Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam [Paperback]

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 20, 2007

Words in Your Face traces the rich history of slam poetry through the lens of the New York City scene that pioneered it. Author Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz situates New York slam poetry in the history of oral tradition in poetry throughout history and around the world, with particular attention to the three major 20th century arts movements that helped set the stage for it: the Harlem Renaissance, the Beats, and hip hop. Aptowicz explores the birth of slam at the Nuyorican Poets’ Café and the genre’s explosive growth as the media responded with events like Lollapalooza and MTV’s Unplugged. The book expands the canvas by examining the connections between academia and slammers, especially the poets of color, the youth slammers, and the burgeoning hip hop poetry scene. Interviews with key players like Chicago’s Marc Smith and San Francisco’s Gary Mex Glazner help tell this fascinating story from the inside.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Leaves no doubt that the slam poetry scene has achieved legitimacy and taken its rightful place on the map of contemporary literature" -- Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate 2001-2003

Aptowicz uses anecdotes, stories, and interviews to chronicle the life of this unique art form. The general public holds an image of an aggressive, in-your-face poet shouting words on stage, but the author shows a movement with surprising levels of depth and diversity. Although many may know the backgrounds and names of the poets who made a big splash on popular TV programs like MTV's Spoken Word Unplugged and Def Poetry Jam, the stories of Slam's beginnings and how it continued to grow in spite of its sudden popularity are what make this book so fascinating. Teens with an interest in writing lyrics will love the stories and will find Aptowicz's style accessible and entertaining. A number of photographs and addresses to major Slam venues are included, but there is no index or bibliography of major published works. Slam Poetry has spread to coffee shops, art galleries, and even libraries across the country; knowing and understanding its roots only enhances the power the style already holds over its audiences. -- School Library Journal

"A serious history with just the right amount of dirt." -- Gillian McCain, co-author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

Throughout the book, Aptowicz seems like a cool older sister with the inside scoop on the hottest pop-cultural phenomenon this side of the 20th century. She steers clear of academic analyses of the poetry world, opting instead to familiarize the reader with all the relevant controversies and debates surrounding slam, including the oft-touted accusation that slam is all show and no content...

Words in your face is perfect for slam newbies and fans of the Big Apple's seemingly endless supply of alterna-history tales. And for established fans, Aptowicz's juicy info on the competitive underbelly of slam gives an extra punch to an already perfectly researched read. -- BUST Magazine, April/May, 2008

About the Author

CRISTIN O'KEEFE APTOWICZ is the author of four books of poetry -- Dear Future Boyfriend (2000), Hot Teen Slut (2001), Working Class Represent (2003) and Oh, Terrible Youth (2007) (all The Wordsmith Press) -- and is the founder the three-time National Poetry Slam Championship venue, NYC-Urbana. Aptowicz has enjoyed commissioned residencies with Chamber Dance in NYC and the Sydney Opera House in Australia, and has toured with her work throughout North America and Australia. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press (November 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933368829
• ISBN-13: 978-1933368825
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #902,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz is the author of five books of poetry and the nonfiction book, "Words In Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam," which Billy Collins wrote "leaves no doubt that the slam poetry scene has achieved legitimacy and taken its rightful place on the map of contemporary literature." Most recently, she awarded a 2011 National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship in Poetry.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro to Poetry Slam, March 15, 2008

By 

M. Jones (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam (Paperback)

This is a lively book of literary history--a mix of interviews, historical background, and funny sidebars / sidenotes. The mix of styles, as well as Aptowicz's awesome sense of humor, make it a fast read.

Aptowicz is one of the most important people in the NYC slam scene, and her insider perspective is very useful. She discusses all the poets in a friendly, non-judgmental way. And she doesn't shy away from observing (and recording other's observations) about why people don't like or don't care about poetry slam.

Along with Marc Smith's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Slam Poetry, Words in Your Face is a must-have for people involved in the poetry slam community and for people who want to learn more about it. Experts will learn something, and newcomers will be able to follow along.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, November 20, 2007

By 

S. McGoo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam (Paperback)

This engagingly-written volume leads the reader though two decades of the an exciting literary phenomenon---slam poetry. It explains the slam methodology, provides portraits of the some of 'pioneers' and new performers, and positions slam poetry in a broader cultural context.

This could have been a dreary academic exercise, but the author's breezy style pulls you in and moves the narrative along at a sprightly pace. Her ability to draw out her interviewees results in insightful nuggets of history about the growth of slam.

All in all, this is a must-read for anyone interested in a vibrant and growing segment of the spoken word community.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!, January 1, 2008

By 

K. Eyer (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Words in Your Face: A Guided Tour Through Twenty Years of the New York City Poetry Slam (Paperback)

This book provides a completely engaging narrative of the history of slam poetry in NYC. I was given this book by my husband -- as an infrequent reader of non-fiction with only a marginal interest in poetry slams, I did not expect to finish it quickly. The book was so engaging that I wound up finishing the last 100 or so pages in a single marathon reading session. I highly recommend it! The author does a fabulous job of blending together a truly fascinating narrative with in-person interviews with key figures in the NYC slam scene.