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The Goner School
Jessica Laser has given her generation a voice and a name in this masterful, funny, and heartbreaking collection, The Goner School. Members of this school, despairing and hopeful, count themselves among the self-aware, trauma-informed inheritors of a warming, warring planet. Childhood, the gym, plant medicine ceremonies, PhD programs, Jews, evangelicals, everyone you’ve slept with, Lake Michigan, the Bay Area, William James, and Taylor Swift may seem incongruous, but they all take place in one world from which, try as we might, there is no escape.
- GenresPoetry
96 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2024
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June 26, 2024
ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝐸-𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀
ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝟐.𝟓 ⭐️ 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝; 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 (𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐜.), 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧—𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬/𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈’𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝.
𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒥𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒸𝒶 𝐿𝒶𝓈𝑒𝓇, 𝒰𝓃𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝐼𝑜𝓌𝒶 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.
ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝟐.𝟓 ⭐️ 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝; 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 (𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐨𝐰𝐚, 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐜.), 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐨𝐧—𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬/𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈’𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝.
𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒥𝑒𝓈𝓈𝒾𝒸𝒶 𝐿𝒶𝓈𝑒𝓇, 𝒰𝓃𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝐼𝑜𝓌𝒶 𝒫𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.
June 8, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, University of Iowa Press, Kuhl House Poets, and Jessica Laser for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Goner School is a collection of poems that don't really tie together in their individual stories, but do in the fact that each features a different experience in the world. I believe the main message here is that everyone has their own struggles and experiences, but we share this earth and this planet with everyone else. This collection brings with it an understanding of collective humanity.
While I really enjoy Laser's craft and find some of the language truly exquisite, the content itself wasn't super entertaining for me. It took me a little while to get through, even though the collection is rather short, because of the different perspectives going on. I needed a moment to think about what I just read, and even then still had some trouble with my own understanding of a few of the poems. I believe I misled myself with the excerpt thinking it would be a more novel-in-verse style, rather than a collection of different poems sharing a similar theme.
All-in-all I liked where the different poems took me. This definitely isn't a work for just anyone. Those who seek a more heightened poetic experience and enjoy looking for similar themes in a set of poems that, on the surface seem flat and disjointed, but underneath hold so much exponential meaning and connected value, then this one is for you!
The Goner School is a collection of poems that don't really tie together in their individual stories, but do in the fact that each features a different experience in the world. I believe the main message here is that everyone has their own struggles and experiences, but we share this earth and this planet with everyone else. This collection brings with it an understanding of collective humanity.
While I really enjoy Laser's craft and find some of the language truly exquisite, the content itself wasn't super entertaining for me. It took me a little while to get through, even though the collection is rather short, because of the different perspectives going on. I needed a moment to think about what I just read, and even then still had some trouble with my own understanding of a few of the poems. I believe I misled myself with the excerpt thinking it would be a more novel-in-verse style, rather than a collection of different poems sharing a similar theme.
All-in-all I liked where the different poems took me. This definitely isn't a work for just anyone. Those who seek a more heightened poetic experience and enjoy looking for similar themes in a set of poems that, on the surface seem flat and disjointed, but underneath hold so much exponential meaning and connected value, then this one is for you!
June 2, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and the University of Iowa Press for an ARC of this book!
I am awed by the masterful use of language and structure in this poetry book. “Goner School” is a collection of strikingly aware poems that reflect on the hope and hopelessness of our current culture.
After every section I had to put the book down to digest each word. The poems were so well crafted that I wanted to sit with every moment of this book. In my experience, many poetry books can be hard to get into, or feel cold and distant to the reader, but this book cultivated a strong sense of connection between the reader and the work.
I am awed by the masterful use of language and structure in this poetry book. “Goner School” is a collection of strikingly aware poems that reflect on the hope and hopelessness of our current culture.
After every section I had to put the book down to digest each word. The poems were so well crafted that I wanted to sit with every moment of this book. In my experience, many poetry books can be hard to get into, or feel cold and distant to the reader, but this book cultivated a strong sense of connection between the reader and the work.
June 5, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and University of Iowa press for this arc. I didn’t love this collection of poems. I’m a huge fan of poets like Sylvia Plath, Rainer Rilke, and Claudia Rankine.
The poems felt laden with pretense. While the author has impeccable craftsmanship, the writing itself felt a little dead or soulless. It was empty. Maybe I didn’t understand them well enough.
Other readers may love the references in this volume, but it was not for me.
The poems felt laden with pretense. While the author has impeccable craftsmanship, the writing itself felt a little dead or soulless. It was empty. Maybe I didn’t understand them well enough.
Other readers may love the references in this volume, but it was not for me.
December 28, 2024
“Those / were the days god spoke to my people / face to face”
“We go on faith that others know / the silent contracts we keep with them.”
“We go on faith that others know / the silent contracts we keep with them.”
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews