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Above Ground

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Format: Hardcover


Description

A New York Times bestselling poetry collection from Clint Smith, author of 1 bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award winner How the Word Is Passed. "A joyful embrace and legacy of bright language and poignant questions." —Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of World of Wonders Clint Smith’s vibrant and compelling new collection traverses the vast emotional terrain of fatherhood, and explores how becoming a parent has recalibrated his sense of the world. There are poems that interrogate the ways our lives are shaped by both personal lineages and historical institutions. There are poems that revel in the wonder of discovering the world anew through the eyes of your children, as they discover it for the first time. There are poems that meditate on what it means to raise a family in a world filled with constant social and political tumult. Above Ground wrestles with how we hold wonder and despair in the same hands, how we carry intimate moments of joy and a collective sense of mourning in the same body. Smith’s lyrical, narrative poems bring the reader on a journey not only through the early years of his children’s lives, but through the changing world in which they are growing up—through the changing world of which we are all a part. Above Ground is a breathtaking collection that follows Smith's first award-winning book of poetry, Counting Descent. A Best Book of the Year 2023: TIME • NPR’s Best Books • New York Public Library • Electric Lit • The Root • NBC Today • Mother Jones Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company


Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 28, 2023


Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 128 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316543039


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 33


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.3 x 0.9 x 9.55 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #475,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #188 in Black & African American Poetry (Books) #208 in Sociology of Marriage & Family (Books) #1,022 in African American Demographic Studies (Books)


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Wednesday, Jun 17

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Game changer
Format: Hardcover
I recently finished reading "Above Ground" by Clint Smith, and I felt compelled to share how profoundly this book has impacted me, especially the poems exploring parenthood. As a parent myself, I found Smith's ability to draw parallels between the natural world and the journey of parenthood both enlightening and deeply moving. His poignant verses have given me a true perspective on the complexity, beauty, and sometimes the pain of guiding a new life through this world. Smith's poetry resonates on a level that's hard to articulate; it's as if he's speaking directly to the soul, acknowledging the fears, hopes, and infinite love that come with being a parent. The way he intertwines themes of growth, change, and the passage of time with elements of nature not only enhances the poetic experience but also serves as a mirror reflecting the universal aspects of human experience. Reading "Above Ground" has been an introspective journey. It's rare to find a collection of poems that captures the essence of parenthood with such accuracy and tenderness. This book is a treasure, offering insights and reflections that I will carry with me long after turning the final page. I highly recommend it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2024 by Ncott

  • I don’t read much poetry but this was a delight
Format: Kindle
I enjoyed Clint Smith’s previous book, How the Word Is Passed and got this one from the library. I’m so glad I did. His poetic meditations on being a son and grandson, on parenting two small children, on being human on earth a d the environment around us—so many beautiful reflections. It’s short and sweet. I highly recommend it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2024 by JD

  • Poigant, beautiful, his words flow like water
Format: Hardcover
This is an amazing work of art, his poetry reflecting on not only the experience of being a father, but a person of color raising a child in a country that can be outright hostile towards you. I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone. It's beautiful, poignant, it will make you laugh, it will make you cry (actually it's first three poems all made me cry). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2023 by Elvin S.

  • Poems for Dads
Format: Hardcover
Lots of charm. Some range, though plenty of poems feel like scrapbooking for the speaker's young children. The turn towards heredity and ancestry is nice. Poems can be a little prosaic, but he is a prose author as well.
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024 by James from the Thames

  • Bear hug
Format: Hardcover
I opened the book up to Ode to the Bear Hug and fell in love with this collection of poems. I had read Monuments to the Unthinkable where he described one of the greatest horrors of the world. It was a masterful article but I am full of gratitude that he did not succumb to hopelessness. Instead he shares with us the joy that he experiences through his family and children. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2023 by Robin

  • Thank you for writing these poems
Format: Kindle
I heard you interviewed on NPR and had to read your book after hearing "Ode To a Baby Swing ". What a ride it has been, laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, fear, introspection and nostalgia. Your poems have brought all of these and more. This book is a keeper. To reread and share. Thank you.
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2023 by Sandi

  • A wonderful book of poetry
Format: Hardcover
I am not a lover of poetry, however this fine work draws me in. It is exquisite in it's description of parenthood. Even those not loving poetry, this is well worth reading. Makes a wonderful gift for someone you love or admire.
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2023 by Amit K. Goswami

  • A Wonderful Adventure
Format: Kindle
I found this book a wonderful adventure in free verse. This was something I never appreciated. I discovered when Clint was on Fresh Air. Fell in love listening to him read his poems. Returned to hear him again so I could learn how to read them aloud for friends.
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2023 by cgilbert

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