Customer Reviews

Judevine

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David Budbill's story-poems are beautiful, heart-warming (and occasionally heart-breaking). They are best read aloud, and that may be why he's also such a great playwright. I believe these characters really exist, although David swears he made them up. Judevine is a song cycle, an epic, perhaps, of real people and real life--ennobled but not sugared over. Rich with sound, image, humor, and love.

i discovered judevine in a class that almost beat the warmth out of this spectacular poetry. But, fortuneately i had the good fortune to hear david budbill do readings from judevine. I have been hooked ever since. His style is so friendly and engaging, and when combined with the rich texture of character and landscape, it quickly became my favorite book of poems.

Budbill's "Judevine" captures that poet's region and personas in the same way Masters' "Spoon River Anthology" or Beecher's protest lyrics embodied American regional consciousness. With each piece of the American quilt, and "Judevine" is one, we piece together America through literature. If you haven't heard read Budbill's poetry or heard it on "Writer's Almanac" you really are missing out on great poetry and great storytelling.

I first stumbled upon Judevine just over 10 years ago as assigned reading in a poetry class. I have kept it nearby ever since. The town of Judevine, its people, and their experiences are woven together beautifully. Characters resurface in various poems. Through the characters' eyes and Budbill's words, the outside world slows down. Budbill captures the beauty of the everyday experiences that in real life may be overlooked or dismissed. The descriptions are so vivid, heartwarming (sometimes heartbreaking) and grounding.

Judevine can be relished in a single sitting or in bits and pieces--the poems seem to improve over time with each additional reading. It's a book I pick up again and again when I want to remind myself to slow down and appreciate the simple beauties that I sometimes forget to notice. Judevine is a part of some of my favorite moments. The slow ones--reading while sitting by a fire or in the woods. And the memorable ones--explaining my feelings about life and love to my husband by sharing the poem, Raymond and Ann. It was my "favorite" collection of poems when I first discovered it. And it still is.

Judevine is a must have for any avid reader of poetry. Budbill has a unique ability to capture the momment and freeze it in time. You'll Love it! He has become one of my favorite writers.