Customer Reviews

Miracle Fruit

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nezhukumatathil can blend humor and vulnerability and sharply wrought observations like no other young poet writing today. looking for pretense? jargon? name-dropping? convoluted lines to show how "deep" she is? sorry, buster, you won't find them here.

I found this book unexpectedly moving and charming and dazzling all at once. To me, if I am haunted by lines while I am brushing my teeth days later and those lines force me to grab the book and savor those lines again, it is well worth the bang for your buck.

POEMS THAT SIZZZLE: "Small Murders" "Betelgeuse" "Why I am Not Afraid of King Cobras" "Swear Words" "The Woman who Turned Down a Date with a Cherry Farmer"

Her name is all over the lit magazines now and i've watched her success with much joy and pride: I own a copy of her hard to find chapbook! Hundreds of editors and fans cannot be wrong. Only the most jaded and jealous would begrduge this work's uncanny and honest miracle of bringing smiles to readers. Imagine that: a poet who can actually make people smile!
Miracle Fruit is one of those rare first books that feature and eclectic and fascinating look into the small joys and wonder of nature, science, math, food--and yes: heartbreak and love too.
I've lent my copy out to a pal and it came back all dog-eared and underlined. Truly worth savoring each and every page!

Simply put: one of the BEST new voices and books in recent memory. I surprised myself--how often I caught myself smiling. A rare feat these days in young poets' verse. Absolutely full of charm and a humble intelligence.

Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Miracle Fruit (Tupelo Press, 2003)

One of the fringe benefits of being a reviewer in the age of the Internet is that finding information on authors is much easier. A perusal of Aimee Nezhukumatathil's weblog shows us a woman who is (or comes across on the Internet, at least) funny, but in a quiet rather than a slapstick way; beautiful; shockingly intelligent, but with enough presence of mind to know when to dump the brain and rely on the heart, the gut, or the funny bone; thoughtful, observant; somewhat humble. It should not surprise many that her first book-length collection, Miracle Fruit, is a perfect mirror of these traits. It is also, in many places, unexpected; old ground gets fresh, surprising treatment. Even the hoary old love poem gets a new luster:

"...I like to think of Orion--

not hunting at the moment,

but nudging fools like me out of the way, saying

not your turn, not like this. I ignore him, press on, until

I come to that ruddy shoulder and find it's too big

to even try to circle around. The way it pulses just a little

makes me think of my own blood in my veins,

how it flows and kisses each muscle only

as long as I stay put upon this earth. And maybe he's right:

scribbling notes on lovers' shoulders, necks, throats--

is not the way. But I love the trying, not the mess, the rugs

and dust scattered. Only this sweet business of trying."

("Betelgeuse")

The book is full of clever twists and turns, with a gentle, self-deprecating humor that casts the poems here in molds that lend themselves to the easiest of reading, that beguile the reader into letting them linger on the tongue long after the final word is spoken. This is fine work, some of the best poetry released in recent years that's come across my desk; mark the (easy-to-remember, certainly) name Aimee Nezhukumatathil, for if there is any justice in the poetic world, you will be seeing it a lot more in the years to come. A strong candidate for my top twenty-five reads of the year. **** ½

Wow! I saw Nezhukumatathil read in Madison, WI when I was just passing through and was pleasantly surprised. I am totally a fan now. Her warmth and sharp sense of detail were genuinely on display. And that's the word I have for this book--GENUINE! She isn't afraid to laugh at herself and not take her poems too seriously--something other new poets can definitely learn from. I plan on teaching this book in the fall--so many themes would work well in a class to explore: family, sensuality, diaspora, and a sprinkling of the naturally exotic foods, flavors, flora and fauna. I definitely *learn* from her poems. My brother is in love with her poems (and her, I think!). And he never usually reads ANYTHING.
A fantastic debut by a charming young poet!!!! Makes a great gift too!

A+ So good! I was blown away. Important to note that this is a poet who is not afraid to take herself too seriously while sounding out gorgeous strings of words and whose writing is an absolute delicious delight! Period.

got in very good timing, the book was in excellent condition, cant tell that it is used.

Oh! oh! oh! Such a gorgeous and smart read. I found myself smiling inspite of all this dreadful weather. I already cannot wait for more of Nezhukumatathil's work. Didn't want to leave her magical and elegant world. Nope, not for one moment. Definitely a poet to keep tabs on. Poems are so real and heartbreakingly honest for once. You won't find pretense here, only pitch perfect funny and desire-full poems you'll want to call your friends and read out loud like "Spices," and "What I Learned from the Incredible Hulk." This is a first book for a poet who will appeal to people from ALL walks of life. An you WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. Mark my words!

Just came across this author's work on Poetry Daily and was blown away by the attention to detail, the sensitive nuances she uses to create fantastic and heartfelt mini-worlds in her poems. There is a dymanic range here--from elegant ghazals, sweeping lyric poems and delightfully charming narrative poems. I read this cover to cover in one sitting and I NEVER do that. Trust me... You will finish this book with a smile on your face. A dazzling debut--I look forward to her next book and plan on teaching this book next fall semester! Simply delicious.

I actually took two classes from Aimee while at SUNY Fredonia. Being able to see her perspective on life was a changing time for me. She really is amazing and so clever. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to view life in a new way.

So many good things about this delightful collection. You can tell the poet has a mature, but whimsical eye, always surprising you when you least expect it with one of her trademark slamming endings!

This book should be separated from the other first books this year into a category of her own from the sheer range of subject matter and how dazzling and imagistic each line is.

There are too many pages I dog-eared to share with a friend or to just return to when I need to find the right words. Poems like "Why I am Not Afraid of King Cobras," "Canticle with Sea Worm," and "Small Murders," are among my favorites. oh--also, "Hell Pig" is so funny! The poet takes heartbreak, passion, a love of food so good you can taste it--this is truly a poet who should charge by the word, she's that good. I saw her read in Virginia and was blown away, such a friendly, sensuous reader, you'll be hypnotized by her voice! Buy this book and buy it now. I guarantee you will dog-ear your very own copy with some of the best poems you'll find this year, any where!!