1996

by Sara Peters

Sara Peters' visionary debut collection is a book about obsessions ― about desire, violence, sex, beauty, and cruelty, about how they lace through our days, leaving us changed. In these startling poems of mystery and terror, we meet remarkable characters enduring unspeakable things, confronting the raw reality of existence through fearless candor. With profound clarity, elegance, and humour, Sara Peters reminds us of the harrowing and beautiful complexity of life itself. 1996 marks the undeniable arrival of an essential and brave new voice.

Genres: Poetry, Canada, Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 2013

About the author

Sara Peters was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1982. She completed an MFA at Boston University, and was a Stegner Fellow in poetry at Stanford University from 2010 to 2012. Her poems have appeared in Poetry Daily, The Threepenny Review, and The Walrus. She lives in Toronto.

1996 was her first book.

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES. My god, this book is raw and distressing and eerie and violent and sexual in a very disconcerting way - and all of these are good things. This book was recommended to me by a colleague when I expressed an interest in "something violent, something that makes you uncomfortable" - and I was not disappointed. Peters weaves tales of casual destruction and burgeoning sexuality; the idea of being someone who swims upstream in a community that perhaps usually wants to flow downstream; relatives who disgust or threaten or have love underneath their cruel exteriors; violence against children; violence against everyone; violence in sexuality and sexuality in violence. It's small-town meets domestic abuse meets queer fantasy meets childhood authors meets coroners' reports meets self harm meets masturbation. Which is, of course, to say: read it. All of it. And then again.

[Andrew Sare · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find that young and first-time poets often have a lot of spirit and clear impact. More angst, wonder and fewer filters perhaps. The challenge for older poets is to fight from over-writing and creating a blur of word salad.

While I can't say this blew me away, it moved along well and I enjoyed it.

[Meg Morden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of poems which explore the pain of everyday life in navigating the creation of individual identity. I liked the way she combined the everyday with the poignancy and pain of living. I really enjoy her poetic voice.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct, energetic images and turns, plenty of off-beat moments that kept me interested. The last two sections lost a little of the trajectory and hold that was in the first half, but definitely a book I'll return to.

[Tara Borin · Rating 5 out of 5]

These poems are full of shocking turns of violence and cruelty that the reader can’t help but delight in, they are so well crafted. They capture a darker side of childhood and adolescence.

[Scott Weatherby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous.

[rabble.ca]

http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/0...

Review by Nathaniel G Moore

In an age where the Beiber tearing world of internet fan hysteria never wanes, it’s safe to say in no version of reality will Canadian poetry ever experience the same sort of fanaticism.

Yet, if you know a poet, or better yet, if your sister or brother is dating a poet, you might have heard just enough to confuse you about the entire industry. Regardless, poetry books exist, are published, discussed, promoted and marketed on a daily basis.

The statistical side of Canadian poetry is something philosophical, a bit frightening and at times, tedious.

With so many poetry books being published, so few spots for top dog in prizes and the chatter around vanishing review opportunities -- as a former books editor we received approximately 60 poetry books a year and reviewed 12-20 annually -- perhaps local hype is the only hope for a singular poetry title from an unknown to make it up the poetry charts so to speak.

Like any genre within an industry, Canadian Poetry itself is a perennial water cooler topic bubbling all the live-long day. Every year a crop of poets new and old make short lists, are heralded as must-reads and get lauded by cart-wheeling editors and peers.

Read more here: http://rabble.ca/books/reviews/2013/0...

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few poems were really good. There are 4 sections of poems. I didn't quite understand the sections (maybe my own shortcoming). It wasn't tight knit collection, each poem felt like it could stand alone. A few poems felt shaky to me, just a feeling I had. Well, this is a subjective review. It's a nice book. I enjoyed reading it. I would be curious to read a second collection by this author.

[THE TORONTO QUARTERLY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, Everyone! Please check out my interview with Sara Peters as we discuss her debut collection of poetry, 1996 (House of Anansi, 2013). Read the interview and one poem from the book on my TTQ Blog now. http://thetorontoquarterly.blogspot.c...

[BeckyisBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading any of Sara Peters' work and I really loved this collection. Definitely a collection you can revisit again and again. I'll be seeking out more of her work in the future!

[SL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book of poetry all in one go, not wanting to put it down. Illuminating, restless, sharp, beautiful, fierce. That ache that gets ya right in the chest, breaking ribs.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous and unnerving.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found most of the situations were described such that the last few lines changed the meaning for me.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Addictive. Graceful & raw.

[Dessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread December 2016: Secrets thud / like Junebugs against screens / and all you have to do is let them in.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, beautiful, and partially based in the same places I learned a lot of the same lessons.

[Taylor Napolsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good poetry. I read it twice.

[Leah Horlick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am infatuated with this book. Love it. Omg. The last two poems just killed me.