a book chooses you, and wow...our poetry section sure is looking foxy.

I believe if a book is brought to your attention, more than 3 times- that the book is choosing you...and you have a moral responsibility to at least pick it up.
(I'm not talking about heavily advertised mass markets, or best sellers. I'm talking about that 7 year old book that you've never heard of, and all of a sudden a friend is raving about it....you trip over it in a used book store, or the author is referenced by another author on Oprah...that sort of thing.)

This philosophy extends to every other area of life...in my alarmingly humble opinion.

So I'm going to start that process- for anyone who may read this.

Dorianne Laux is a poet. She wrote "What We Carry"...the color of my life changed after I read this book.

Gary Lutz is a writer. He wrote "Stories in the Worst Way"...my concept of what flash fiction can do was broken open. I posit,(again in my alarmingly humble opinion), that he has created a new genre.

Kim Addonizio is a poet. She wrote "Tell Me". I see her collection of poetry as an act of permission-giving to anyone who thought "you can't write about that, that's not poetry"....and that sort of thing makes for the most entertaining and accessible art.

Now if you hear of these authors 3 more times, you are bound to buy their work...but I can save you the time...

Dorianne Laux
Dorianne Laux
Dorianne Laux
Gary Lutz
Gary Lutz
Gary Lutz
Kim Addonizio
Kim Addonizio
Kim Addonizio

I know it is cheating, but I'm serious. I'll take that ethical risk.

As another point before I get back to shelving...I chose poets. For those of you who think that you don't like poetry...let me give you this. If you have a short attention span, if you like short stories, or the lace of a novel...If you love stand-up comedy...

Poetry offers more talent and diversity than any other medium...(I'm gonna get slapped for that)

If you don't believe me...check out our poetry section...it is swollen with funny, disturbing, fractured, amorous, academic, experimental, feminist, and humanist poets.

And if you are a poetry lover...buy poetry.

And if you write poetry, buy poetry.

It is affordable...

especially our used poetry.


how poetic.