Comments on Constance Reader Writes Her Own Story: When poets write novels

You made this sound really good. I think I'll...

2012-01-30T13:29:16.224-08:00

You made this sound really good. I think I'll have to check it out, though I don't know I've read any of his poems! It'll be interesting to read this just as a novel without any real preconceived notions about the author.

What a great list (especially that last rec)! Than...

2012-01-30T08:12:51.684-08:00

What a great list (especially that last rec)! Thank you so much.

You know, I never considered that verse might be an ideal form for children's literature. It's a transition from the singsongy rhyme of toddler books to the prose of adult fiction. Very, very cool to think about!

Interesting! I've seen Onegin as a ballet but ...

2012-01-30T08:10:36.655-08:00

Interesting! I've seen Onegin as a ballet but have never read the story.

My background and experience are with children's literature, so my listed is certainly skewed. Here are a handful I love: Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust, Stephanie Hemphill's Your Own, Sylvia, and Susan Taylor Brown's Hugging the Rock.

Award-wise, this year has been wonderful for verse novels: Inside Out and Back Again won the National Book award and was a Newbery Honor book. Under the Mesquite won the Pura Belpre Author award was a Morris finalist (I've yet to read these two -- must get hopping!).

My book, May B., is a verse novel I'm partial to. ;)

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it o...

2012-01-30T06:49:55.966-08:00

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out.

You know, I'm racking my brain now, and the on...

2012-01-30T06:49:33.513-08:00

You know, I'm racking my brain now, and the only novel in verse I can ever remember reading is Eugene Onegin, which I liked very much but didn't love. I think some more reading-type research is in order...can you recommend some starting points?

I'm curious now: what do you think of verse no...

2012-01-29T20:22:31.941-08:00

I'm curious now: what do you think of verse novels? Or verse novelists, for that matter? ;) I promise, you can say whatever you like. I won't hold it against you.

I also think I would be skeptical of a novel writt...

2012-01-29T14:55:11.820-08:00

I also think I would be skeptical of a novel written by a poet, but it sounds as if there was nothing to fear with this one. I am glad that you enjoyed it, and was glad to read your perceptions on it!

That's a fascinating idea--that his work is mo...

2012-01-29T10:30:56.967-08:00

That's a fascinating idea--that his work is more poetic closer to his "poet days." It would wear off, wouldn't it?

I'll pick one up. :)

The Blueberry Years by Jim Minick is a memoir but ...

2012-01-28T17:24:44.256-08:00

The Blueberry Years by Jim Minick is a memoir but it's beautifully written. I think he has a background in poetry.

Michael Ondaatje is my favourite poer-turned-novel...

2012-01-28T14:54:29.328-08:00

Michael Ondaatje is my favourite poer-turned-novelist. Though I prefer his earlier novels (In the Skin of a Lion and The English Patient) that were written closer to his poet days. His use of language is so beautiful and precise.

The WWII angle is really in the background of this...

2012-01-28T13:19:57.347-08:00

The WWII angle is really in the background of this, which is so unusual for a book set in the time and place this one is set in. But it's a very quiet, beautiful, atmospheric story all the same!

A mystery...I'm so interested in the answer to...

2012-01-28T13:19:13.017-08:00

A mystery...I'm so interested in the answer to this question, I might have to pick up the Larkin biography by Andrew Motion just to see if he covers it.

Wow...thanks for this rec! I had no idea cummings ...

2012-01-28T13:18:13.632-08:00

Wow...thanks for this rec! I had no idea cummings wrote a novel! This should be super-interesting.

It's in my nature to read almost everything se...

2012-01-28T09:57:07.661-08:00

It's in my nature to read almost everything set in and around WWII so this sounds like a goodie!

It does make you wonder why he decided to stick wi...

2012-01-28T08:27:29.187-08:00

It does make you wonder why he decided to stick with poetry.

Maybe The Enormous Room, by e.e. cummings? It'...

2012-01-28T07:12:57.892-08:00

Maybe The Enormous Room, by e.e. cummings? It's semiautobiographical, a little Zenlike, fully interesting.