Enre: Ross Gay Wr 'The Book Of Delights' : NPR

ROSS GAY

Readg not on The Book of Delights by Ross Gay, cludg quot, lks to reviews and some thoughts om poet Carolee Bent. * ross gay tomato on board *

95) / Number of pag 288 / Publitn date Febary 12, 2019 / ISBN 9781616207922Purchase: Algonqu / IndieBound / Bookshop / Powell'sFrom the Publisher: The New York Tim btsellg book of says celebratg ordary lights the world around by one of Ameri's most origal and observant wrers, award-wng poet Ross Gay. The first nonfictn book om award-wng poet Ross Gay is a rerd of the small joys we often overlook our by liv. Among Gay’s funny, poetic, philosophil lights: a iend’s unabashed e of air quot, cradlg a tomato seedlg aboard an airplane, the silent nod of acknowledgment between the only two black people a room.

But Gay never dismiss the plexi, even the terrors, of livg Ameri as a black man or the elogil and psychic vlence of our nsumer culture or the loss of those he lov. More than anythg else, though, Gay celebrat the bety of the natural world–his garn, the flowers peekg out of the siwalk, the hypnotic movements of a prayg mantis. The remarkable piec serve as a powerful and necsary remr that we n, and should, stake out a space our liv for & Reviews“Ross Gay’s eye lands upon wonr at every turn, bolsterg my belief the untls small miracl that surround .

HOW ROSS GAY FDS JOY IN THE SMALLT OF 'DELIGHTS'

On the Co Swch podst, Ross Gay reflects on his 2019 llectn The Book of Delights, the difficulty of allowg yourself to be moved, and why he thks 's important to e the word "love." * ross gay tomato on board *

Gay, an award-wng poet, knows the value of formal nstrat: his experienc of ‘light, ’ rerd daily for a year, vary wily but yield revealg patterns through sights about everythg om nature and the body to race and masculy.

THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS BY ROSS GAY

The motivatn behd the book, Gay says, was to foc his attentn on “feelg moved, alive and nnected.” The practice of payg attentn to light is an exercise beg prent to the world around you. Self-admtedly prone to melancholy, he don’t shy away om difficult subjects like grief, racism, and challengg relatnships. But wrg a daily light say was “a way to build up his joy mcle,” while still holdg space for the ls joyful feelgs. * ross gay tomato on board *

’” —The New Yorker“Ross Gay’s poems are ltle celebratns of joy, and this book of mi-says—each centerg around a particular 'light, ’ om sleepg your cloth to plantg tomato seedlgs to the nod of greetg between the only two black people a room—is a pure balm for your soul.

STRUCTURES OF CARE, WH POET GARDENER ROSS GAY (BEST OF)

In THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS, award-wng poet Ross Gay offers up a genre-fyg volume of lyric says wrten over one tumultuo year. His first nonfictn book is a rerd of the small joys we often overlook our by liv. Among Gay’s funny, poetic, philosophil lights: a iend’s unabashed e of air quot, cradlg a tomato seedlg aboard an airplane, the silent nod of acknowledgment between the only two Black people a room. But Gay never dismiss the plexi, even the terrors, of livg Ameri as a Black man, the elogil and psychic vlence of our nsumer culture, or the loss of those he lov. More than anythg else, though, Gay celebrat the bety of the natural world --- his garn, the flowers peekg out of the siwalk, the hypnotic movements of a prayg mantis. * ross gay tomato on board *

” —Celte Ng for “You’ll fd that the lights of Gay’s world illumate the lights of yours, that his wonr is ntag and has ed you to epen your own. ” —Today“Ross Gay is able to e as ltle language as possible to populate a world where his memori are your memori, tertwed, reachg out of the pag.

It’s hard to read Gay and not to be won over.

This is an entire book of such glimmers, which Ross Gay notic ty moments life and nature, so that we too may light them.