UPON REVIEWING MY BLURBS...

This morning I wrote a blurb for Andrew Brenza's forthcoming--and it is fabulous!--poetry manuscript GOSSAMER LID.  After finishing the blurb, I looked at it and realized that perhaps I wouldn't have been able to be articulate over this particular work were it not for my persistent attempts at wide reading.  I'm not in academia, did not study poetry in school, and know what I know only through reading. (Not that I'm second-guessing my poetry education; I think reading is the best teacher for indie me.)

This made me go back to review the blurbs I've written in recent years; if you click HERE (and scroll down), you'll see a selection of blurbs I've written. There, too, I am reminded of certain blurbs that I only was able to write because, first, I read a lot.  For examples, the books by Anne Gorrick, Ric Carfagna, Christopher Stackhouse, and perhaps j/j hastain. I can recall, too, the struggle I experienced to write certain blurbs, e.g. on Nicholas Manning.  I also see an early blurb that I don't think was used (probably because, even as a blurb, it wasn't that good).

Anyway, it's unexpectedly fruitful for me to look at the blurbs -- being able to see a (critical) mass of them makes me think there's a possible art form here that I've been missing.  Must ponder this more ... and then undoubtedly engage.

*****

And, yes, I haven't forgotten about this Blurbed Book Project.  My attempts to write that book so far have only degenerated into false starts.  Not to worry: I'm persistent!