is punctured by strip malls and freeways, wildfires and dams. Questioning the influence of the past on the present, the central sequence reimagines this landscape from the perspective of the British explorer, George Vancouver, who charted its waterways on an expedition to locate the elusive Northwest Passage.

In their passage between America and England and the terrain of early motherhood, these poems of loss and renewal explore what it is to be home. Born and raised in America's Washington state, Kris Johnson moved to the UK in 2007. Ghost River is her first book-length collection.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Ghost River for its vivid depiction of water and landscape, combining tender explorations of family, birth and belonging with a strong sense of place. Hannah Lowe highlights the precise and evocative language, while Sean commends the poems’ mythic qualities, lyricism and rhythmic musicality. The collection is noted for its immersive, subtly erotic feminine perspective and a unique individual vision.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781780376479

Publisher: Bloodaxe Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloodaxe Books Ltd

Edition: Paperback original

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 8.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 72

About the Author

Kris Johnson is from America's Washington state but has lived in the UK since 2007. She received her MA and PhD in Creative Writing from Newcastle University where she has also taught and worked as a researcher. In 2019, she was awarded a Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England. Her poems have been published in journals and anthologies, including Ambit, Hallelujah for 50ft Women (Bloodaxe Books, 2015), Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry Northwest, and Poetry London. Her debut pamphlet, Skinny Dip, was published in 2022 by Enchiridion.

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