A Primer on Parallel Lives (Paperback)

by Dan Gerber (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"Dan Gerber tenderly reels his readers through the 'beautiful movie' he calls the passing of time on earth in a language completely unadorned and Zen-like in its quietude. The thing itself carries the weight of these poems, which recall the deep imagery of Vallejo, Neruda and Wright."-Rain Taxi Dan Gerber is a master of layered, bittersweet imagery. In his seventh book of poems, he writes of childhood misgivings and fears, the oak savannah landscape of California's central coast, and a near-mystical relationship with nature. As novelist John Nichols once wrote of Gerber's poetry, "Dan Gerber has an exquisitely muted, yet profound understanding of tragedy, love, family, and the haunting vagaries of nature."

"Some Distance"

I wanted to be a stone in the field,
simply that,
and then I wanted to be the grass around it,
and then the cattle grazing
under the too blue sky,
and then the blue,
which has of itself
no substance,
and yet goes on and on and on.

Dan Gerber is the author of a dozen books of poetry, fiction, essays, and memoir. He has earned the Mark Twain Award, Book of the Year honors from ForeWord Magazine, and inclusion in The Best American Poetry. He lives in Santa Ynez, California.

About the Author
Dan Gerber is the author of a dozen books of poetry, fiction, essays, and memoir. He has received the Mark Twain Award, "Book of the Year" honors from Foreword magazine, and inclusion in Best American Poetry and The American Life in Poetry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Copper Canyon Press (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556592531
• ISBN-13: 978-1556592539
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,081,417 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dan Gerber is a National Treasure, April 10, 2007

By	Mike Delp "travel7429" (Interlochen, Michigan) - See all my reviews

I've been reading Dan's books for many years and found this new collection as necessary as air and water. He never stops looking at things, and never stops asking us, gently, to stop long enough in our lives to honor the moments they're made of. I praise the peace in this fine book, his careful way of observation, the patience of what it means to be a witness to finding out as William Stafford says, "what the world is trying to be." These are poems to be read as gateways into that other world, the one riding right beside us which we sometimes have trouble comprehending, let alone seeing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Writer's Writer, March 31, 2007

By	Charles M. Nobles (Tulsa, OK United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Copper Canyon Press has finally released a new volume of poetry by Dan Gerber and not a minute to soon. Gerber is considered a "Writer's Writer" and thought to be one of the most readable poets practicing today. This, his seventh book of poetry, focuses on his childhood fears, the geography of the California central coast, and his special relationship with nature. These are not new topics for poets. What is special about this work is Gerber's ability to view everyday images and impressions and, using his acute powers of observation, turn ordinary experiences into passion, intimacy, and a vision that will surprise, even startle, the reader. A must have for poetry aficionados.