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What the Living Do
Poems
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Check link for latest rating. ( 5,331 ratings, 536 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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This collection appeals to readers of contemporary poetry and those interested in explorations of grief, family, and the human condition through a tender, confessional voice. Fans of poets such as Sharon Olds and Jane Kenyon will find much to appreciate.
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See more"A deeply beautiful book, with the fierce galloping pace of a great novel."—Liz Rosenberg Boston Globe
Winner of the (US) National Book Award for Poetry in 1998.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Informed by the death of a beloved brother, here are the stories of childhood, its thicket of sex and sorrow and joy, boys and girls growing into men and women, stories of a brother who in his dying could teach how to be most alive. What the Living Do reflects "a new form of confessional poetry, one shared to some degree by other women poets such as Sharon Olds and Jane Kenyon. Unlike the earlier confessional poetry of Plath, Lowell, Sexton et al., Howe's writing is not so much a moan or a shriek as a song. It is a genuinely feminine form...a poetry of intimacy, witness, honesty, and relation" (Boston Globe).
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 the book for its palpable and redemptive love, with the Minneapolis Star Tribune noting, "The love in this book is tangible and redemptive." Reviews highlight Howe’s ability to convey profound feeling through graceful, understated language free of sentimentality. The Memphis Commercial Appeal commends her passionate yet detached tone, while the Providence Sunday Journal calls her a "truth-teller of the first order" with near-invisible artistry. Esteemed poets like Stanley Kunitz and Mark Doty acclaim the collection’s luminous intensity and innovative elegy form.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780393318869
Publisher: WW Norton & Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 17 April 1999
Country: United States
Imprint: WW Norton & Co
Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 8.0mm
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 211.0mm
Weight: 127g
Pages: 96
Collections
About the Author
Marie Howe is the author of The Good Thief, What the Living Do, and The Kingdom of Ordinary Time. She teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and lives in New York City.
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