Irish Willow

by Robert Skinner

"I hope that the word-maps I've attempted to draw here will allow others to walk onto some of the patches of pondweed that have surprised me, so that they too may feel them giving way and opening into unnoticed waters. And I hope it will soon become evident...that language's landmass itself is littered with trapdoors, so that a certain turn of phrase, a choice of word, can plunge us without warning into unexpected pools and oceans." (from the Foreword)

233 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Aka Robert E. Skinner.

Robert Skinner has degrees in history (Old Dominion University) and library science (Indiana University) and studied creative writing at the University of New Orleans. He’s widely known for his non-fiction writing on the career of African-American novelist Chester Himes and on the American hard-boiled crime story. He makes his home in New Orleans where he’s University Librarian at Xavier University of Louisiana.