sun memos

by Ziggy Alberts

sun memos is the second self-published poetry book by platinum ARIA accredited, Australian singer-songwriter, Ziggy Alberts. Differentiating from his lyrical work, sun memos is an introspective look behind the mind of the musician on the road and at home. Featuring his signature environmental metaphors, sun memos, is split into four parts and allows readers to join him on a journey of personal realisations and is an invitation to enter into a vulnerable relationship between the writer and the reader with each page.

sun memos was brought to life amongst the relative chaos of Ziggy Alberts’ extensive touring the world. As Ziggy said - “it was almost lost in the years between, and I can breathe a sigh of relief now these sun memos are bundled into these pages.

Writing poetry has nothing to do with publishing it. Writing poetry is what music has been for me since the very an outpour.

Minimal planning, maximum emotion.

Like my first book, brainwaves, this is another thoughtfully independent project made possible by my family & friends at Commonfolk Publishing.

Looking forward to connecting with you all for the second time, and again. "

~

sun memos
is a sequel
a collection
of years and makings
of peaceful moments
and passion
deeper concerns
and lighter topics
void in punctuation
frenetic in nature
and filled with memories
in present moments
of the past
sun memos
was made
for lovers of light
for people
like you

~

Genres: Poetry

104 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2024

About the author

A platinum ARIA-accredited Australian singer-songwriter turned literary voice, Ziggy Alberts has captivated readers through his thoughtfully independent approach to poetry publishing. Following the success of his debut poetry collection 'brainwaves', Alberts released his second self-published poetry book 'sun memos' through his own Commonfolk Publishing, showcasing the same fiercely independent ethos that has defined his musical career with over 1 billion streams worldwide.

'sun memos' offers an introspective look behind the mind of the musician on the road and at home, featuring his signature environmental metaphors and split into four distinct parts. The collection invites readers to join Alberts on a journey of personal realizations, creating a vulnerable relationship between writer and reader with each page. Born from the relative chaos of his extensive world touring - which has seen him perform to over 110,000 fans at headline shows across Australia, Europe, the UK, North America, South America and South East Asia - the book captures what Alberts describes as an "outpour" of minimal planning and maximum emotion.

Aligned with his acclaimed lyrical work that includes hits like "Runaway" (100+ million Spotify streams) and "Love Me Now," Alberts' poetry explores themes of love, self-discovery, environmental connection, and the pursuit of freedom and joy. His commitment to authentic, direct connection with his audience has built not just a readership but a community united across continents by his words and message.

This raw, honest approach to both his musical and literary work continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, establishing Alberts as a distinctive voice in contemporary poetry and folk music alike.

Reviews

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

What a wonderful collection of poems and reflections on life.

Split into 4 parts the poems discuss various themes and are grouped accordingly. This means that while you may not connect personally with one section, there is another part of the book that is for you.

I sat and read this book in one sitting, but the poems are beautiful, thoughts provoking and deserve to be digested and re digested slowly. It’s certainly a book I will dip in and out of in the future.


I particularly liked the poems relating to the reason we are here as humans, the rallying call to seize the day, live in the moment and acknowledge the wonder around us.

Ziggy Alberts has a deep understanding of the human condition, these poems make you pause, think, reflect on your life and feel part of something greater than yourself. Highly recommend this book.

I was provided by a free ARC copy of this book by Readers First, with thanks. All opinions are my own

[Ivana - Diary of Difference · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much emotion! Wow! Full review to come soon!

[Sammies Bookcorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute small little book of poems and a 4star read for me!

I have not really read poems in a long time. I forgot how much I loved them. Ziggy's little memos were very thought provoking and had me thinking and processing each one. I enjoyed that a lot! reading these memos felt super peaceful and relaxing! A few of them stood out to me a lot. This book was broken into 4 sections. There was one section of erotica and I was iffy to read them but they were very creative and interesting.

My favorite poem...
"Be present for if anything the memories that will become your past to have something to look back on for how sad it could be to only have memories of thoughts and not thoughts of memories - it feels like a dream."
This one hit my soul so deep and had me so emotional as my best friend died 2 years ago.

I felt Sun Memos was a very thoughtful poetry book and quick read!
Thank you Ziggy for such beautiful words that I found very healing!
I won this book on bookishfirst raffle and so glad I got it in my collection forever!

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply personal and authentic, just like his music.

[Kenia Valdez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "Sun Memos" delves into the lyrical work of the author, offering an introspective look at the life of a musician on the road and at home. Despite my general lack of interest in poetry, I found the author's writing to be truly engaging. The cover's vibrant colors and the captivating images within, except one slightly unsettling picture, added to my enjoyment of the book. Although poetry typically fails to captivate me, "Sun Memos" was surprisingly compelling and deserving of a 4-star rating. In summary, this book managed to capture my attention despite my usual reservations about poetry.

Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Percent: 81%


More info about me:

~~Message me or email me for review requests, only accepting physical copy requests at this time, I can review on Goodreads, and can request a short or lengthy review. No triggers, and 100% my opinion. The deadline for review can be up to 3 weeks at most, 3 days at the earliest. I can provide spoiler reviews, one that is spoiler-free, or both. I can read any genre. ~~

Please consider buying me a book from my wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls...

Email: keniavaldezc56@gmail.com

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s hard to give a book of poetry a star rating because it feels like such a personal thing but I guess most books are.

So, a couple things about my poetry preferences:

I prefer to spread out a book of poetry. I don’t sit down and read poems like I would a book. Books have different a connecting storyline from start to finish and even if poems were all on one theme they’d still have different emotions. So I read a few at a time.

I prefer more traditional poems. I try to steer clear of the ones that are all in lower case, big run on sentences and no punctuation. Not because they aren’t good but because it’s not fair for me to rate something lower just because it’s not my speed.

This was a nice, small book of poems broken into four sections/themes. There are some cool pictures included too. I liked that, it felt unique in a book of poetry.

The poems were thought provoking at times, pretty at others. I feel like you can tell they were written by a musician because there’s something there that feels a bit like a song.

I received an early copy of this book from BookishFirst. Thank you!

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Alandrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who doesn’t usually read poetry, this book was very good. I liked it. The poems were very well written. They were short and to the point but also very deep and intro. They really made me stop and reflect on what they were saying as I was reading them. I read some of them multiple times in order to fully absorb the words and the meaning. They were simple and beautiful. The book also has pictures which is a really cool addition to have in a book of poems. I prefer poems that rhyme but these were still good. If you like poems that rhyme, might not like these. This was something different. I will refer back to a few of these forever because they were just that good. I’m really happy that I read this book and now I am interested in reading the author’s previous book of poetry called brainwaves. Overall, this was very good and I enjoyed reading it.

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was never one to like or read poetry so I was a bit skeptical when presented with an excerpt. sun memos has changed my perspective regarding poetry, for the better.

sun memos is a quick read at 104 pages. The poems are broken into four parts, with each part representing a different focus. I didn’t particularly care for Part 2, primarily because of its concentration in erotica. The other parts were very thought provoking with focus on life, love, and existentialism.

Overall, sun memos is a very thoughtful poetry book suitable for those readers wanting to dip their toes into the poetry pond. Four stars.

I received a finished copy of the book from Commonfolk Publishing through the Bookish First Raffle. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

"sun memos" is a beautiful collection of poetry divided into four segments that touch on what it truly means to be human featuring eye-opening statements that may work to change your perspective.

I didn't know quite what to expect when I received "sun memos" in the mail, but it is truly a wonderful collection of poems. I love the lyrical nature of the poems (which is to be expected due to the fact the author is a singer and songwriter); the way the words rolled off my lips felt really nice when I read them aloud.

The first section entitled "Buddhist Hotline" talks about time, mortality, and the human condition of always wanting more as fast as possible. I really respect Alberts' perspective on time and how we should cherish it always.

The second portion is called "Honeypot" and focuses on love, women, and healthy romance. This section felt so sweet and personal, yet could be applied to almost any romantic relationship in various ways. His devotion is clear, and it feels magical when this devotion is signaled towards you.

The third segment, "Concerned on behalf of The Universe," is a really deep one. It discusses things such as the passing of time, being present in the moment, and working to make one's life meaningful with memories rather than souvenirs.

The final segment is called "Lightwork" and focuses on observing the natural world around you and the lessons that it has to teach. It shows how humans and nature can coexist in each others presence, and how humanity can use each other as support. This segment also showcases living for oneself and creating valuable memories.

Overall, I really loved my time reading this collection and could see myself revisiting it quite frequently since I own it. I never would have picked this one up for myself, but I am glad that this book made it into my hands. I appreciate down to earth people who are willing to share their perspective on life and the world around them. I enjoyed reading Alberts' work and I will most definitely be checking out his music in the future. If you like poetry for thought, this might be a great collection to check out.

[Abbey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing to Write Home About

sun memos is a book of modern free verse poetry, written by Australian folk-pop artist, Ziggy Alberts.
Let me start with the positive. The book itself is lovely, it has a nice feel in the hand. I love a well printed book, and this one is very nice. I had thought that it was from a small independent-ish publishing company, and although that is true, on further investigation I have realised that the company was started by Ziggy himself, and has only published his books. This doesn't effect how nice the book is, but it does change how I feel about it; an independent publisher often denotes creativity, quality and interest, whereas an elaborately self-published book speaks to me of a vanity project.
On to the actual content of the book.
To be perfectly frank, it's fine. This small book, filled with little notes to self and diary excerpts show glimpses into the mind of a person. It doesn't really matter which person, because most of the revelations and explorations are universal and simplistic. There is little artistry in the arrangement of the thoughts and words, yet the bare lines lack the profound minimalism sometimes found in similarly marketed collections.
My conclusion on finishing this book was that there is nothing wrong with the words, yet they were not worth sharing in this way. I'm glad that Ziggy is having significant thoughts and feelings, and that he so successfully puts those into his songs. I hope he sticks with songwriting in the future.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a breath of fresh air to read and absorb. ‘Sun Memos’ has a mixture of single line poems, shorter thoughts and longer ones too, with each being as poignant as the next. It’s full of pearls of wisdom and thought-provoking sentiments that leave you deep in thought. I mulled over many of the poems afterwards in intrigue.

You can find your own individual meaning to the poems and connect them in some way to your life and how you want to live going forward. There was a lot of positive sentiments and a combination of deep and light topics.

I really enjoyed how the book was split into four sections so the emphasis of the poetry changed to fit the narrative that Ziggy Alberts was focusing on. I was particularly drawn to part III – Concerned on behalf of The Universe as it relates to my life and thoughts closely right now. I can definitely see other parts resonating with me at other times too which shows how well-rounded the poetry is.

Overall, it's a beautiful poetry book that I'll be frequently going back to over the years to come.

[Danielle Hammelef · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat and read this book through its entirety at once. The poems contain universal wisdom and emotions for all of humanity. Most of them made me reread them and savor the idea behind each line. I had my favorites which I will share here:

My first favorite poem is on page 60: "... for how sad it could be to only have memories of thoughts and not thoughts of memories." This hit me as the best reason to live life at its fullest and experience everything around you--sights, sounds, tastes, smells--to make memories to last a lifetime.

My second favorite also dealt with a similar theme. Found on page 94: "The truly important things you do not need to write down in order to remember." This idea is so simple, yet so huge. I want to remember how it felt to see the sunrise, the total eclipse of this year, the feel of my dog's fur as we snuggle on the couch. These are the important yet simple things that make life happy.

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally don't gravitate towards poetry books, but Sun Memon spoke to me. The author writes beautiful words about peace, reflection, living in the moment, and love. What is so appealing to me as a reader is how thought-provoking it is. It makes you think about life and how you should focus more on moments and learn to worry less about trivial things.

Here are two of my favorite parts:
"and if you must believe a fictional story make it worth the while because belief defies reality and if you do wish to defy reality in this singular finite lifetime it would be best to make the story unbelievably good."

"Clear your mind then do the dishes. Better a clear mind that a clean house since it's only one of them we truly tend to live in."

I think these words can resonate with everyone at different levels. I am shocked that I connected so much with this poetry, but the author has made it impossible not to become a fan of his work.

[Anahid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was instantly drawn to this collection of poetry. I love the free flowing, stream of consciousness structure of the poems. The poems are nicely organized in 4 sections.

My favorite of these sections has to be the first section, Buddhist Hotline. Most, if not all, of the poems in this section lead me to ponder, wonder, and contemplate. I found myself writing so many thoughts down while reading and rereading these poems.

I found at least one gem in each section of the collection even though the poems in the second section, Honeypot, were less of my thing. So many of these poems and musings were thought provoking but had me lacking the right words to express my thoughts at the same time.

I truly enjoyed this collection of poems and I wish it could have been longer. Thank you to Ziggy Alberts for sharing these poems of inner musings with the world. And thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher for giving me the chance to read them!

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting words ...

Disclaimer...I'm not really a fan of poetry, so this is a bit out of my comfort zone, and is definitely not something I would usually pick up to read.

This was quite the quick read, but again I think you may linger longer with the text if you're a poetry fanatic. I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it, and there were some poems which resonated with me.

That said, it didn't make me a convert to poetry, and I won't be rushing out to buy similar books.

I think if you love poetry and it speaks to you on a different level to me, or perhaps you know the author from his music background, then you may like this more than I did.

There are some thoughts about peace, meditation and nature that I found interesting to read. But I will always prefer to have my head deep in a novel, I need a plot and characters. I'm afraid poetry just reminds me of my English Literature GCSE exam.

[MGMGMG · Rating 5 out of 5]

great intro to poetry

I am not at all a poetry reader, so when I received this Advance Review Copy of Sun Memos by Ziggy Alberts, I was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy reading it. However, I definitely wanted to give it a fair chance so I read it -- and I'm so glad I did! The first thing I would say about Sun Memos is that it's a great book to give someone who thinks they don't like to read poetry. It's a quick read, but incredibly deep, which is impressive given the simple and direct writing. In my opinion, this is exactly what poetry is supposed to be in its best form--it's supposed to be the author showing how much they can express through so few words. Alberts definitely accomplishes that in this book, and I would happily read anything else published by this author. I highly recommend that you check out this book regardless of whether you think you are a "poetry person" or not!

[Tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I don't normally gravitate towards poetry books. But I do enjoy poetry in general, and decided to give this book a chance.

It was a pretty quick read, which was nice. I would say that there were a couple of poems that really resonated with me, and I ended up reading more than once. Other than that, however, I wouldn't say this is a new favorite book of mine... and I think that's okay, maybe even expected for someone like me.

I think for those who like reading poetry, this book could easily be up their alley. (And it seems from other reviews that many people enjoyed this book, which is wonderful.) I also feel like those who are big into poetry would probably be able to appreciate the author's craft a lot more than I'm able to (which is my issue, not anyone else's).

Having said all that, I encourage anyone who's interested in poetry to pick this up and give it a chance.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sun Memos is a poetry collection that explores a variety of topics, from the environment enlightenment, and dreams to love and inspiration. Although the book is on the short side, it can still pack a punch for the right reader.

I do see that this collection has fallen into the template of the Instagram poet, with ultra-short lines, contrasting (and italicized) thoughts left dangling at the end, and a knack for taking a simplicity and keeping it simple without weighing it down in flowery language. While this is great for some readers and has done a good job over the past few years getting new people to read poetry, I prefer more complex lines of verse to really lose myself in a poetry collection.

For those who do pick up this collection, it would be a great thing to have while sitting at the beach, listening to the waves, or on a quiet train right to get in the mood for what the author has to say.

*Book provided by BookishFirst

[Lisa M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be easy to dismiss this collection of poetry as simple emotional ramblings but I found myself surprisingly moved by it. It places it was so raw, yet so simple, that I found myself crying. The author really does fully open up and put himself on pages, in particular in the Honeypot section. Anyone who has been lucky enough to be fully in love (lust?) will understand.
It is a bit hippy in its style but as a break from the harshness and difficulty of everyday life, that maybe is not such a bad thing. We all need to escape occasionally. I also found it very easy to read, which is not the case with all poetry.
I was interested enough after ready this book to find out a bit about the author and found out he is also a singer/songwriter (very similar to Jack Johnson in style).
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and will certainly be dipping into it again when I feel in the right mood to do so.

[Kelly Erwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is different for me. I wasn’t sure if I would really like this book I’m not much into poetry. Some of the poems in this book really made me think about my life. To me this book isn’t like the traditional poetry I was taught in school, it didn’t rhyme lol. I have let others read this book too and they felt the same way I did, that it’s very different from what they was taught. Different can be a good thing and with this book I think it is a good thing. I really really wasn’t sure about this book at all. I had to read it 3 times before I started to really understand and like it. I have read it again and every night before bed I read another 2 or 3 before I go to bed. I think that this will be one of the books that I will always pick up and read again, just because each time I do it hits me differently and helps me to see what the author was feeling. This is a book that really makes you think.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewing poetry seems even more subjective than reviewing a novel - people might have strong opinions and reactions to some poems/poets than they might in reading novels.

Sun Memos is a collection of poems showing Ziggy Alberts' reflections on a life well-lived. There is a pensive quality to many poems reflecting on the weird quirks of human nature, and observations on ways we can live a more thoughtful, enriched life. I found some pieces powerful in how he succinctly captured thoughts, ideas and moments in just a few words. Other pieces felt a bit contrived - some came across to me as a bit pretentious (someone trying to showcase their wisdom for others). But overall it's clear that his writing comes from his own personal life experiences and many lessons learned along the way. I enjoyed the photographs/cover introducing each new part. This is a short book so easily something you can enjoy in one sitting and come back to the works that are most meaningful. 3.5/5

Many thanks to Bookish First and Commonfolk Publishing for the ARC.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was unlike anything I've ever read before. I've studied anthologies etc at school, and have enjoyed poetry in the past (normally basic verse poems that rhyme haha), but Sun Memos was very different.

I couldn't really tell if each page was it's own separate poem, or if each chapter was a poem in its entirety. I'm also not sure if it matters.

Each part looked at a different aspect of life, each one allowing the reader to experience the authors point of view, and how we can cherish and appreciate the simple things in life. Like a beautiful view, or the embrace of a loved one.

I initially sat down and read the whole thing in one go. I then went back and read it a couple of pages at a time, and spent a little longer re-reading and appreciating each passage more closely. This is a collection I enjoyed thoroughly, and know I will keep close, so I can dive into regularly, whenever I need a little positivity.

[Zoe Brenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"sun memos" by Ziggy Alberts is a short collection of contemporary poetry. Most poems have a good meter and rhythm to them, considering he is a singer-songwriter.

Alberts' poems mainly contained themes of nature, existence, love and the earth. Each one of the poems is unique and memorable. As a poetry reader and poet myself I quite enjoyed reading through and highlighting certain verses and lines. One line that really stuck out to me was "for how sad/it could be/to only have/memories of thoughts/and not thoughts/of memories." It really speaks volumes about how you think of doing so many things, yet you never end up doing them.

The meter and stanzas are very clumped together or extremely spaced out (like most modern poetry collections) but all the poems have great length and value. If it was 2014 some of the lines and verses would send Tumblr into a frenzy.

This book is for those who enjoy poetry of course and question existence and life in itself.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these poems. They are relatable and easy to understand. I have read poetry, in the past and they just don't make any sense to me. I think Ziggy writes good poetry because he's a song writer, so his words just translate well for me, on to the pages. I had never heard of him before reading this book. I would like to check out his other poetry book and some of his music. I like how he broke up the book into different chapters. And I must say, the Honeypot section was quite spicy! I was not expecting that. His poems range from a couple of pages to a couple of lines. I like when a poet can say a million things in just a few words, and Ziggy is one that can do that. I would recommend this book if you like poetry or if you want to like poetry. I also really enjoyed the photography in the book and on the cover. I wish there had been a few more pictures to enjoy.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This year I have read more poetry that I probably have in a lifetime. This was a nice break from my usual dark and suspenseful romances. It was like a breath of fresh air. I read it before bed for a few days, and it was pretty relaxing! It gave me a different perspective. The cover is stunning, you can see their passion for the ocean and the light. I keep it right on top of my other stack of books. Not only does it camouflage my usual reads from view on my nightstand, but it is aesthetically pleasing to look at. The book was broken up in to different sections. Some of the poetry was rather abstract, and I had to do a few re-reads of a couple pages to completely understand and feel what the author was trying to convey. There are tons of comparisons to nature. The relaxing tone and general unrestrained love of life truly shines out and through these pages.

[Sam Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

sun memos, a poetic anthology by (an unfamiliar) Australian singer-songwriter Ziggy Alberts, is divided into four parts - Buddhist Hotline, Honeypot, Concerned on behalf of The Universe, Lightwork - with the first of these sections written in a minimalist, easy to read format containing poems that either go on for no more than a few lines (with some of these lines having just a single word) or have very few words in general.

Some of the thoughts that are committed to paper in this collection are quite profound, with passages such as "scars aren't proof that you've been hurt scars are proof that you have healed" being one example, while the tranquil, peaceful and easy going front cover is bright and inviting in terms of drawing the reader in. Beyond that, though, there isn't much else that stands out upon first reading or reading the early stages.

[Julie Maioriello Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sun Memos", written by Ziggy Alberts, is a wonderful short collection of poetry. The poems draw from nature, our place in the world, human emotions and feelings, and how all is intertwined. There is one section in the book, "Honeypot," that does delve into the intimate relationship between a man and woman. This section does have a poem or two that is a bit "graphic." The author has written so beautifully and reflexively about nature. It is more than just, stop and smell the roses, the author truly brings our surroundings into focus. How the oceans and stars can reflect or show us, our inner understanding of complex feelings. Ziggy Alberts, has written his poems in a simple manner, so that anyone who reads them will understand their meaning. Sometimes poetry can be so complex, that it is hard to grasp the writer's meaning, but this collection is for everyone.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love poetry and this was a great refreshing take on it. The poems were relatable and short, and also allowed you to reread them and take different things from them as you did. I like the simple cover and the simple font, and language used throughout the book.

I sometimes didn't like the second part of the poem at the bottom of the page that kind of changed what the poem meant, or could mean.

Overall I thought this was a great new book of poetry with great symbolism, and reflective thought on some current issues and relatable modern themes

It will definitely be a book that I can go back to and just pick up and read from any page, and it will mean/be something different every single time, depending on what's going on in my world and how the poems shift to meet that. Because they are so short, it's easy to get lost in the many things each poem has to offer.

[Ria · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was sadly not really my cup of tea.
From the blurb it sounded really good.
But to be honest it just all seemed a little pretentious and that the author was trying to come across as so much older and wiser than his years.
The whole aspect of it felt very "hippy, trippy" all "Peace and love man."
It was well laid out and the musings were separated into sort of bite size chunks per page so a reader could easily dip into and read a few daily if so inclined to make the read last longer.
So I can see the appeal of this to those interested in self reflection, deep thought, meditation etc.
But as I say it just purely wasn't the right fit for me or my kind of read that's all.
So not a total negative and just my opinion but no, I've read his work now and don't think I would actively search out anymore.