Monthly Archives: February 2011

Susan Howe relates the ghosts of the Labadie Tract & others

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Douglas Barbour

Susan Howe. Souls of the Labadie Tract (New Directions 2007). Despite being slow at getting into this book, I am a Susan Howe fan. And this is fascinating & engages both intellect & senses, as usual. A collection of three … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 1 Comment

Marilyn Dumont’s lyric interrogations

Posted on February 18, 2011 by Douglas Barbour

Marilyn Dumont. that tongued belonging (Kegedonce Press 2007). This is Dumont’s third book, & it dances on that edge of casual documentary & autobiographical lyric presence. In that sense, it is not formally innovative, but it does continue her radical … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 1 Comment

A special adult Jansson

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Douglas Barbour

Tove Jansson. The Summer Book (SortOf Books 2003 (1974)). Her favorite adult novel, an odd & oddly moving study of a summer made of many summers with a six year old & her grandmother (& her father but he’s mostly … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Jo Walton’s play with genre expectations

Posted on February 1, 2011 by Douglas Barbour

Jo Walton. Among Others (TOR 2010). Jo Walton writes different books. And she writes them differently. Among Others can be read as her version of the boarding school novel, but it’s much more than that, a love letter to libraries … Continue reading →

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