Awake (Lynx House Book) [Paperback]

Dorianne Laux (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007 | Series: Lynx House Book

First published in 1990 and now back in print, this much sought-after collection marked the stunning debut of poet Dorianne Laux. Awake chronicles Laux's coming to terms with a childhood darkened by violence and sexual abuse--a struggle at once to embrace and to forgive the past.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her first book of poems, Laux's writing is at its most potent when she deals simply and bluntly with the vicissitudes of growing up and getting old. The almost matter-of-fact tone of "What My Father Told Me" and "Two Pictures of My Sister" expresses the resignation of girls who have learned to assimilate the horrors of sexual and physical violation into the otherwise innocuous routines of their childhood. Too often, however, the uncompromising directness of the poet's vision is diluted by imprecise metaphors and insignificant themes. The strained erotic images of "The Laundromat" are gratuitous as well as embarrassing, and "Adam's Dad Teaches the Kids to Play Ball" transforms an already bland subject into a cliche. It is difficult to believe that this is the same writer who, in "Quarter to Six," gives us such a masterfully complex portrait of a friendship between two women battling the pain of their pasts amid the hellishness of a mental asylum. This poem, encompassing Laux's most important themes, is the vibrant heart of this uneven but provocative collection.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Adam's Dad Teaches The Kids To Play Ball
Augusta
Awake
Bird
Break
The Catch
The Children's Train
China
Cross Country
The Garden
Ghosts
Girl In The Doorway
Jennifer
The Laundromat
The Nurse
On The Back Porch
On The River
Quarter To Six
Return
Skipping Stones
Sunday
Thaw
The Tooth Fairy
The Twins
Two Pictures Of My Sister
Water Street Bridge
What My Father Told Me
When I Was Born
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder® --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Eastern Washington University (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597660302
• ISBN-13: 978-1597660303
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,764,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dorianne Laux's most recent collections are Facts about the Moon, recipient of the Oregon Book Award, and The Book of Men (W.W. Norton), winner of the Paterson Prize in Poetry, Laux is also author of Awake, What We Carry, and Smoke from BOA Editions, as well as Superman: The Chapbook, Dark Charms, and The Book of Women, all from Red Dragonfly Press. She co-edited The Poet's Companion: A Guide to the Pleasures of Writing Poetry (W.W. Norton). Recipient of many national grants and awards for her poetry, Laux teaches in the MFA Program at North Carolina State University and is founding faculty of Pacific University's Low Residency MFA Program in Oregon.

www/DorianneLaux.com
http://dlaux1.wordpress.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Sharon Olds, you'll love Dorianne Laux May 8, 1998

By lindylynn

Format:Paperback

If Emily Dickinson were to read Laux's poems, she would know she was in the presence of poetry. These poems resonate with emotional content and sound. If you like Sharon Olds, you'll adore Dorianne Laux.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! January 5, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This book of poetry is absolutely amazing. Ms. Laux writes about the realities that everyone thinks about, but doesn't talk about. Unlike many modern poets, she has something to say. Too many poets nowadays write poems without ever saying anything. Not Dorianne Laux.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Raw Writings from a Strong, Rare Poet January 2, 1999

By Elaine [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

This book of poetry, as well as others by Dorianne Laux contains powerful images and ideas expressed in compelling images. The themes are true and captivating. Laux's life experiences seep into many of these great poems.