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Sarah Van Hecke's avatar

I’m very excited to have Jason Baxter as a counterpoint to Mary Oliver! He should give us just the tools we need to critique AND appreciate her!

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Kelsie Hartley's avatar

Oh I'm so glad! I am excited to have two books about books...I think we will all walk away better readers and more able to appreciate literature!

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Elise Boratenski's avatar

I loved his Dante commentary so I’m very excited to be reading something else of his this year!

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Kelsie Hartley's avatar

I cannot wait! I think it is going to give us the best language to keep talking about good books for the rest of the year!

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Michael Lilienthal's avatar

Ah, I'm so excited! And disappointed I didn't guess this one...I had thought maaaaaaaybe this was it, but I second-guessed based on the picture: it looked too tall to me. Oh well. Still excited!

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Kelsie Hartley's avatar

You probably were picturing the first edition publication that is super tiny (and so is the text)...the second edition is much more readable!

I love the mix of excitement and disappointment at guessing wrong!

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Rhea Forney's avatar

I started reading this book the other day. The two poems Baxter uses to illustrate his point in chapter 1, touched my soul.

I cried when I read Yeats’ “A Prayer for My Daughter” and realized he was speaking aloud all my hopes for mine own. I pray that she, too, will one day be a “flourish hidden tree”.

Language is such a beautiful and mysterious craft. I hope once day to just have an ounce of the gift skilled craftsman have. My prayer this year is that my immersion into good literature will help me hone my own writing.

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Kelsie Hartley's avatar

What a wonderful prayer! Every time I pick up this book I am so inspired to read more good literature. And I'm sure it will help you hone your own writing. Being steeped in beauty can only help more beauty seep into your soul...and that has to come out in your writing!

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