The poems of How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) find breath and lightness in the common business of living. Barbara Kingsolver's generous collection is divided into thematic sections that loop and interweave to form a carefully patterned whole: a series of 'How to' poems that smartly balance tongue-in-cheek pragmatism with revelatory wisdom, a complicated yet affirmative family pilgrimage to Italy, cherished childhood memories, the perils and pleasures of being a [female] writer, elegies to lost loved ones, and elegies to the planet. Blending resourcefulness and wonder with all the compassionate humanity of her prose, How to Fly will both delight Kingsolver's devoted readership and welcome a host of new readers to her startling verse, while revealing an intimate side to her creative practice as yet unseen.
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How to stay at this desk when the sunis barefooting cartwheels over the grass -How To Drink Water When There Is Wine
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(Faber & Faber, 1 January 2020, hardback, 120 pages, bought from AmazonUK)
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I'm a huge fan of the author. I've read How to Fly (In Ten Thousand Easy Lessons) once, not long after the poetry collection was released. I loved this book from the moment I read the opening poem, How To Drink Water When There Is Wine and every page after. These are beautifully written, dazzling poems that look at universal themes and idea from a personal perspective. The collection is split into seven thematically linked sections. It was a pleasure to re-read this. I especially enjoyed How To Drink Water When There Is Wine, At The Top pf Mount Vesuvius, The Visitation, Snow Day, Where It Begins and Cradle. I'd recommend this.