The first English-language personal account of high adventure in the Caucasus, Arnold Zisserman’s "Twenty-Five Years in the Caucasus, 1842-1867" is a rare and important work. The book brings to life the voices of people who have long... Read More

Mama never said there’d be debuts like these, presenting new poets who arrive with unforeseen, indescribable gifts. Over the mountains of Tijuana at age five, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo’s journey included an MFA at the University of... Read More

A Houston poet’s tool box doesn’t normally include fluency in Arabic and an internal medicine practice—indeed, Dr. Joudah’s scholastic accomplishments and life experience raise our expectations. And, in turn, we find his work on... Read More

Poetry is marvelous transportation. Africa beckons—you want some of me?—and the poet takes pains, takes pens to the stuff of his life, so that we can experience the Zimbabwe in the man. An Oberlin College creative writing assistant... Read More

Ooooh, baby, the gloves are off. In "Radioapocrypha", BK Fischer has done imagined Jesus Christ as a buff chemistry teacher in Maryland in 1989. Does she not fear bolts of lightning? The author of two other superb collections, Mutiny... Read More

When cornered, we’ll admit to preferring poetry with rhythm—musicality in the ear surely deepens a poem’s effect. Yes, Jennifer Givhan, we’re awed by your use of pause and pacing, as you lead us to better understanding a... Read More

Poets and words, a relationship built on endless frustration and betrayal. That’s not what I intended to say. Sorry, bard, that’s what you get with me. Certain poets embrace the ambiguity, as if potential misunderstandings raise a... Read More

Certain few unfortunate souls—you know who you are—aren’t comforted at all to hear that commercial aviation is far and away the safest form of transportation. If it’s so safe, they ask, why am I so terrified to step on a plane?... Read More