Edmonds Book Talk: Celebrate National Poetry Month with these selections

April is National Poetry Month! And Washington State just got a brand new Poet Laureate. Congratulations to Arianne True, who will take over from Rena Priest in May for her two-year term. Learn more about True here.

Without further ado, here is a very partial list of the great poetry we have in the shop all the months of the year and in our beautiful poetry window this month! [alphabetically by poet…ish…]

  • “House Called Tomorrow: 50 Years of Poetry” by Copper Canyon Press. Staff recommended: This volume celebrates Copper Canyon’s 50th anniversary, and is a comprehensive selection from the great number of poets who have made CCP one of the most distinguished small publishers in the world. ~David
  • “American Wildflowers: A Literary Field Guide” by Susan Barba, Leanne Shapton [Illustrator]. This is a beautiful new collection of poems, essays, and letters from the 1700s to the present that focus on wildflowers and their place in our culture and in the natural world.
  • “DMZ Colony” by Don Mee Choi. A powerful work of cultural memory that recovers voices from Korea’s heartbreakingly violent postcolonial history. Winner of the 2020 National Book Award for Poetry.
  • “Post Colonial Love Poems” by Natalie Diaz. An anthem of desire against erasure. This brilliant second collection demands that every body carried in its pages–bodies of language, land, rivers, suffering brothers, enemies, and lovers-be touched and held as beloveds.
    Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
    The poet also won a MacArthur genius grant in 2018.
  • “Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude” by Ross Gay. An early poetry collection from one of our staff favorite essayists. “Like one big celebration bursting with joy . . . “ NPR
  • Louise Glück is the author of over fifteen books of poems and essays. Her many awards include the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature, the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for “The Wild Iris,” and the 2014 National Book Award for “Faithful and Virtuous Night.”
    Her latest book is a departure, “Marigold and Rose: A Fiction” is an enchanting, playful, and absolutely singular fable from the Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner.
  • Amanda Gorman:
    • “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country.” On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gormanbecame the sixth and youngest poet, at age twenty-two, to deliver a poetry reading at a presidential inauguration. This is the special edition of her inaugural poem.
    • “Call Us What We Carry: Poems.” The unforgettable new voice in American poetry presents a collection of her poems that includes the stirring poem read at the inauguration.
    • “Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem.” As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes–big or small–in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves.
  • Sharon Hashimoto. Washington State Book Award Winner for Poetry. In “More American,” winner of the 2021 Off the Grid Poetry Prize, the poet reconstructs a collective memory, conjuring the voices of grandparents, children, soldiers, and those left to tell.
  • “Passion” by June Jordan. Copper Canyon Press. After decades out of print, “Passion”–one of the poet’s most important collections–has returned to readers. Originally entitled, “passion: new poems, 1977-1980,” this volume holds key works including “Poem About My Rights.”
    Barack Obama made a line from this book famous: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.”
  • “Water Signs” by Liz Kellebrew. Written while riding the ferry across Puget Sound, Kellebrew’s poems explore the liminal places between cities and forests, animals and people, the sky and the sea. We were so lucky to have Kellebrew in the shop for an author event. It is still available to watch on demand on our facebook page. More information and a link to watch is here.
  • Sasha LaPointe, PNBA winner for her memoir: “Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk,” has a new poetry collection: “Rose Quartz: Poems.” A wild, seductive debut collection that presents a powerful journey of struggle and healing–and a spellbinding brew of folklore, movies, music, and ritual.
  • Ada Limón. was named the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States in 2022. She was the first Latina to be so named. “The Carrying: Poems,” won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry. Her newest collection is “The Hurting Kind.”
  • “The Lost Words” and “The Lost Spells” both by Robert MacFarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris.Beautiful collections of poems and illustrations to help readers rediscover the magic of the natural world.
  • Mary Oliver. Two of our favorites: “Devotions: The Selected Poems” in which Oliver presents a personal selection of her best work in this definitive collection spanning more than five decades of her esteemed literary career. And “Dog Songs: Poems” a celebration of the special bond between human and dog, as understood through the poet’s relationships to the canines that have accompanied her daily walks, warmed her home, and inspired her work.
  • Rena Priest is serving as the Washington State Poet Laureate from 2021-2023. Priest’s literary debut, “Patriarchy Blues” was honored with the 2018 American Book Award. A member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation, she is the first Indigenous poet to assume the role. More about her is here.
    Really fun rabbit hole fact: Rena Priest is also the author of a fantastic little gift book: “Northwest Know-How: Beaches.” Entertaining, educational and highly giftable, it showcases the majestic, quirky, and unique beaches of the Washington and Oregon coastline through facts, history, legend, and lovely illustrations.
  • “Necessity of Wildfire” by Caitlin Scarano. This collection wrestles with family violence, escaping home, unraveling relationships, and the complexity of sexuality.
    Winner of the Wren Poetry Prize selected by Ada Limón.
    Winner of the 2023 Pacific Northwest Book Award for Poetry.
  • Diane Seuss’ latest collection is “Frank: Sonnets.” Like a series of cels on a filmstrip, “frank: sonnets” captures the magnitude of a life lived honestly, a restless search for some kind of “beauty or relief.” Seuss is at the height of her powers, devastatingly astute, austere, and–in a word–frank.
    Winner of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry
    Winner of the 2021 National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry
  • “Wild Beauty” by Ntozake Shange. In this stirring collection of more than sixty original and selected poems in both English and Spanish, the poet shares her utterly unique, unapologetic, and deeply emotional writing that has made her one of the most iconic literary figures of our time.
  • “The Cancer Journals” by Audre Lorde Smith. First published over forty years ago, this is a startling, powerful account of her experience with breast cancer and mastectomy. Moving between journal entry, memoir, and exposition, the author fuses the personal and political as she reflects on her experiences. Staff recommended.
  • “Above Ground” by Clint Smith. A remarkable poetry collection from the National Book Critics Circle award-winning author of “How the Word Is Passed.” His vibrant and compelling new collection traverses the vast emotional terrain of fatherhood, and explores how becoming a parent has recalibrated his sense of the world.
  • “You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir” by Maggie Smith. Just published April 11, 2023.
    Her recent collections: “Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change,” a collection of quotes and essays on facing life’s challenges with creativity, courage, and resilience. “Goldenrod: Poems” the award-winning poet returns with a powerful collection of poems that look at parenthood, solitude, love, and memory. Interview/review on npr here.
  • “Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World” by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Expanding on the popular podcast of the same name from On Being Studios, this offers immersive reflections on fifty powerful poems.
  • Ocean Vuong:
    • “Night Sky with Exit Wounds” is the first full length poetry collection.
    • “Time is a Mother.” In this deeply intimate second poetry collection, the author searches for life among the aftershocks of his mother’s death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. Shifting through memory, and in concert with the themes of his novel “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous,” Vuong contends with personal loss, the meaning of family, and the cost of being the product of an American war in America. At once vivid, brave, and propulsive, his poems circle fragmented lives to find both restoration as well as the epicenter of the break.

And of course, a few titles for kids of all ages!

  • “Out of Wonder: Celebrating Poets and Poetry” by Kwame Alexander, Author, and Ekua Holmes, Illustrator. Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander presents original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the author’s heart sing. Stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.
  • “How To Write a Poem” by Kwame Alexander. From the first stanza, readers are invited to pay attention–and to see that paying attention itself is poetry. Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido’s playful text and Melissa Sweet’s dynamic, inventive artwork are paired together to encourage readers to listen, feel, and discover the words that dance in the world around them–poems just waiting to be written down.
  • “Remember” by Joy Harjo; illustrated by Michaela Goade. “Generation-spanning Native creators deliver a lustrous celebration of generational memory.” —The Horn Book
    US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s iconic poem “Remember,” illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade, invites young readers to pause and reflect on the wonder of the world around them, and to remember the importance of their place in it.
  • “My Poet.” Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan has written a lyrical ode to writing, to poetry, and to the celebrated American poet, Mary Oliver.
  • For ages 13 and up “Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners” by Naomi Shihab Nye. The Young People’s Poet Laureate and National Book Award Finalist’s uncommon and unforgettable voice offers readers peace, humor, inspiration, and solace. This volume of almost one hundred original poems is a stunning and engaging tribute to the diverse voices past and present that comfort us, compel us, lead us, and give us hope.
  • “Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!: An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year” by Britta Teckentrup. A lavishly illustrated collection of 366 animal poems–one for every day of the year! The perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or end of the day.

To find out more about any of these books, and to order any of them, visit our blog post, here.

Edmonds Bookshop Events.

Edmonds Bookshop Book Club: April 2023!
Wednesday morning April 19: 9-10 a.m. We are still doing Zoom meetings, but also – welcoming back some to join us in person. Send us an email here to inquire about attending in person.

Our April book is “April in Spain” by John Banville.

Booker Prize winner John Banville returns with a dark and evocative new mystery set on the Spanish coast.
Sumptuous, propulsive and utterly transporting, “April in Spain” is the work of a master writer at the top of his game.

More information about the book and our book club is here.

Send us an email here to register your email for book club membership. We will send you an invitation with a Zoom Meeting link as each book club meeting is scheduled. Once you accept the invitation it will show up in your calendar.

Third Thursday Art Walk. April 20. The readings will begin about 6:30 p.m. Join us for our annual April poetry night!
This year’s featured poets are David Horowitz, Michael Magee, Janee J. Baugher, and Bethany Reid. All kinds of information on our Event Page here.

April 29. Independent Bookstore Day Begins! Seattle Independent Bookstore Day is celebrating the 10th anniversary. We are excited to join the festivities. Once again, people are able to tackle the Passport Challenge over 10 days… start your planning now!  All kinds of information on our Event page here.

We celebrate poetry all year long.A couple more events to put in your “plan ahead” calendar.

Event May 11: We will be hosting a reading of Beth Bentley’s poetry from her posthumously published work, “Missing Addresses.” The readers will be Julian Bentley Edelman, Beth Bentley’s daughter; David Edelman, her son-in-law and poet Sherry Rind. This is the long-awaited final collection assembled by poet Beth Bentley, who passed away in 2021 after a lifetime devoted to poetry. Her wide-ranging poems reflect on her deep love of art and philosophy, crystalline remembrances of family, and on the lives of cultural figures from history.
Information about the May 11 event is here. Updates may happen.

Event September 21. Join us to celebrate Catherine Kyle’s brand new [May 2023] poetry collection, “Fulgurite.”
Named for the glassy, mazelike structures that form underground when lightning strikes sand, “Fulgurite” weaves together reality and myth. Informed by fairy tales, domestic fabulism, and environmental concerns, she examines gender on large and small scales.
All kinds of information on our events page, here. Updates may happen. So do check back.

Recent book releases of note:

“Old Babes in the Wood” by Margaret Atwood. A dazzling collection of short stories that look deeply into the heart of family relationships, marriage, loss and memory, and what it means to spend a life together.

“Weyward” by Emelia Hart. A riveting debut that explores witchcraft and female intuitive powers, told over five centuries through three connected women, for fans of Kate Morton, and Diane Setterfield.

“Women are the Fiercest Creatures” by Andrea Dunlop. In this wildly addictive novel, three overlooked women take on the charming, manipulative tech CEO who wrote them out of his startup’s history. Now in paperback. Local author. Pencil in our June event: We are so looking forward to welcoming Andrea for our June Third Thursday Art Walk. All the information here.

“One Italian Summer” by Rebecca Serle. Now in paper.

“The Candy House” by Jennifer Egan. Now in paper.

“Pineapple Street” by Jenny Jackson. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, this is an escapist novel that sparkles with wit.

“The London Séance Society” by Sarah Penner. World-famous spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire can conjure the spirits of murder victims, it’s said. Can she help desperate Londoner Lenna Wickes find her sister’s killer? It’s good clean occult fun from the author of the “The Lost Apothecary.”

“Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano. Can love make a broken person whole? An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, “Little Women,” this is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it. And chosen for Oprah’s Bookclub.

“City on Fire” by Don Winslow. Now in paper.

“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah. Now in paper.

“The White Lady” by Jacqueline Winspear.  Yet another extraordinary heroine from the creator of Maisie Dobbs.

“Poverty, by America” by Matthew Desmond. The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of “Evicted” reimagines the debate on poverty, making a new and bracing argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it.

For Our Youngest Readers [and readers of all ages!]  “Party Hearty Kitty-Corn” by Shannon Hale. Kitty is excited to throw a kitty-corn party but becomes frustrated when newcomer Puppy messes up the decorations, ruins the gift Kitty made, and worst of all, he takes up all of Unicorn’s attention.

For Young Readers  “Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea: A Graphic Novel”  by Dav Pilkey. Piggy has returned, and his newest plot is his most diabolical yet. With themes of friendship and doing good, the new book is packed with action and hilarity.

Books of note being released in April:

“A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them” by Timothy Egan. The Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist is back with another rigorously researched examination of American history. This time around, he tells the story of the Ku Klux Klan at the height of their power and viciousness, and of the impossibly courageous woman who brought them down.  April 4, 2023.

“The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity” by David Graeber. Now in paper. April 4, 2023.

“Tress of the Emerald Sea” by Brandon Sanderson. The bestselling author brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of “The Princess Bride.” April 4, 2023.

“Homecoming” by Kate Morton. A sweeping novel that begins with a shocking crime, the effects of which echo across continents and generations. April 4, 2023.

“Romantic Comedy” by Curtis Sittenfeld. Reese’s Book Club Pick. A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions–a “smart, sophisticated, and fun” (Oprah Daily) novel from the bestselling author.
“Delightful . . . The woman narrating “Romantic Comedy” is hyper-aware of the conventions of romantic comedy, and she knows full well that real life is no fairy tale. But could it be this time?”–The Washington Post. April 4, 2023.

“A Living Remedy: A Memoir” by Nicole Chung. Her first memoir “All You Can Ever Know” is staff recommended. Cannot wait to read this one which takes the traditional memoir in a new direction, exploring the treacherous crosscurrents of class, race, and inequality in America. Chung tells of her upbringing as a Korean adoptee and her terrible grief when her loving parents die in quick succession—largely due to outrageous inequalities in healthcare.  April 4, 2023.

For young readers  “School Trip” by Jerry Craft. The bestselling author is back with the newest adventures of Jordan, Drew, Liam, and all the characters that fans first met in “New Kid,” winner of the Newbery Award and the Coretta Scott King Author Award! In this full-color contemporary graphic novel, the gang from Riverdale Academy Day is heading to Paris, for an international education like you’ve never seen before… April 4, 2023.

“Trackers” by Charles Frazier. His latest novel concerns a small town in Depression-era Wyoming, a missing painting, a runaway wife, and a spirited chase that rumbles from San Francisco to Florida. Expect finely drawn characters, state-of-the-art storytelling, and maybe some contemporary relevance. April 11, 2023.

“Yours Truly” by Abby Jiminez. The new one from the romance author and Food Network star introduces Dr. Briana Ortiz, who is about to lose a promotion to her annoyingly hot colleague Jacob Maddox. Then a series of letters between the two flips the dynamic entirely. Also in play: a kidney donation, a “sob closet,” and some freakishly tiny horses!  April 11, 2023.

“On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory” by Thomas HertogStephen Hawking’s closest collaborator offers the intellectual superstar’s final thoughts on the cosmos — a dramatic revision of the theory he put forward in “A Brief History of Time.” April 11, 2023.

“The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V. E. Schwab. Finally in paperback. April 11, 2023.

“Run, Rose, Run” by James Paterson and Dolly Parton. Now in paperback! Rumor has it this will be a movie someday… starring Dolly Parton… with Reese Witherspoon and her production company working on it…stay tuned! April 11, 2023.

“Wager” by David Grann. 1740, British warship The Wager disappeared while chasing a treasure-filled Spanish galleon. Two years later, a patched-together lifeboat washed up on the shores of Brazil with 30 emaciated survivors. Their story was a sensation until six months later, when another batch of survivors washed ashore—with a different story. The nonfiction ace (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) is sooooo good at this kind of thing. April 18, 2023.

“City of Dreams” by Don Winslow.  Following the epic, ambitious, instant bestseller “City on Fire,” “The Godfather for our generation” (Adrian McKinty), comes the dramatic second novel in an epic crime trilogy. Staff recommended.April 18, 2023.

For middle grade readers  “The Rhythm of Time” by Questlove and  S. A. Cosby. After accidentally traveling back in time and rewriting the future, twelve-year-old best friends Rahim and Kasia must work together to restore their timeline. From the Academy Award-winning, Grammy-winning, and bestselling author Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and the bestselling author of gritty adult mysteries, S. A. Cosby, comes this thrill-a-minute middle grade novel, the first in a series of rollicking time-travel adventures that touch on themes of friendship, family, and otherworldly events. April 18, 2023.

“The Last Remains: A Ruth Galloway Mystery #15” by Elly Griffiths. When the body of an archeology student, who went missing in 2002, is found during the renovation of a cafe, Dr. Ruth Galloway and DCI Nelson uncover a tangled web of relationships between the archeology group and the cafe, and they must exonerate one of their own. Staff recommended! April 25, 2023.

“Small Mercies” by Dennis Lehane. An all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history. From the author who does Boston so well! April 25, 2023.

“Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding)” by Laura Dern and Diane Ladd.  A deeply personal collection of conversations between the legendary actors! April 25, 2023.

“Happy Place” by Emily Henry.  The inimitable author returns with the story of a recently split couple obligated to attend the annual gathering of their old group of friends. Determined not to ruin the vibe, Harriet and Wyn decide to pretend to still be together. Oh, and look! They got the biggest bedroom at the rental cottage! April 25, 2023.

“In the Lives of Puppets” by T.J. Klune.  This intriguing cross-genre tale plays in the waters of fantasy and sci-fi both, with damaged humans and conflicted androids questing through otherworldly domains to the City of Electric Dreams. Klune’s standalone story is inspired in part by Pinocchio, and you might find echoes of classic adventure tales and modern mythology like, say, WALL-E.  April 25, 2023. We will be getting a few Signed First Editions! Pre-order here to claim your copy.

Some great blog posts/lists:

The Washington Post recommends 10 books to read in April. On the blog here.

The New York Times recommends books coming in April.   On our blog here.

Have you seen our list of staff favorite books of 2022? It’s still a really great list. Here.

Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association [PNBA] bestseller list. Updated weekly. We do our best to have all of these books in stock.  [there is a link on the home page – under the picture – directly to the current bestseller list!]

We will keep posting our favorite reads, along with links to all kinds of book-related interesting things! In all the places: on our website, facebook, and Instagram.

You may pre-order any forthcoming title by visiting our website.

Stay safe. Enjoy the little things. And as always: Happy reading!

— By Elaine Mattson

Edmonds native Elaine Mattson has worked at The Edmonds Bookshop off and on since she was 12 years old, and has also worked at a book wholesaler, a book publisher, and for the book publishing division of a large local software company (yes, that one). “I was raised a book lover [thanks, Mom!],” Mattson says. “We got book lights by our beds as soon as we were old enough to read. And then I probably got in trouble for reading too late the very next night. And I still read too late!”

 

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