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Book Title:                 We Whisper and other poems

Author:                       Cedric L. Jones

Genre:                         Books > Literature & Fiction > African American > Poetry

Release Date:            May 29, 2014

Length:                      138 Pages

Rating:                       ★ ★  (2.0 out of 5 stars)

 About the Book (Summary)

A mixture of styles that include everything from traditional poetic forms to the influence of the Harlem Renaissance jazz poets, WE WHISPER, AND OTHER POEMS explores the maturation of an individual and a nation through the experiences and observations of a gay, Black man in America (Amazon Description, 2014).

My Review

Once again, I had the privilege of reviewing a book of poetry. And, much like the last book The Brevity of Twit, I won’t take my usual approach to this review. I admit to knowing very little about poetry, but what I do know is that “poetry is putting the best words in the best order,” (Maddox, 2014). And ultimately, what makes a poem good or bad lies within the reader. Now, with that being said, I also confess to not being that prosaic. My assumption was the author intended the reader to extrapolate meaning from universal truths about the human condition. Despite my shortcomings, I am familiar with selecting the best words to paint a portrait for the reader, a picture that draws emotion. There were poems in the text I liked, but there were others that didn’t resonate a strong message for me. Unfortunately, most of the author’s poems fit snugly into the latter. 

What Worked and What Didn’t Work

In the category of what worked, poems, e.g., CJ was here, The Change We Want to See and How Dare You? tapped into shared human experiences. The exactness of emotion in these poems is precise and didn’t subscribe to a particular pattern. Even though neither of these poems aroused emotion in me, I did understand it meaning with no analysis required. Conversely, the poems that didn’t work for me had the opposite effect. They fell flat. For example, in the poem Savior, the author wrote:

“We stand naked in a brand new Eden feeling stupid for all the things we’ve done. The savior doesn’t save. He leaves us to reflect.”

By definition, Eden is a paradise, a place of pristine and abundant beauty. It is the beginning of all things where Adam and Eve inhabited. Of course, we all know the inciting event that changed Adam and Eve’s consciousness of nakedness and shame. Savior, by definition, is to save from hurt or harm. I’m saying all this to make a point. I got tripped up in the word choices, which is vital in poetry. Why wouldn’t a savior, save and who would require saving from Eden. In many instances, the sequence of words seemed to be a failed attempt to be profound, which ultimately compromised the poems meaning.

Recommendation

For that reason, I give a marginal recommendation of 2 out of 5 stars. Now, with all this being said, poetry is very subjective, and one person's pain is another’s pleasure. Buy the book. Read it for yourself and decide.

Creative Writing 101 - Show Versus Tell

Book Title:                 The Girl On The Train

Author:                       Paula Hawkins

Genre:                        Books – Literature & Fiction > Literary   

                                    Fiction>Women’s Fiction

Release Date:            January 13, 2015

Length:                      326 Pages

Rating:                       ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5.0 out of 5 stars)

  About the Book (Summary)

“Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?” (The Girl On The Train Book Summary on Amazon)

My Review

First and foremost, it’s hard to believe The Girl On The Train is Paula Hawkins first novel. I’ve heard of authors hitting a home run right out the gate, but clearly after the first page you know Paula is not new to the literary world. Structurally, the book hits every technical milestone and delivers from the beginning, middle and end. The five main characters are delicious and wonderfully flawed. Just when you think things cannot possibly get any worse, Hawkins manages to take the pilot deeper at a precision pace that is nothing but textbook. The main character Rachel believed she had a perfect life, but when her world is shattered namely by what she thinks is her own doing. Rachel finds solace riding the commuter train that passes through her old suburban neighborhood. Her daily watch includes her ex-husband and a couple Rachel’s affectionately named Jess and Jason. Rachel is certain they were perfect; she revered the love they displayed toward one another, how Jason touched Jess, their routine, and work all enviable from the window of a train. Stimulating in many respects, until she sees something unexpected, destroying everything she knew to be true. I’ve often said all houses look good from the curb. However, in this case I will amend my former statement and say all houses look good from the train.

It only takes one chapter for you to know this is one of those books that Hollywood eats up. Every character is multi-layered, richly complex, and flawed. So much so, we can only assume there’s a 5 lb actress out there already on an all milkshake, peanut butter, and fried chicken diet trying to gain 50 lbs. And still, she will only look like a size 12 on screen, which is far from fat in the “real girl world”.

My Recommendation

Hawkins authenticates the human experience through friendships, romantic relationships, roommates, and social acquaintances. Paula taps into every emotion taking the reader on a ride that leaves them turning the page at lightening speed wanting to find out what happens next. Normally, a thriller is not my first choice for light reading, but Hawkins has made me a fan and I cannot wait for her next book. The novel is five starts for me. Now, if made into a movie, I know I won’t see it because the casting typically does not match the book. I Googled images for The Girl On The Train, and it revealed a few actresses in play for a role in the movie adaptation of the book. Emily Blunt named for the lead role, which in my mind is totally wrong. Now, with that being said, Paula Deen popped up too, so I don’t know how reliable this information is. But, it’s disappointing to think a totally inappropriate (my opinion) Hollywood heavyweight will play the leading role. Just once, I would love the casting to match the novel.

Book Title:                 Inner Strength A Non-Fiction Piece

Author:                       Lauren Meredith

Genre:                        Books – Literature & Fiction > Poetry

Release Date:             August 24, 2015

Length:                       19 Pages (9 pages of text)

Rating:                        2.0 out of 5 stars

About the Book (Summary)

Inner Strength is a series of five poems chronologically detailing the authors struggle with bullying, abuse, mental illness, and ultimately rejuvenation.

My Review

Not all roses are red or violets the perfect shade of blue. Poetry is notoriously difficult to dissect. What makes a poem good, bad or great is highly subjective. I liken it to viewing abstract art. One person will see a dog or a girl skipping in the rain, and another won’t see anything but swirls on canvas. Now, with that being said, writing this review is complicated. Although I empathized with the author and applauded her courage to share the most intimate events in her life, I don’t believe poetry was the best modality to tell her story. The sequencing of the events, word choices, mixing different forms of poetry, and rhythm challenged me. I believe the story would be impactful and capture the essence of her experiences if it were a full-length novel.

My Recommendation

Inner Strength is nineteen pages in length and only nine of those pages are text retailing at $9.95. I believe this is pricey for such a small book. I strongly recommend the author reevaluate the price point to attract more readers. In addition, I recommend the author rethink the summary of the book to ensure it aligns with what’s inside. Unfortunately, to say “Lauren will educate you about the ways in which you can use your creative energy to recreate your life,” can appear to be misleading if specific language summarizing what’s inside is not included in the book. Finally, I suggest the author consider expanding these nine pages into a full-length novel to accomplish all the goals included in the books summary.