White people need to read this book, especially if they're under the illusion that racism isn't a big deal anymore.

This book sat on my dresser for a solid month at least before I picked it up to read, and now I regret every moment I waited. Holy shit these poems.

"but oh well / god knows / we work 'til we fly / god knows grandma worked / 'til sudden wings grew out her back / and now sunday dinners ain't the same"

I'll be spending some time with this today, I think.

This book is weird in the best ways, and Anthea Butler's translation is masterful. It's set in a small village in what used to be East Germany, and combines well-written characters with folklore and the tension that comes in the buildup for a public event. Get a copy as soon as you can.

This was the Rumpus Poetry Book Club pick for May, and I picked well, if I may say so. The poems ache and yearn and demand your attention. I think it officially released today. Order a copy from YesYes books, one of the best poetry publishers around right now.

Only just started it, but the stories are tight. It's the May selection for the Rumpus Book Club.

This was a hard read for me because I'm a survivor of sexual abuse, but it was a good read for the same reason. Zolbrod's writing is introspective without being overly sentimental, a tough combination to pull off with this subject.

Wonderfully complex, weaving together three time periods, three Venices, and even more plot lines in a compulsively readable novel. Revel in it.