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lauren_endnotes's review against another edition
5.0
I spent some time reading and re-reading sections of Halaby's my name on his tongue. It's a stunning collection of poetry, some poems reminiscent in theme (not necessarily in style) to [b:Citizen: An American Lyric|20613761|Citizen An American Lyric|Claudia Rankine|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1420944502s/20613761.jpg|39895091], another poetry book I read (and was blown away by) earlier this year.
Deeply personal, often political, and the intersection of the two - she explores the theme of culture and identity both in as an Arab-American, and as a woman. One particular poem "a moonlight visit" really stuck with me. Many of the poems are in first person, and one naturally wonders if they are autobiographical.
A strong and thoughtful collection. Recommended for all poetry lovers.
Bonus: beautiful cover art by Palestinian artist, Laila Shawa: "Zeinab Chasing the Devil".
Deeply personal, often political, and the intersection of the two - she explores the theme of culture and identity both in as an Arab-American, and as a woman. One particular poem "a moonlight visit" really stuck with me. Many of the poems are in first person, and one naturally wonders if they are autobiographical.
A strong and thoughtful collection. Recommended for all poetry lovers.
Bonus: beautiful cover art by Palestinian artist, Laila Shawa: "Zeinab Chasing the Devil".
andreablythe's review against another edition
4.0
Halaby draws on her experiences as an Arab American to explore the duality of her experience and her general sense of homelessness. The poems read like passages from a memoir, illustrating her relation to two cultures, neither of which seem to fit properly. Her personal life mixes with her reactions to world events, such as the Iraq war or the bombing of Palestine.
You can tell that Halaby was a fiction writer first, because her poems tend toward narrative. However, this is not simply prose broken up into lines. The lines of her poetry goes from long lines to short, choppy lines, which emphasis words and phrases to effectively evoke the imagery, metaphor, and disjointed emotions presented. On the whole this is a beautiful and intellectual book of poetry.
You can tell that Halaby was a fiction writer first, because her poems tend toward narrative. However, this is not simply prose broken up into lines. The lines of her poetry goes from long lines to short, choppy lines, which emphasis words and phrases to effectively evoke the imagery, metaphor, and disjointed emotions presented. On the whole this is a beautiful and intellectual book of poetry.
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