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A review by billyjepma
Survival Is a Style: Poems by Christian Wiman
5.0
“In league with the stones of the field
I am by being healed.”
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Everyone who knows me knows that I love Christian Wiman. His poetry and his prose resonates with me on a level few other writers can, and when asked who my favorite writer is—even though I read mostly fiction—I don’t hesitate to name him.
With his newest volume of poetry, his first one in years, Wiman’s signature struggles and adulations of faith, sickness, grief, and joy are more pronounced and nuanced than I think they’ve ever been. This may not be his most consistent volume of poetry—that title probably belongs to “Every Riven Thing,” where every poem feels like a springboard of emotion for the next one—but “Survival is a Style” may be his most impressive poetry yet.
There’s a depth and clarity here that is often stunning, and even when his work drifts into a dense ambiguity with metaphors layered upon metaphors, he captures a *feeling* that is both very unique and very familiar. This book contains some of my favorite poems Wiman has ever written in it, and even after finishing it once (and then a second time) I’m still returning to it, eager to delve deeper into the images and emotions that Wiman planted into his work here.
If I were to recommend a book of Wiman’s poetry, it would be “Every Riven Thing,” not only because it was my first exposure to his work and thus my personal favorite, but also because it provides a snapshot of a poet that helps frame all the work he does. But if I were to recommend a book of Wiman’s *best* poetry, I would recommend “Survival is a Style.”
I am by being healed.”
—————————————————————
Everyone who knows me knows that I love Christian Wiman. His poetry and his prose resonates with me on a level few other writers can, and when asked who my favorite writer is—even though I read mostly fiction—I don’t hesitate to name him.
With his newest volume of poetry, his first one in years, Wiman’s signature struggles and adulations of faith, sickness, grief, and joy are more pronounced and nuanced than I think they’ve ever been. This may not be his most consistent volume of poetry—that title probably belongs to “Every Riven Thing,” where every poem feels like a springboard of emotion for the next one—but “Survival is a Style” may be his most impressive poetry yet.
There’s a depth and clarity here that is often stunning, and even when his work drifts into a dense ambiguity with metaphors layered upon metaphors, he captures a *feeling* that is both very unique and very familiar. This book contains some of my favorite poems Wiman has ever written in it, and even after finishing it once (and then a second time) I’m still returning to it, eager to delve deeper into the images and emotions that Wiman planted into his work here.
If I were to recommend a book of Wiman’s poetry, it would be “Every Riven Thing,” not only because it was my first exposure to his work and thus my personal favorite, but also because it provides a snapshot of a poet that helps frame all the work he does. But if I were to recommend a book of Wiman’s *best* poetry, I would recommend “Survival is a Style.”