Customer Reviews

The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget

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Mary Kennedy Eastham is a natural storyteller the way some athletes are thought of as naturals. I think one on-line reviewer said her stories were like lullabies for adults. I, too, found a kind of ecstatic beauty in the lyrical quality of her writing. She challenges you and makes you emotionally stronger at the same time. 'Shadow of a Dog' is a good read...wise, funny, intense, and always entertaining. Here are poignant tales of real people; this book will haunt you long after you've read it.

When reading Ms. Eastham's poetry I'm reminded of an impressionist or expressionistic painting. She uses words like an artist uses color. At times the ideas are clear and recognizable coming clearly into focus but more often this artist is not spelling out every detail for the reader. One has to use their imagination, creativity and experience as a human being here. These ideas take a moment to penetrate and sometimes require multiple readings in order to establish a connection. It's definitely an interesting read, one that will give you pause for thought.

The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget is a short collection of poems and prose by Mary Kennedy Eastham. When asked to review this book, I immediately felt self-conscious and a little bit intimidated. I mean, it's poetry, for heaven's sake, whatever do I know about verse? In general I avoid it in favor of prose, and when I do read poetry it's usually the rhyming kind, à la Lewis Carrol or William Shakespeare. And so it was with some trepidation that I waited for this book to arrive.

Once this volume fell into my hands, I immediately fell in love with the cover. I thought, mine, and I placed it in my briefcase and carried it around with me, just so I could stare at it and enjoy the pretty blue picture. And when I opened the cover (queen of procrastination that I am), I discovered a different world of words.

These aren't toss away reads. Each entry encourages the reader to slow down and actually think, to process the imagery, and to perhaps even read it again. And again. Each entry tells a story, inspires an emotion, or asks a question. I'm not going to pretend that I understood each and every poem or scene. I will, however, profess to have been utterly hooked by a quite a few of them. They contained words that spoke directly to me and images that captivated me.

I dare anyone not to be moved by the poem "Forget...Move On...Remember," written to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 disaster. It brought tears to my eyes. I also enjoyed the scene titled "Destiny of Joy," in which two runaway boys, so cocky and self-assured in their newfound independence, watch jets take off, fantasize about the passengers, and slowly begin to understand the importance of family. Ms. Eastham paints such a clear picture with her words that I can clearly vision these two losing their bravado and suddenly wanting to go home. And another poem, "Points of Love," appealed to the romantic in me. It feels like a series of vivid snapshots as it describes a New York snowstorm and several women in different stages of a romantic relationship.

In all, The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget was a very pleasant surprise. Ms. Eastham is a talented artist with words, and this little volume will definitely be read and re-read in my house a number of times.

Exceptional poetry that takes readers on a journey though their own lives to see what really has matter to them. Instantly upon opening "The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget", Mary sets the tone when quoting Milan Kundera:

"We can never know what to want, because living only one life, we can
neither compare it with our previous lives nor perfect it in our lives
to come".

One begins to rethink the things they have done in life, and the true meaning for which they are here.

Possibly my favorite piece of prose was "What he did at the end of his life" which gives the reader a unique perspective of life from the point of view of an old man on his death bed. Each night the man dreams of his past, and hopes he has done enough to be remembered. On his death bed, the man asks the nurse to "be my arms, be my legs, and my vision while we create a new map of the world". Truly inspiring, while invoking the feeling that you are never too old and it is never too late to find the true joys of life.

While many of the short stories and poems in this book can symbolize different things for different people, one thing is for certain, every reader will come away rethinking how they have defined their life.

"The mind of a blind man has different tones, it's not our ruin
How can you miss what you never had?" A Hymn for Wish

I'm not an avid reader of poetry but this was one of my favoriate books of the year! I picked it up whille waiting for someone to go to dinner with and then she had to wait for me to finish the book. Great, great stories.

One of the reasons we read is to remind us we are not ordinary. We are beautiful, complex, brilliant, and flawed at any given moment. Mary takes us deep into the parts of humanity we crave: the excitment of desire, the edge of fear, the loveliness of sorrow, the pull of longing, the danger of love, the disconnects...
She captures us with unique images and strong language and moves us toward a greater understanding of ourselves. Those of us who are seaching creativity are inspired.
We're all connected on this path--if only in imagination

Mary utilizes colorful phraseology in her deep and passionate verse. Her contemporary style evokes promise unlike those in similar fashion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys avant-garde, thought inspiring poetry.

I picked up my copy of this book at the post office, and began
reading in the taxi on the way home. I sat there, stuck in traffic,
with a lump in my throat and tears pricking my eyes, as I read
and reread Ms. Eastham's beautiful and concise poems of love, loss,
nostalgia and outrage.

Two of my favorite pieces are "What He Did at the End of His Life"
and "Kissing Harrison", both of which have the ring of personal truth.

Some of these poems are hard to stomach, not because of the language
but because of the topics. Ms. Eastham does not shy away from cruelty
and violence, both physical and emotional.

This is an honest, intense collection that will arrow straight to your
heart.

Hopefully this small, beautiful book is finding its audience - smart people who love words!

I'm used to the steady unfolding of characters and plot typical of the novel. Mary Kennedy Eastham's exquisite book of short stories and poems has that kind of quick zip that makes you sit up straight in your chair and say, 'Wait a minute. What just happened here?' I suspect the author is a romantic. I know she's a great storyteller