The Loss That Binds Us

"I wrote this book because grief, though an individual journey, is a universal experience we all endure."  ~The Loss That Binds Us, Sweta Vikram

The loss of a loved one is often a very difficult and painful emotional experience.   Grief may feel all-encompassing and crushing at times, especially at the beginning.  Grief may make us feel as if we are all tied up, bound by ropes that refuse to loosen up.

In The Loss That Binds Us: 108 Tips on Coping with Grief and Loss by best-selling author Sweta Vikram, published in April 2024 by Loving Healing Press, the author talks primarily about the most recent losses in her own life, which were devastating for several reasons.  In May of 2023, she lost her father, with whom she had a very close and loving relationship, and then her dear father-in-law, a mere two days later.  Her mother had died a few years earlier. It was a lot to bear--perhaps too much to bear.  A true writer, Vikram turned to writing to help her process these enormous, intense losses in her life.  She took her great emotional pain and turned it into a book to help herself, as well as others.

The Loss That Binds Us is well-written and thorough. Vikram provides an in-depth look at grief that includes the five stages of grief (DABDA) outlined by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, with a sixth stage later proposed by David Kessler (finding meaning), in the book On Death and Dying (1969).  However, Vikram knows that grieving is not a one-size-fits-all process, but a unique process, different for each person. This thoughtful, touching, personal account is full of ideas and suggestions to help individuals dealing with grief. The Loss That Binds Us presents 108 ideas to help guide people during the grieving process, designed to assist all with their own personal grief. (Why 108? The significance of this number is discussed in detail in this special manual.) 

I lost both of my parents just short of a dozen years ago. They died about one year apart (a charming friend of mine said that was because they wanted to be together again).  It was a very sad time in my life. When I read this book, I realized that many of the tips in this book rang true to me.  Since my parents died, I've done several of the things mentioned in the book, including reaching out to family members, sharing stories about the person who died, and remembering their birthdays (and celebrating them in some way). Quite recently, one of my sisters texted that she'd just added some trimming from my mother's sewing basket to adorn her jeans; I'd added some to the hem of my own jeans and capris a few years ago, a decorative touch in remembrance of our wonderful mother. Particularly after my mother died, it helped me a great deal to see and to talk to family members, especially my three sisters, and my mother's sister and her son. Together, we navigated our grief, and were able to get through emotionally difficult times. Grieving together brought us closer together, which is an integral part of what the author presents in her book.

The Loss That Binds Us is a profound book, a valuable manual for people who are dealing with grief after the loss of a loved one. It is worth reading, and rereading.  It provides understanding, ideas, insights--and hope!

Special thanks to Sweta Vikram for providing me with an advance reading copy of The Loss That Binds Us.

Thank you for reading! Your comments are welcomed, as always.

A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use

 

"I have learned to prioritize myself on a daily basis. It's given me a piece of peace." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

I will begin at the beginning, or right before the beginning.  In the introduction of the new book by best-selling author Sweta Srivastava Vikram,  A Piece of Peace: Everyday Mindfulness You Can Use, ideas about wellness and self-care are presented.

"Self-care and mindfulness are revolutionary and not optional for your healing and creativity." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

And I will now cut to the chase! I found myself highlighting a lot of the text in my advance reading copy of A Piece of Peace. This book is full of wisdom and wonderful ideas that will contribute to health, well-being, and creativity.  Countless great ideas are presented and elaborated upon in this slim volume!  My notes, and consequently the ideas in this review, may seem to be "all over the place". 

A Piece of Peace is a manual of sorts, filled with incredible ideas and concepts that will be a a gift to those who read it.  The different sections are clearly titled, so you can skip around a bit if you want to, and learn about or investigate ideas as you wish. There are special tips for writers, including yoga poses that may benefit writers and artists, Ayurveda and mindfulness tips, and tips pertaining to the pandemic, presented in a friendly and encouraging manner.  In A Piece of Peace, the author reveals her personal story of illness and hospitalization, and subsequent quest for a return to health. She doesn't preach but speaks kindly from the heart, and generously shares her wisdom.  She's upbeat and encouraging. 

 

Sweta Vikram presents her new book

Many claim that silence is golden. Why I spend 12 Hours a week in Complete Silence (maun vrat in Sanskrit) is a fascinating chapter of the book. It talks about the author's practice of staying silent for 12 hour periods, and how she finds perspective in silence. Her husband, Anudit, notices the many positive effects of this on her, and adopts this practice as well. I'm not sure that I could remain silent for that long, but the idea is certainly intriguing!

"In Ayurveda, body, mind, and consciousness work together in maintaining balance." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

I relished so many parts of this book, including the parts about Ayurveda (science or knowledge of life), which I am particularly interested in right now.  In addition to learning the proper spelling of the term, I've started to learn about the ways in which I may revitalize my health with Ayurveda. As a fan of spices, I love this quotation from the book:

"Ayurveda teaches us that the spice cabinet is our first access to the apothecary.  It can turn our pantry into a holistic medicine cabinet." ~A Piece of Peace, Sweta Vikram

 

I'm a Spice Girl

A Piece of Peace has already influenced me, although I feel as if I have only just begun to implement some of the ideas and approaches to health.  Specifically, I try to get to sleep earlier (emphasis on the word try) each night. I wish to incorporate more Ayurveda into my life, and to be mindful about food, exercise, and meditation (of some sort).  I've noticed that walking or running (without too much conversation with a partner) puts me in a more meditative, creative mode, and also brightens my mood; movement is medicine. I will continue to prioritize my own health and well-being, and refer to this book frequently for ideas, inspiration, and helpful reminders. 

Please note that I've taken the liberty to include quotations from my version of the book, which may change, as I do not have the final edition. The book will be released to the public on September 21, 2021.  You can pre-order the book from the publisher, Loving Healing Press, or on Amazon.  Goodreads is currently hosting a giveaway for A Piece of Peace.  Enter by September 21.

Special thanks to Sweta Vikram for providing me with an advance reading copy of A Piece of Peace. I am beyond excited about this new book, which is full of wonderful, helpful ideas that will contribute to health and well-being. 

Thanks for reading! Your comments are welcomed.
 

Louisiana Catch

Readers of this blog know that I'm a huge fan of award-winning poet and novelist Sweta Srivastava Vikram. I've read and reviewed many of her books, including Saris and a Single Malt (2016), Wet Silence: Poems about Hindu Widows (2015), No Ocean Here (2013) Perfectly Untraditional (2011), and others.  I was overjoyed to receive an advanced reading copy of her newest novel, published in 2018, Louisiana Catch, from Modern History Press.

As I started to read Louisiana Catch, I was immediately drawn into the fascinating world of Ahana Chopra, a wealthy, thirty-three year-old New Delhi woman.  Recently divorced from her college sweetheart, Dev Khana, her outwardly charming but emotionally and sexually abusive ex-husband, she's trying to rebuild her life after her marriage ends. Yoga and running help her to feel better and more optimistic, to an extent.  Because of the culture she lives in, she doesn't share the painful aspects of her marriage with others, created by a bullying husband who forced her to have sex, who in fact raped her.  To make matters worse,  her mother dies suddenly, and Ahana is completely devastated and heartbroken.

Although her loss is tremendous and it's hard for her to get through each day, Ahana immerses herself in her work as a women's rights advocate, and even takes on the responsibility of spearheading the upcoming international women's conference in New Orleans, called No Excuse, which is turning into a major event.

"I still wonder how the universe caught two men from Louisiana and sent them into my life around the same time."
~ Louisiana Catch, Sweta Srivastava Vikram

Ahana soon meets two men related to her online activities, Rohan Brady, a handsome colleague who helps her to develop an online presence, and Jay Dubois, who's in her online support group, and is grieving the loss of his own mother.  Ahana and Jay share their grief, bond over lines from The Catcher in the Rye, and become online friends, although they haven't met in person yet.  As time passes, though, Ahana is not sure who she can trust, or if she can even trust her own feelings and instincts.

What a riveting story!  Every page of this novel held my attention. Written in the first person from the point of view of Ahana, the protagonist, the book reveals her thoughts, and she shares with readers the private things that she doesn't share with her family or friends (because they are too painful to reveal). As a wealthy Indian woman, Ahana's blessed with material comforts, but she's not emotionally comfortable.  The author is a very skilled writer, and Ahana, Naina, Lakshmi, and the other characters in this book come to life. Vikram tackles difficult and complex matters, such as the sudden death of Ahana's mother, Mumma, online relationships and "catfishing", and an especially taboo topic, marital rape.  In this book, we learn about Ahana's marriage, and the physical and emotional abuse she quietly endured for years (too many women suffer in this same manner). 

Gradually, with some help from friends and family, Ahana discovers and demonstrates her own remarkable strength and resilience in this touching story of success.  Despite abuse, loss, and various cultural obstacles, the telling of Ahana's story will provide help and healing to herself and other women.  This book is exceptionally compelling, and it's remarkably timely, too.  I read Louisiana Catch at the onset of the #MeToo movement, in October of 2017.  The author is also a certified yoga teacher and the CEO-Founder of NimmiLife, and teaches yoga and mindfulness to female survivors of rape and domestic violence.  I'm thrilled that this book is garnering a lot of attention now, on Amazon and elsewhere.  It's an important and powerful book.

Here are a couple of lovely, joyful photos from the author's Louisiana Catch Book Launch at Lululemon.  

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Many thanks to Victor from Modern History Press for sending me an advance reading copy of  Louisiana Catch free of charge, and to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour.  I'm honored to have read another incredible book by this talented and prolific author.  For other reviews and features, please visit Poetic Book Tours' tour for Louisiana Catch.

Thank you for reading! Your comments are appreciated.

Saris and a Single Malt

I'll  admit right away that I cannot be objective.  Sweta Srivastava Vikram is one of my favorite contemporary authors.  I cherish her work.  Over the past several years, I've had the privilege and pleasure of reading and reviewing a lot of her work--mostly poetry--and I've also interviewed her.  This past weekend, I was thrilled to learn that her article, Sweet Somethings, was published in the New York Times Magazine section (it's just a matter of time until one of her books is listed as a NY Times bestseller, I think).  This prolific writer is also the CEO and Founder of NimmiLife, which helps people reach their goals by increasing their creativity, productivity, and health.  Her newest poetry collection, Saris and a Single Malt, published by Modern History Press in 2016, is her most personal to date. It is fittingly dedicated to her beloved mother, who died unexpectedly in India in 2014. The poet's mother, the subject of this book, affectionately called Mummy and Mumma, is richly brought to life in these poems.

"For Mummy--wherever you are, I am sure the place has good whiskey and a beautiful collection of saris."

The book takes place in "real time", over the course of a harrowing thirty-six hours.  The poems in this collection are an autobiographical account of the poet's thoughts and emotions as events unfold during an extremely difficult time.  On May 30, 2014, Sweta and her husband, Anudit, caught a flight to New Delhi because her mother fell ill suddenly, and was rushed to the ICU at Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon.  "Poetry, pain, and prayers" accompany Sweta on this arduous and uncertain journey.  In Saris and a Single Malt, we are invited into the very core of this intimate experience, and we feel the poet's great pain and loss.  But although she is disconsolate and distraught after her mother dies, the poet still manages to describe her mother's beauty, with grace and eloquence:
 

"Motherless: I embraced poetry and Bhaiya.
Peaceful and beautiful: Mumma looked
like a poem wrapped in a lavender sheet."
 ~ May 31, 2014, Poetry, pain, and prayers, Sweta Srivastava Vikram 


As always, Sweta puts everything into her work.  Saris and a Single Malt is intensely personal, passionate, and profound.  In the poem "I Write", Sweta states that she must write in order to survive this ordeal.  She articulates her pain and agony throughout the book, beginning with the flight on May 30, 2014, and describes many parts of the experience, such as being at JFK Airport and on the plane, arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, learning that her mother is gone, and some of the Hindu rituals that follow, in these poems.  I've been granted special permission to include one of my favorite poems from the book in this post.  This poem especially resonated with me.


 Forever Courage, Beta

I wear the butterfly pendant you gave me, Mumma.  I pull at it,
hoping the wings will set me free.  I want to get away from
everybody.  I want to know how to reach you.  I don't want to live in
the absence of your voice.  I wonder what you would say if I read
my plea.  Suddenly, I hear you whisper in the summer breeze. Never 
lose courage, Beta.  You've always been strong.  I swallow my angst.
Words, I tell you, they stay with me forever.

This sincere and courageous account touched me deeply.  I think that adults who have lost a loved one, especially a parent, will be able to relate to this honest and powerful work.  In the span of just over a year, in 2011 and in 2012, I lost both of my parents, first my mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer in 2010, and then my father.  Although my story is different than Sweta's, there are some similarities.  In 2011, I spent a long Memorial Day weekend worrying about my mother's health, waiting to hear news of her condition.  Soon afterward, like Sweta, I was in flight, traveling on a red eye from CA to NY while my mother was in the hospital, hoping to make it there in time.  Sadly, my mother passed away shortly before I arrived in NY.  While on the plane in the hazy, wee hours of the morning, I either dreamed or imagined or heard my mother say in her distinct voice something like "I am alright, Susan--please don't worry", and to this day I wonder if this was truly her message to me in her final moments. 

Although this book conveys Sweta's loss and sorrow, the poet also shares the joy of her close relationship with her mother.  She describes her mother's beautiful saris as "carrying the scent of sweet cardamom"  and smelling of  "cloves and single malt", her delicious cooking, and many other essential details. Saris and a Single Malt is a beautiful, heartfelt collection that is also a loving, poetic tribute to her mother.  In the Afterword of the book, Sweta talks about how she was able to better cope with her grief and find some peace after the loss of her mother.  It is a hopeful and helpful ending.

Many thanks to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to participate in this tour and for providing a copy of this book.  For more reviews and features, please visit the other stops on the tour for Saris and a Single Malt.  I've linked my review to Serena's 2016 Poetry Challenge.

Thank you for reading.  Comments from my readers are welcomed and appreciated.

(PUBLISHING DISCLAIMER: “Forever Courage, Beta” excerpted with permission from the book Saris and a Single Malt, published by Modern History Press.  Copyright (c) 2016 Sweta Srivastava Vikram.  All Rights Reserved.)

Wet Silence

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Sweta Srivastava Vikram.  I've read and reviewed many of her books, including: Because All is Not Lost, Kaleidoscope: An Asian Journey of Colors, Beyond the Scent of Sorrow, No Ocean Here, and her terrific novel, Perfectly Untraditional. When I discovered that she had a new collection of poetry, Wet Silence: Poems about Hindu Widows, published in July 2015 by Modern History Press, I was thrilled.  I couldn't wait to read it, and luckily, I didn't have to, because Serena from Poetic Book Tours asked me to participate in the tour for this book. 

This collection begins with an insightful and eloquent foreword  by author  Shaila Abdullah, whose work I've reviewed and also adore.  As Shaila says in the foreword, Sweta's poetry deals with the many faces of widowhood in India.  Shaila calls it a "startling account of Indian widows"--and I agree.  My knowledge of Hindu widows in India was scant before reading this book.  I've learned that in India (and in other places), when a woman loses her husband, she also loses many rights.  She is not allowed to remarry, to eat certain foods, or to wear colorful clothing.  Widows are supposed to wear white saris, remain celibate, and mourn for the rest of their lives.  According to Shaila, widows are "blamed for bringing death to the family's doorstep", and "shamed into silence".  Wet Silence features poems that depict the varying emotions of Hindu widows (and other women) in India.


Dear husband: try to leave your scent behind.

I know
your Old Spice on my pillowcase will drive me insane.
(from Ghazal, p. 8)


Some of the widows featured in this book loved their husbands and miss them.  Others are relieved when their husbands are gone; they'd lived in fear or loathing of their husbands, because the men were abusive or unfaithful.  According to Sweta, all of the poems are based on or inspired by true stories.  This makes them even more poignant. The women in these poems are telling the truth, which is often painful.

From a poetic standpoint, this collection is remarkable.  These poems are honest, profound, beautiful, and brilliant. They courageously depict compelling stories with dignity and grace, although many of them are disturbing.  I must admit that while reading this book I was often angered and saddened.  I tended to focus on the terrible ways that the men treated the women, and asked my usual question, "why?".  (Even if cheating is "merely" the byproduct of a greater sex drive on the part of men, it's still devastating to women, particularly to wives, who've often invested great time and energy into their marriages.)  Some of the women in these poems were stuck in abusive marriages. They suffered quietly. The  lines below are from the poem Wet Silence.  It's heartbreaking.


You dragged me by my throat,
I knew it wasn't the right way
for a husband to treat his wife.
(from Wet Silence, p. 47)


However, the women featured in Wet Silence are not asking for pity.  They are simply telling their stories.  They are simply speaking out loud.  And they are simply making themselves heard, maybe for the first time ever.  These poems break the silence.

The final poem in this collection is particularly powerful and positive and empowering to women, and is the perfect ending for this collection. 


Willpower

I am a woman
who can be left in a desert,
and I'll come back smelling of jasmine.

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In the YouTube video below, Sweta reads four poems from Wet Silence at the Queens Literary Festival: Craving you, What does a servant girl know?, Your wife, and A widow's confession. Watching the video is a great way to sample her work.



Please do yourself a favor and listen to this poetry reading when you have some time.  It's very worthwhile.  I've watched it several times.  Poetry should be read out loud, and hearing Sweta read her own poetry is a real treat.  Sweta is a talented writer, and she's an expressive speaker.  She also has great warmth and a sense of humor, even though the poems are serious in nature.  I enjoyed this video, and felt as if I were at the event.

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Thanks to Serena from Poetic Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour.  For more reviews of this poetry collection, please visit the other stops on the tour for Wet Silence.  Thanks for reading! Your thoughts and comments are welcomed.
Willpower, a poem, originally appeared on page 50 in Sweta Srivastava Vikram's poetry book: Wet Silence (Modern History Press: July 1, 2015. ISBN-13: 978-1615992560)

For National Poetry Month: Poet Sweta Srivastava Vikram

In 1996, the Academy of American Poets created National Poetry Month, to be celebrated each April.  During the month of April, schools, libraries, booksellers, poets, and bloggers throughout the U.S. celebrate poetry by participating in readings, festivals, workshops, and other special events.

April has gone by too quickly!  I wasn't organized enough to be on the schedule for the National Poetry Month: Reach for the Horizon Blog Tour hosted by Serena from Savvy Verse & Wit, but I did want to post something worthwhile in honor of National Poetry Month.

Over the past few years, I've had the pleasure of reading four powerful books of contemporary poetry by award-winning writer Sweta Srivastava Vikram, Because All is Not Lost, Kaleidoscope: An Asian Journey of Colors, Beyond the Scent of Sorrow, No Ocean Here, as well as her striking novel, Perfectly Untraditional.  I've reviewed each of these books on my blog, and I also posted an exclusive interview with Sweta in 2010.  If you visit her website, you'll learn more about this prolific, multi-talented author, and you'll be amazed (but not surprised if you've read any of her work) at all of the honors and awards she's won!  When I heard the recent news that her poetry books were traveling to Scotland to a university library as well as to the Glasgow Women's Library, I decided I'd found the perfect subject for my poetry post.

In the nick of time, before National Poetry Month draws to a close, I'm privileged to present one of her poems from the book No Ocean Here, a collection of poetry published in 2013, about women from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.  This book, which has become an Amazon bestseller, gives women a voice against the violence and oppression they face far too frequently.

Sweta Srivastava Vikram

The poet prefaces her poem, "Superwoman", nominated for the Pushcart Prize, with the following statement:

Even in educated, modern families, men and women are not expected to do an equal share of housework despite both the husband and wife keeping jobs.


Superwoman

Her poems smell of onions,
even the raw air disapproves.

She is tired of being a superwoman--
slicing her dreams,
for dinner, running
from wall to cement,
picking up pieces
of wishes not her own,
looking beautiful during the day,
abandoned by prayers at night.

She turns on the water in the sink,
it drowns the sound of her tears.
Sighing, she pounds her fist into bread dough
until the blue veins on her fingers squirm
and she blames the onions.
 

I think this poem will resonate with women worldwide, with those who work outside of the home, as well as "only" in the home (man may work from sun to sun, but women's work is never done).

Thank you for graciously sharing your poem on my blog, Sweta.  Your poetry possesses style, eloquence, and depth, and I look forward to reading your new work.

Comments are welcomed.

(PUBLISHING DISCLAIMER: “Superwoman” excerpted with permission from the book No Ocean Here published by Modern History Press.  Copyright (c) 2013 Sweta Srivastava Vikram.  All Rights Reserved.)

Really Random Tuesday #65: Book Winners, More Giveaways, and Turmeric Tea

I'm on a roll!  Welcome to the 65th edition of Really Random Tuesday, my third RRT post this month.

I have two book winners to announce today, traveler and dinnerbyjr.  Both have won copies of No Ocean Here, a new collection of poems by Sweta Srivastava Vikram, in either print or ebook form.  Congratulations to both of you!  While this book focuses on the plight of women in several countries and is quite serious in nature, I think you'll both relish these poignant and powerful poems.

If you didn't win this book giveaway, don't be too upset.  Why not enter my giveaway for  Margaret Fuller: A New American Life by Megan Marshall, if you haven't already done so, and/or the other giveaways listed on the right side of my blog?  These book giveaways are a way to thank you for visiting (because I wonder, "what is the sound of one blogger blogging?").

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I'll admit that I'm a bit of a "health news junkie", and lately I've been reading a lot about the benefits of spices, including turmeric, a spice used abundantly in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East.  I often add turmeric to the pot when I'm cooking rice.  It imparts a yellow color to rice (which can be quite bright depending on how much is used).  I also love to add curry powder (which contains turmeric) to chicken and vegetarian dishes.  I became curious about making turmeric tea, and after spending a short time online "researching" recipes, I decided to try my own simple version.  To a cup of hot water (from my Keurig machine) I added a sprinkle of turmeric and some freshly squeezed lemon juice, and mixed it well.  The resulting turmeric tea was amber-colored, mild-flavored, and easy to drink.  Remember that ground spices are concentrated and potent, so you don't want to overdo it, although the many health benefits of spices are heavily touted right now.  (Even cinnamon, which I often add to my morning oatmeal, should be used in small amounts.  A little bit goes a long way.)  The book shown here, Turmeric: The Ayurvedic Spice of Life by Prashanti de Jager M.S., is on my wishlist.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related matters you can think of. If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, then add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

Really Random Tuesday #63: Book Winner, Blogiversary, and a New Giveaway

Am I having déjà vu? Please help me to congratulate petite! Petite is the lucky winner of Last Train to Omaha by Ann Whitely-Gillen.  Congratulations, petite!  Last month, I featured a guest post about writing by Ann Whitely-Gillen, and I hope to read her novel within the next few months. (Petite won a different book here a few months ago.)

Many other giveaways are listed on the right side of my blog, so please take a look before you "click away" from here.  Additionally, I have a wonderful new giveaway at the end of this post, to show my appreciation for my readers, and to help celebrate my blogiversary.

5 years!  Can you believe it?  I started this book blog in May of 2008.  Time flies when you're blogging about books!

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On International Women's Day, March 8, I posted my review of No Ocean Here, a new collection of poems by Sweta Srivastava Vikram, part of the World Voices series.  Recently, No Ocean Here ranked #6 for Asian-American poetry for Kindle sales.  One of the poems in this powerful book, Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is featured in an AIDS awareness film, The Dawn.  And India-based Bell Bajao, a cultural and media campaign that calls on men and boys to take a stand against domestic violence, published the same poem as part of Violence Against Women Awareness Month.  Award-winning writer Sweta Srivastava Vikram and Modern History Press are generously offering an international giveaway for two copies of No Ocean Here (US/Canada/UK: print copy or ebook; other countries: ebook).

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. 

Enter by 5 PM PDT on Monday, May 27.  One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, May 28.  Good luck!

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related matters you can think of.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, then add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks for reading!

For National Poetry Month

It's certainly not your grandma's poetry.  Last week Gill Sotu and a couple of other slam poets performed in my daughter's high school English class, in celebration of National Poetry Month.  The students then attempted to write some slam poetry of their own.  My daughter enjoyed this workshop quite a bit.

National Poetry Month began in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets, and is now held every April.  During the month of April, schools, libraries, booksellers, poets, and  bloggers throughout the U.S. celebrate poetry by participating in readings, festivals, workshops, and other events.


All month long, I've noticed numerous posts devoted to poetry and National Poetry Month on various book blogs, including Savvy Verse and Wit and The Parrish Lantern.  This morning, I encountered  book spine poetry on Leslie's blog, Under My Apple Tree, and decided to try "writing" a poem in this way.  The idea is to form a short poem using the titles of books.

I am the messenger

Dancing with gravity

Outside the ordinary world

Perfectly untraditional.

Creating a poem from the titles on book spines was harder than I thought it would be.  At first, I had the idea to use titles from books of poetry, but I found that the ones I had on hand (several chapbooks of poems by Sweta Srivastava Vikram), were too thin to show the titles.  So I decided to use novels instead.  I've read each of the books shown here, and reviewed three of them (I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, Dancing with Gravity by Anene Tressler, and Perfectly Untraditional by Sweta Srivastava Vikram).

Have you been celebrating National Poetry Month? Your comments, especially written as poems, are welcomed.

For International Women's Day: No Ocean Here

As I read these poems, I became upset and angry, and I asked myself a single question.  Why?

March is National Women's History Month, and March 8 is International Women's Day, a day to honor the achievements of women globally.  I thought it would be a fitting time to feature No Ocean Here by Sweta Srivastava Vikram, published in 2013, part of the World Voices series.  These powerful poems are stories in verse, heartbreaking, haunting, and often horrific accounts of women and girls in various parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Like a gypsy with no shoes,

I walk humbly through cultures,

documenting stories

for women without a voice.
~Sweta Srivastava Vikram, No Ocean Here

Most of the poems have a short preface, which sets up the particular situation featured in the poem. I've listed a couple of examples below.

It's been estimated that over 20,000 women in the Middle East and Asia, where Islam is practiced, are killed by their family members if the latter thinks the victim has brought disgrace to the family or community. ~Honor Killing  

In some parts of Gaza, mayit nar (acid) is thrown on women who don't cover their faces. ~Mayit Nar 

Every year, thousands of girls are trafficked from Nepal into India for commercial sex work.  Most of these girls come from poor families, so they are lured by the promise of employment or marriage. ~Brothel

There are numerous references to the ocean in this book, starting with the first poem, which has the same title as the book, and is an introductory poem about the general plight of women in these countries. 

I awaken in a cruel world--  

no ocean here 

Inspired by true stories and interviews, Sweta Srivastava Vikram's new work is a courageous, compelling, and compassionate collection, which gives these women a much needed voice against violence and oppression.  Over 40 poems depict the plights of women and girls in these developing countries, who've suffered too long in silence--and who desperately deserve to be heard. 

Mailbox Monday

Well, at least we get a month, right?

I was honored to receive a new collection of poetry, No Ocean Here, by award-winning poet, novelist, and blogger Sweta Srivastava Vikram, to review for Women's History Month (March) and Sexual Assault Awareness Month (May).  This book presents 43 poems, many of which are hauntingly heartbreaking narratives of women subjected to violence and opression in various parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Mailbox Monday is a terrific way to highlight new books and reading-related items.  Created by Marcia, who has set up several book blogs as well as a Mailbox Monday blog, this meme has been "on tour" for the past few years.  Caitlin from Chaotic Compendiums is hosting Mailbox Monday for the month of March.  What new goodies were in your mailbox recently?

Soul Clothes, and Some Thoughts on Poetry

In the past, I've felt intimidated by poetry. In school, we briefly studied some of the work of Robert Frost, along with other poets, and I always thought that poetry, that understanding and writing it, were just beyond my grasp. For me, poetry was accompanied by a sense of mysticism, reflected in these lines by Robert Frost:

"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep"

It was no wonder that I'd picture the poet (or poetess, such as Emily Dickinson) dressed in black or grey from head to toe, wearing a somber expression, trudging through the woods reciting lines, seeing deeply and uncannily into nature and human nature.

Over the past few years I've changed my mind, at least a bit. As I've read more poetry (such as the prolific work of Sweta Srivastava Vikram, and Fiona Place, who incorporated pithy poems into her novel, Cardboard, adding another dimension to it), it's become more accessible to me. I also realized that my deep enjoyment of music, specifically song lyrics, which are a form of poetry, set to music, already assured me that I could appreciate and fathom the less literal beauty of poetry. In fact, I would welcome it wholeheartedly! There are numerous similarities between poems and lyrics--repetitions and refrains, using words for their sounds, using words to convey feelings rather than exact meanings. And when you think about it, we go through much of the day speaking in short phrases--some of them might sound more than a bit silly--and poetry echoes this natural, relaxed speech pattern and the beauty of language, which is often like song.

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"You wear my purple turtleneck sweater
made of wool
looped with love, laughter, and laziness"
~Soul Clothes, Regina D. Jemison

Published in 2011, Soul Clothes by Regina D. Jemison is a bold and down-to-earth collection of poetry. The author is also a lawyer, which means she must be adept at precise writing, along with poetic writing. Her evocative poems run the gamut from the act of writing to love to breast cancer and AIDS, and express a strong sense of self, of sorrow as well as joy, and are a true celebration of words, and of life.

"I'm writin' my prayers
on stone tablets
legal pads
and blue skies, writin' the blues
away, writin' "
~Writin' My Blues Away, Regina D. Jemison

I read this thin book over the course of a few days, savoring the inventive and absorbing use of language. I knew while reading this work that I did not have to understand every detail in a hyper-literal way, but that poetry is an art form open to the interpretation of the reader, which enhanced my enjoyment of the book. I unequivocally recommend this heartfelt book of poems, even to those who believe that poetry is beyond their comprehension.

Special thanks to Victor from Modern History Press for sending me a complimentary copy of Soul Clothes.

Beyond the Scent of Sorrow: Review and Giveaway

Beyond the Scent of Sorrow is the latest collection of poetry by award-winning writer Sweta Srivastava Vikram, published in October of 2011 as part of the World Voices Series. I've reviewed other poetry books by this author, interviewed her, and read her exquisite novel, Perfectly Untraditional, so I'm already acquainted with her and know that she's a very skilled wordsmith. Regardless, my goal was to "judge" this work on its own merits, as much as possible.

In this new collection, the author draws an interesting connection between nature and women. In the Alejandaro region of southwest Portugal, countless old eucalyptus trees--once considered protectors of the forest--are being removed and replaced by oak trees, depicting the unjust (sometimes violent) treatment of women, who are treated poorly in many parts of the world, merely because of their gender. Using the eucalyptus tree as a symbol, this poet creates many brilliant and powerful poems depicting the plight of women, as well as their strength and ability to endure. Sweta Srivastava Vikram's bold and vivacious style captured me as quickly and as completely as it has on previous occasions. Here are some lines from one of the author's favorite poems in this collection, Unholy Men.

"Like the cork oak
selectively stripped of their bark
every ten years of their lives
to quench a lover's thirst
for wine in Evoramonte, Portugal,
I am undressed
night after night
until my wounds mock
the myth of one thousand years--"
~Sweta Srivastava Vikram

While the author may be pro-woman, she is not anti-male, as she states in the Acknowledgements section of the book, where she specifically thanks her husband for understanding her position. I also think it's important to note that better treatment of women and more equality benefits everyone--not just women. And while the poems in this book are decidedly serious, they are not without glimmers of hope, mist that awakens and enables us to "walk away from the nightmare". I relished this collection of poems that features intense emotion and vivid images, and am thrilled to offer a copy of this book to a reader compliments of the publisher, Modern History Press (U.S./U.K./Canada).

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower, or that you subscribe in Google Reader.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Enter by 5PM PST on Monday, November 28. One lucky winner will be randomly selected and announced on Tuesday, November 29. Good luck to all!

Really Random Tuesday #28: Book Winners and Baked Greens

I've chosen random winners for my two most recent book giveaways. Leslie from Under My Apple Tree has won A Game of Character by Craig Robinson, and Amy from The House of the Seven Tails has won Perfectly Untraditional by Sweta Srivastava Vikram. Congratulations to both of you! I hope you'll enjoy reading these books as much as I did.

If you didn't win today, please take a look at the other book giveaways listed on the right side of my blog.

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Baked greens, anyone? The traditional way to cook Southern greens is to boil or simmer them slowly with a piece of salt pork or ham hock for a long time until they are very soft and no longer bitter. My friend, Eriko, told me how to bake them. I know--this has absolutely nothing to do with books. Zilch! But they are delicious and easy to make, and you can munch on them while reading, if you want a connection to books (however tenuous). To make them, you'll need mixed greens. I found a huge bag of turnips, mustard, collards, and spinach from Trader Joe's (for a bargain price, only $2.29!). They aren't organic, but if I ever see an organic version I'll get it, even if I have to pay a bit more. Rinse the greens (even though they are prewashed) and pat them dry. Spread greens on a pan and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over them (not too much or they will become soggy), mix them for a moment to spread the oil, and then sprinkle them with salt (and pepper and other spices, if desired). I use Himalayan pink salt crystals, also from Trader Joe's (one of my favorite grocers). Bake at 350º for about 10 to 15 minutes until they are somewhat crispy, turning them occasionally and making sure they don't get too brown. They are wonderful! They taste kind of like crisp seaweed, so if that flavor appeals to you then you will enjoy these.

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Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of. If you're inspired by this idea, feel free to copy the button and use it on your own blog. Please leave a link in the comments if you’re participating and I'll add it to this post. For other recent Really Random Tuesday posts, please also visit Avis' blog, she reads and reads, Vivienne's blog, Serendipity, and Naida's blog, the bookworm. These terrific book bloggers "make my Tuesday" whenever they do my meme. Thank you, ladies!