Interrogation Palace: New and Selected Poems 1982-2004

by David Wojahn

Interrogation Palace is a career-spanning selection of work from an important American poet, drawing upon each of David Wojahn’s six previous collections and a substantial gathering of new work. Moving fluently from personal history to public history, and from high culture to popular culture, Wojahn’s searching and restless poetry has been considerably acclaimed, both for the candor of its testimony and the authority of its formal invention. He is above all an elegiac poet, tender and ferocious by turns, whether mourning the loss of family and loved ones or the hopes and aspirations of the baby-boomer era. Interrogation Palace confirms David Wojahn’s status as one of the most inventive, passionate, and ambitious figures of his generation.

Genres: Poetry

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Tana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addressing Horkheimer and Adorno who assert that "to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric," Wojahn tackles some of the cultural issues of our time. He is cerebral, requiring the reader to unpack his dense language, but he is an amazing poet. His poem entitled Homage to Blind Willie Johnson is sheer genius.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the type of book you go back to for a poem here and there for always. dense but approachable.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This generous selection of Wojahn's work gives us his best, which is awfully good. He is one of our most human and intelligent poets.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason it took me a long time to get into Wojahn's poems. I'd recommend you start to read it at MYSTERY TRAIN--that one was easy to get into and the poems were great. Very solid, and some beautiful lines.