I belonged to a library book discussion group a decade or so ago, and for the last ten years I've been on a committee that reads recently published books for adults for possible inclusion in book discussion kits in New Hampshire. (If you're interested in our work, click
here.)
A short article online titled,
"How To Host A Poetry Book Club, Because It's Time To Make This A Part Of Your Reading," got me thinking about how, with over 170 kits, and hundreds more books read for consideration, we've never read a book of poetry, nor a novel in verse. How is that so?
There are a number of reasons, but the most obvious one is adults are afraid of poetry. The blame, of course, can be placed squarely on high school English classes and the study of poems where the only concern is "analyzing" the poem for meaning and themes. Mention the word "metaphor" and adults wince.
Another reason is that discussion group participants tend to prefer fiction. Despite the plethora of novels in verse for children and young adults, there aren't a whole lot being published for adult audiences. One, from the 1990s is
Cora Fry's Pillow Book, which was written by Rosellen Brown, a writer best known as a novelist. I remember reading it and not being bothered at all by its format--poems. It was just like reading a novel.
Another book, this one from the last decade, is
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. This title has two, too many strikes against it to be embraced by book discussion groups: 1. it's written in poems, and 2. it doesn't have average-book-group appeal. Here's a description from the book's publisher:
An ancient race of lycanthropes has survived to the present day, and its numbers are growing as the initiated convince L.A.'s down and out to join their pack. Paying no heed to moons, full or otherwise, they change from human to canine at will--and they're bent on domination at any cost. Caught in the middle are Anthony, a kind-hearted, besotted dogcatcher, and the girl he loves, a female werewolf who has abandoned her pack. Anthony has no idea that she's more than she seems, and she wants to keep it that way. But her efforts to protect her secret lead to murderous results.
Yikes! This would be an impossible sell to a book group that loved
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society! For some groups, the slightly quirky
Where'd You Go, Bernadette is too out-there!
So, I'd like to know if you've read any recently published (2016 or newer), highly discussable, verse novels written for adults? If so, please write the titles in the comments. Many thanks!
Check out the Round-Up being held at
Dori Reads--you'll be glad you did!
