In “Her Joy Becomes,” poet Andrea Potos invites the reader into her mind and her heart to experience what her mother meant to her.
J.D. McClatchy Tells the Story of the Civil War — in Poetry
“Poets of the Civil War” by J.D. McClatchy is a small volume that manages to capture the magnitude of the American Civil War.
“Elizabeth Bishop: A Very Short Introduction” by Jonathan Post
In “A Very Short Introduction,” Jonathan Post has written a concise and insightful summary of the life and poetry of Elizabeth Bishop.
“Making Peace with Paradise” by Tania Runyan
In “Making Peace with Paradise,” Tania Runyan reflects on her upbringing in the state that gave us suburbs and the Beach Boys.
Classic Biography: “Edgar Lee Masters” by Herbert Russell
In his classic biography of Edgar Lee Masters, Herbert Russell tells the story of a writer defined by one single, enormously successful work.
Poets and Poems: Simon Armitage and “The Owl and the Nightingale”
British Poet Laureate Simon Armitage has translated the medieval poem “The Owl and the Nightingale,” and it sounds rather familiar.
“Eliot After ‘The Waste Land’” by Robert Crawford
With “Eliot After ‘The Waste Land,'” British poet and writer Robert Crawford completes his monumental biography of T.S. Eliot.
Poets and Poems: Yahia Lababidi and “Desert Songs”
In “Desert Songs,” poet Yahia Lababidi takes us on a pilgrimage to discover what we don’t know and to lose ourselves.
“Making Darkness Light: The Lives and Times of John Milton” by Joe Moshenska
In “Making Darkness Light,” Joe Moshenska considers the life and poetry of John Milton to make sense of his own life.
Discovered in the Bodleian: “The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad”
“The Lost Tales of Sir Galahad” explain what really happened to the famed knight after he went searching for the Holy Grail. Sort of.
Poems and Photos: Kelly Belmonte, Tom Darin Liskey, and “Transit”
The 22 paired poems and photographs of “Transit” by Kelly Belmonte and Tom Darin Liskey collectively move the heart and stir the soul.
Dickens and the World in 1851: “The Turning Point” by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
“The Turning Point” by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst tells the story of Charles Dickens in 1851, between “David Copperfield” and “Bleak House.”
Robert Hudson: What Thomas Merton Had on His Record Player
In “The Monk’s Record Player,” Robert Hudson explains how Bob Dylan influenced Thomas Merton – and defined a moment in America.
The Enduring Appeal of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
“Sir Gawain and the Green Night” continues to find readers and audiences, helped by modern translations and a movie with Dev Patel.
Sitting in ‘Mildred’s Garden’ with Laura Boggess
“Mildred’s Garden” by Laura Boggess combines music, poetry, the beauty of West Virginia, and a refugee story into a delight of a novel.
‘Spoon River America’: Jason Stacy on the Myth of the Small Town
“Spoon River America” by Jason Stacy explains how the myth of the small Midwestern town supplanted the myth of the New England village.
Was Tolkien Influenced Only by the Middle Ages? Holly Ordway Says No
In “Tolkien’s Modern Reading,” Holly Ordway persuasively argues that the literary influences on J.R.R. Tolkien were broad and diverse.
An Ode to Poetry: “How to Write a Form Poem” by Tania Runyan
“How to Write a Form Poem” by Tania Runyan is a guide to 10 poetic forms. It also stands as an ode to poetry.
A Novel About Hughes and Plath: “Your Story, My Story” by Connie Palmen
In the novel “Your Story, My Story,” Dutch author Connie Palmen tells an unexpected story of the poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath.
Forgotten Classics: “Understood Betsy” by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
In “Understood Betsy,” Dorothy Canfield Fisher wrote a timeless children’s story about growing up and self-reliance.