Indie Next poetry bestseller list
The ABA has announced its "2009 Indie Next List Poetry Top Ten" based on "the enthusiastic nominations聽 of independent booksellers nationwide." A full pdf of the list, plus commentary, can be seen at .
The 2009 Indie Next List聽 Poetry Top Ten
1. Evidence: Poems by聽 Mary Oliver
(Beacon, $23, 9780807068984聽 / 0807068985)
"Simple and unadorned, Evidence invites the reader to pass through the聽 transcendent beauty of the natural world and the mysteries of life, love, and聽 death. Oliver lightly places uncomplicated images, unfastening a complex world,聽 inviting imagery that falls quietly onto the heart like the music of a summer聽 rain." --Dianne Bruhin, Colorado State University Bookstore, Fort Collins,聽 CO
2. Fire to Fire: New and聽 Selected Poems by Mark Doty
(Harper Perennial, $15.99聽 paper, 9780060752514 / 0060752513)
"This career-spanning collection showcases fleeting moments and fragile聽 memories, as Doty explores lights and bodies that touch fire and change. Tattoos聽 rewrite flesh, cities shine with surprising grace, and men hold hands at the聽 edge of an abyss. Read this and remember that poetry can change the angle of聽 your eyes and the reach of your gaze as you look out onto a kindled, golden聽 world made familiar and new." --Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita,聽 KS
3. The Romantic Dogs: Poems聽 by Roberto Bolano, Laura Healy (trans.)
(New Directions, $15.95聽 paper, 9780811218016 / 0811218015)
"Roberto Bolano's star is so ascendant right now that there is no need聽 for me to point out anything but his name on the cover of this book. Let me聽 simply say that Bolano was a poet before he was ever a novelist, and it shows聽 here. The work is insouciant, literary, and historically nihilistic. It's been聽 one of my favorite books of the past year." --Dustin Kurtz, McNally Jackson聽 Books, New York, NY
4. Ballistics: Poems聽 by Billy Collins
(Random House, $24, 9781400064915聽 / 1400064910)
"I love the self-consciousness and humor Billy Collins brings to poetry.聽 His poems are alive with a friendly, kind regard for what it means to be human.聽 He has the great talent to not only craft memorable lines, but also to achieve聽 what all great poets do, to tug on us and remind us to appreciate the moment聽 we're in right now. A delight to read and read again." --Drea Firth, Maria's聽 Bookshop, Durango, CO
5. In Search of Small Gods聽 by Jim Harrison
(Copper Canyon, $22,聽 9781556593000 / 1556593007)
"In Search of Small Gods is Jim Harrison's twelfth book of poetry聽 -- and my favorite so far. This collection exhibits a fine sense of humor along聽 with a sharp awareness of the tragic human condition. The poems contain fish,聽 birds, death, peonies, many beloved dogs, various wacky speculations, and a聽 few regrets and tall tales that wander off into strange dreams. Harrison skillfully聽 calls all this to our attention, and the world and all these things shine through聽 this book." --Karl Pohrt, Shaman Drum Bookshop, Ann Arbor, MI
6. A Foot in the Mouth: Poems聽 to Speak, Sing, and Shout by Paul B. Janeczko, Chris Raschka (illus.)
(Candlewick, $17.99,聽 9780763606633 / 0763606634)
"A Foot in the Mouth features great poems for reading aloud. With聽 tongue-twisters and poems for one voice, two voices, or more, these poems will聽 get kids moving and loving poetry. (And this is an excellent recommendation聽 for teachers to bring poetry alive in their classroom.)" --Shelly Plumb,聽 Harleysville Books, Harleysville, PA
7. In Praise of the Unfinished:聽 Selected Poems by Julia Hartwig, John and Bogdana Carpenter (trans.)
(Knopf, $25, 9780307267207聽 / 0307267202)
"In her only collection available in English, Julia Hartwig's In Praise聽 of the Unfinished is a profound meditation on life at the boundaries of聽 History and Time. In exquisite distillations of experience and perception, Hartwig聽 -- one of the brilliant poetic masters from Poland -- explores philosophical聽 and emotional depths without losing herself or her readers in obscurantism or聽 trite turns of phrase. She is a poet of the universal rather than the narrow,聽 and we should be grateful for her words." --Shawn Wathen, Chapter One Book聽 Store, Hamilton, MT
8. Bicycles: Love Poems聽 by Nikki Giovanni
(Morrow, $16.99, 9780061726453聽 / 0061726451)
"A new book of poetry by my favorite contemporary poet is immediately cause聽 for celebration. Her strong, clear voice shines on every page. A fantastic collection!"聽 --Michael Burns, Howard's Bookstore, Bloomington, IN
9. What Goes On: Selected聽 and New Poems 1995 - 2009 by Stephen Dunn
(Norton, $24.95, 9780393067750聽 / 0393067750)
"Stephen Dunn addresses issues large and small, though mostly large: love,聽 death, divinity, morality, responsibility. Words are perfectly chosen, and so聽 many of these poems deserve to be read out loud, and often. A perfect introduction聽 to the work of this Pulitzer Prize winner." --Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books,聽 Tampa, FL
10. Bucolics by Maurice聽 Manning
(Mariner, $14 paper,聽 9780156034753 / 0156034751)
"My absolute favorite collection of poetry this year! These poems effloresce聽 with wonderment for the natural world. They are rich with agrarian imagery and聽 soulful inquiry; they are joyful, reflective, and heart-achingly lovely."聽 --April Nabholz, Grass Roots Books & Music, Corvallis, OR
