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About Time: Poems
From acclaimed author, actor, and singer-songwriterDavid Duchovny, a deeply personal, existential, and insightful debut poetry collection
DAVID DUCHOVNY'S DEBUT BOOK OF POETRY covers a range of intimate themes, in particular his relationship with his father, who looms large throughout the work. Here, Duchovny’s typically clever wordplay distills to an emotionally impactful portrayal of what the author holds most dear. His approach to poetry is beautifully encapsulated in his
Poetry is not useful. And that is exactly why we need it. It reminds us of two important our ultimate lack of agency (unpopular to say, I know) and our inability to say anything plain, our inability to capture what it means to be human with the imperfect tool of words; we come face-to-face with our shadow selves, for in the end we will all die and be forgotten, and come away with nothing, nothing in the way of utility anyway, no talking points, no bullet points, no propaganda, no resolutions, no policy, no knowledge. If anything, maybe we remember a few lines . . . something like a pop song from the collective unconscious, something like wisdom . . . You see, I wanted to say it plain, but out comes that torrent of modifiers and adjustments, denials, double negatives, shading, stabs at wit, backpedaling, playing at capturing the lightning. Maybe this time. Maybe that’s what a poem is—that glorious feeling of Maybe this time I’ll get it right. If that’s the case, it seems a worthy enterprise to me.
With About Time—perhaps his most personal work to date—Duchovny (author, actor, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, podcaster) continues his journey as one of our most prolific creators.
Front cover photo © Stefan Sappert
DAVID DUCHOVNY'S DEBUT BOOK OF POETRY covers a range of intimate themes, in particular his relationship with his father, who looms large throughout the work. Here, Duchovny’s typically clever wordplay distills to an emotionally impactful portrayal of what the author holds most dear. His approach to poetry is beautifully encapsulated in his
Poetry is not useful. And that is exactly why we need it. It reminds us of two important our ultimate lack of agency (unpopular to say, I know) and our inability to say anything plain, our inability to capture what it means to be human with the imperfect tool of words; we come face-to-face with our shadow selves, for in the end we will all die and be forgotten, and come away with nothing, nothing in the way of utility anyway, no talking points, no bullet points, no propaganda, no resolutions, no policy, no knowledge. If anything, maybe we remember a few lines . . . something like a pop song from the collective unconscious, something like wisdom . . . You see, I wanted to say it plain, but out comes that torrent of modifiers and adjustments, denials, double negatives, shading, stabs at wit, backpedaling, playing at capturing the lightning. Maybe this time. Maybe that’s what a poem is—that glorious feeling of Maybe this time I’ll get it right. If that’s the case, it seems a worthy enterprise to me.
With About Time—perhaps his most personal work to date—Duchovny (author, actor, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, podcaster) continues his journey as one of our most prolific creators.
Front cover photo © Stefan Sappert
84 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2025
17 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
David Duchovny
18 books1,335 followersBorn and raised in New York City David Duchovny earned an A.B. in English literature from Princeton University, and an ABD in English literature from Yale University. He was on the road to earning his Ph.D. when his interest in playwriting led him to acting. Subsequently, he emerged to become one of the most highly acclaimed actors in Hollywood.
Globally known for his roles in the Fox Television’s monster hit The X-Files and Showtime's Californication, David has made his way into our pop culture lexicon. David Duchovny remains the only actor to have won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television series in both the Comedy and Drama categories.
David Duchovny has published four novels, Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale (2015), a New York Times Bestseller; Bucky F*cking Dent (2016); Miss Subways (2018) and Truly Like Lightning (2021).
Additionally, David Duchovny has completed two studio albums, Hell or Highwater (2015) and Every Third Thought (2018), and his third album is slated for release in summer 2021.
Globally known for his roles in the Fox Television’s monster hit The X-Files and Showtime's Californication, David has made his way into our pop culture lexicon. David Duchovny remains the only actor to have won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television series in both the Comedy and Drama categories.
David Duchovny has published four novels, Holy Cow: A Modern-Day Dairy Tale (2015), a New York Times Bestseller; Bucky F*cking Dent (2016); Miss Subways (2018) and Truly Like Lightning (2021).
Additionally, David Duchovny has completed two studio albums, Hell or Highwater (2015) and Every Third Thought (2018), and his third album is slated for release in summer 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 16, 2025
”I worry your skin like a rosary.”
Who knew that Mulder could put so much heart and soul into his words. We knew that he was a smart-ass but this is completely different.
Poems aren’t something that I usually read. I feel as if I almost never full grasp what poets are trying to convey. It’s something that I want to enjoy though. Duchovny has opened my eyes to poetry that is right for me.
I feel as if he opened up his soul and barred it for the world to see. Like he wrapped us in a tight and welcoming hug. A hug he knew that we oh so desperately needed. His words were strong, beautiful, and a tad bit funny. I expected nothing else from this man. He’s a pure, kind-hearted genius.
Who knew that Mulder could put so much heart and soul into his words. We knew that he was a smart-ass but this is completely different.
Poems aren’t something that I usually read. I feel as if I almost never full grasp what poets are trying to convey. It’s something that I want to enjoy though. Duchovny has opened my eyes to poetry that is right for me.
I feel as if he opened up his soul and barred it for the world to see. Like he wrapped us in a tight and welcoming hug. A hug he knew that we oh so desperately needed. His words were strong, beautiful, and a tad bit funny. I expected nothing else from this man. He’s a pure, kind-hearted genius.
June 28, 2025
I went into this book with high hopes that, unfortunately, it did not live up to.
As always, let's start with the good. Duchovny has a unique voice and perspective that shines throughout the work. Much of this book feels like you’re a fly on the wall of his mind, as he remembers or ponders events in his life. Duchovny also delivers several powerful lines that I am sure we’ll see quoted in the future, such as:
"In these moments, I realize I am nothing but a recording of my own parents’ voices.”
"If your home is assembled poorly, you will be defined by what clings to you in your worst moments: your anger, your anchor."
When considering this book strictly as a poetical work, under the ideology outlined in the introduction that poetry is “useless and perfect, perfectly useless”, it had a high level of potential that was not realized. Most of the pieces feel more like early drafts than finished works. There are excellent lines in it that flow beautifully, distill some deep truth, or are relatable—but they are just that nice one-liners you have to dig for.
Unfortunately, Duchovny does not stick strictly to the realm of “perfectly useless” poetry. Frequently, he strays into philosophy and theology, often mixed haphazardly with lines that seem simply meant to shock, such as:
*They say the Big Bang happened when the devil told God to go fuck Himself.”
There’s even a piece where Duchovny writes from the perspective of God, offering lines like:
“I think maybe God is change,” and “They don't know they are praying to a dead star.”
For those who may be unfamiliar, these refer to St. Thomas Aquinas’ teachings on the immutability of God, more commonly referred to as one of his five proofs for the existence of God as the need for an “unmoved mover” and to Nietzsche’s declaration that “God is dead, and we have killed him.” While religion is a common topic in poetry, there was no meaningful discourse around these ideas; instead, they seemed thrown in merely to provoke.
All of this contributes to the unpolished feel of the work, but I think the most concrete example is when Duchovny attributes the quote “Angels can fly because they take themselves too lightly” to Nietzsche, when in fact it comes from G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy. This may not seem like a big deal, but in a book that begins by reminding us of his Yale education, then broaches big topics like existentialism, spirituality, and mortality, it is a big deal. Chesterton was a Catholic apologist well-known for opposing Nietzsche’s teachings, so to not only confuse their writing but allow the misquote to make it into a late-stage ARC shows a level of carelessness. While I know this isn’t being marketed as an academic work, the introduction and the weight of the topics it addresses do bring it into that sphere, making a misquote like this all the more glaring.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.
As always, let's start with the good. Duchovny has a unique voice and perspective that shines throughout the work. Much of this book feels like you’re a fly on the wall of his mind, as he remembers or ponders events in his life. Duchovny also delivers several powerful lines that I am sure we’ll see quoted in the future, such as:
"In these moments, I realize I am nothing but a recording of my own parents’ voices.”
"If your home is assembled poorly, you will be defined by what clings to you in your worst moments: your anger, your anchor."
When considering this book strictly as a poetical work, under the ideology outlined in the introduction that poetry is “useless and perfect, perfectly useless”, it had a high level of potential that was not realized. Most of the pieces feel more like early drafts than finished works. There are excellent lines in it that flow beautifully, distill some deep truth, or are relatable—but they are just that nice one-liners you have to dig for.
Unfortunately, Duchovny does not stick strictly to the realm of “perfectly useless” poetry. Frequently, he strays into philosophy and theology, often mixed haphazardly with lines that seem simply meant to shock, such as:
*They say the Big Bang happened when the devil told God to go fuck Himself.”
There’s even a piece where Duchovny writes from the perspective of God, offering lines like:
“I think maybe God is change,” and “They don't know they are praying to a dead star.”
For those who may be unfamiliar, these refer to St. Thomas Aquinas’ teachings on the immutability of God, more commonly referred to as one of his five proofs for the existence of God as the need for an “unmoved mover” and to Nietzsche’s declaration that “God is dead, and we have killed him.” While religion is a common topic in poetry, there was no meaningful discourse around these ideas; instead, they seemed thrown in merely to provoke.
All of this contributes to the unpolished feel of the work, but I think the most concrete example is when Duchovny attributes the quote “Angels can fly because they take themselves too lightly” to Nietzsche, when in fact it comes from G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy. This may not seem like a big deal, but in a book that begins by reminding us of his Yale education, then broaches big topics like existentialism, spirituality, and mortality, it is a big deal. Chesterton was a Catholic apologist well-known for opposing Nietzsche’s teachings, so to not only confuse their writing but allow the misquote to make it into a late-stage ARC shows a level of carelessness. While I know this isn’t being marketed as an academic work, the introduction and the weight of the topics it addresses do bring it into that sphere, making a misquote like this all the more glaring.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to review this book.
September 18, 2025
Mi-a plăcut mult. Mi-a făcut super bine să mă îndepărtez de ceea ce citesc de obicei și să mă îndrept către această cărticică.
Am găsit diverse teme filosofice pe lângă emoțiile specifice acestui gen. Unele mi-au dat de gândit, iar altele m-au uimit prin simpla lor formulare. E clar că autorul e un om al cuvântului căci are o expresivitate aparte.
Singurul lucru care m-a deranjat oarecum a fost că am dat și peste niște poezii destul de copilărești, superficiale pe lângă celelalte.
De asemenea, aș fi vrut să fie un volum puțin mai lung. Am simțit că s-a terminat mult prea repede.
În concluzie, mă bucur că am ajuns la acest volum. A fost o surpriză foarte plăcută.
Am găsit diverse teme filosofice pe lângă emoțiile specifice acestui gen. Unele mi-au dat de gândit, iar altele m-au uimit prin simpla lor formulare. E clar că autorul e un om al cuvântului căci are o expresivitate aparte.
Singurul lucru care m-a deranjat oarecum a fost că am dat și peste niște poezii destul de copilărești, superficiale pe lângă celelalte.
De asemenea, aș fi vrut să fie un volum puțin mai lung. Am simțit că s-a terminat mult prea repede.
În concluzie, mă bucur că am ajuns la acest volum. A fost o surpriză foarte plăcută.
September 7, 2025
Some of these genuinely touched me, but overall this collection felt cynical rather than poignant or meaningful. I'm sure some people will love this; it's just that my personal preference when I read poetry is to revel in the sound and rhythm of the language and images while also being left with an idea or feeling that lingers with me, and too many in this collection gave me none of that. It often felt a bit arrogant, like it felt it was more clever and poignant than it was...I also just don't need to see the F word so many times in a poem. To me it doesn't feel daring or powerful to use that word in 2025
...just lazy and crude. I love Duchovny, and I wish I had loved this more.
...just lazy and crude. I love Duchovny, and I wish I had loved this more.
September 17, 2025
I don't really know why I read (listened to) this other than a vague curiosity. There are a few genuinely good poems and a good line here and there, and he does some fun things with voice, but otherwise it's all just a bit cringe. The essay at the start is quite embarrassing unfortunately.
August 17, 2025
I truly love David's writing. This book of poetry was 99% good and I normally don't like poetry. There's a lot in here about his father and it's very emotional. All in all a decent read.
December 11, 2025
Favorite poems: Evergreen, Leaving Los Angeles, A Dream
June 29, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Akashic Books, Ltd. for an advance copy of collection of poems dealing with time and its many enemies, regret, the past, the future, and what are place has meant to us and others.
I found poetry late in my reading career. After high school even after college. I think it is because poetry has always had the cachet of being difficult. Words have different meanings, poems come in styles like A,B, A,B C, and Z. This is this kind of poem, this is a classic poem. People tend to make things difficult, gatekeeping something that doesn't need gatekeeping. Meanwhile all around is is poetry. Advertising catch phrases, political slogans, song lyrics, rap lyrics and more. All convey emotion, make us feel a certain way. The writer of this work, David Duchovny talks about this in the introduction to his work. How he used to write poems to impress young ladies, it wasn't until writing song lyrics that he saw the power and the mystery that poems could have, and how we need to look for poems to help ourselves find our ways in this world. Which is something I agree with. Why poetry, why now. Why not. About Time: Poems, is written by the multi-talented actor, writer, singer, songwriter and offers views into his world, our world, and the world we wish we could have.
The introduction is very interesting a rundown of what poetry means to the author, and how writing song lyrics and poetry while sounding similar are totally different kinds of beasts. The poems that follow deal with a variety of subjects close to all of us. Walking with his child in the woods, and seeing a dead animal. Dealing with the death of his father in a few works. Dealing with family problems, divorce, detachment, divides, even a bit of jealousy. There are a few poems looking back at a world that seemed bright and full of promise, to a future with COVID and political uncertainty by the day. The poems range in size from very short to a few pages, to heartfelt and kind of funny. Even weird.
I enjoyed the collection quite a bit, and not because I have been a fan of the actor since his Red Shoe Diaries days. Yes that is a deep cut. Duchovny has a very nice writing style, familiar from his numerous books, which I recommend with a droll sense of humor, and a maturity that is allowing him to look at his life and comment on it. One can see the raw places, the talks about his family, his father, and yet there is a hope a feeling that even this shall pass, not forgotten, but maybe not painful at some point. Duchovny draws on a lot of things, the Bible, song lyrics, I never thought I would see who's zooming who in a book of poetry, to create his works. Quite a few of them I hope I can remember, including one about not remembering how a joke goes and screwing up a story over and over. I liked that one, as much about it spoke to me in these odd times of fake news, and being told what the truth is.
This is a short collection. As I said if one reads this, one should read his books, as they are equally good, weird, and thought provoking. I knew vaguely that Duchovny has a music career, now I will have to check that out, just to see how good Duchovny's lyrics are. A fine collection of works for fans of poems, and for fans of Duchovny.
I found poetry late in my reading career. After high school even after college. I think it is because poetry has always had the cachet of being difficult. Words have different meanings, poems come in styles like A,B, A,B C, and Z. This is this kind of poem, this is a classic poem. People tend to make things difficult, gatekeeping something that doesn't need gatekeeping. Meanwhile all around is is poetry. Advertising catch phrases, political slogans, song lyrics, rap lyrics and more. All convey emotion, make us feel a certain way. The writer of this work, David Duchovny talks about this in the introduction to his work. How he used to write poems to impress young ladies, it wasn't until writing song lyrics that he saw the power and the mystery that poems could have, and how we need to look for poems to help ourselves find our ways in this world. Which is something I agree with. Why poetry, why now. Why not. About Time: Poems, is written by the multi-talented actor, writer, singer, songwriter and offers views into his world, our world, and the world we wish we could have.
The introduction is very interesting a rundown of what poetry means to the author, and how writing song lyrics and poetry while sounding similar are totally different kinds of beasts. The poems that follow deal with a variety of subjects close to all of us. Walking with his child in the woods, and seeing a dead animal. Dealing with the death of his father in a few works. Dealing with family problems, divorce, detachment, divides, even a bit of jealousy. There are a few poems looking back at a world that seemed bright and full of promise, to a future with COVID and political uncertainty by the day. The poems range in size from very short to a few pages, to heartfelt and kind of funny. Even weird.
I enjoyed the collection quite a bit, and not because I have been a fan of the actor since his Red Shoe Diaries days. Yes that is a deep cut. Duchovny has a very nice writing style, familiar from his numerous books, which I recommend with a droll sense of humor, and a maturity that is allowing him to look at his life and comment on it. One can see the raw places, the talks about his family, his father, and yet there is a hope a feeling that even this shall pass, not forgotten, but maybe not painful at some point. Duchovny draws on a lot of things, the Bible, song lyrics, I never thought I would see who's zooming who in a book of poetry, to create his works. Quite a few of them I hope I can remember, including one about not remembering how a joke goes and screwing up a story over and over. I liked that one, as much about it spoke to me in these odd times of fake news, and being told what the truth is.
This is a short collection. As I said if one reads this, one should read his books, as they are equally good, weird, and thought provoking. I knew vaguely that Duchovny has a music career, now I will have to check that out, just to see how good Duchovny's lyrics are. A fine collection of works for fans of poems, and for fans of Duchovny.
August 6, 2025
I know what you’re thinking: just what the world needs now–a bunch of poems from an actor. from About Time by David Duchovny
Here is the truth: other than Chaplin, which I haven’t seen since it was in the movie theater, I haven’t seen anything that David Duchovny acted in, and I know little about him. So, I approached this book on it’s own merits and not as a ‘fan’.
The Introduction, A Poetic Autobiography, is an impressive, wide ranging commentary on poetry. Duchovny quotes poets on poetry, and talks about his own motivation for writing. He notes his educational background, which is impressive. And he speaks to what poetry is to him: “All poems are about love and death.”
Because these poems are quite personal, not all spoke to me. There are some notable turns of phrases and little insights sprinkled throughout. The poems are diverse, some with humor, confessional poems, more intellectual ones. There are ‘quotes’ scattered throughout, rewritten, such as this from Shakespeare: “A tale edited by an idiot, full of surround sound and fury, dignifying nothing.”
The first poem that caught me so I reread it was Carbon Canyon in which he describes a walk with his young daughter and coming across a dead mouse on the road. At first I thought, not another roadkill poem. But it surprised me and I found myself relating to it and moved by it. The narrator saw only death, but the child saw an act of love.
I also appreciated the poems in which he deals with grief for his father’s loss, his continual need for him.
In Moonrise, the Earth and Moon have been torn apart but are “trapped by one another, in one another,” “the ever-ongoing/reconciliation of loss” like human lost love.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
Here is the truth: other than Chaplin, which I haven’t seen since it was in the movie theater, I haven’t seen anything that David Duchovny acted in, and I know little about him. So, I approached this book on it’s own merits and not as a ‘fan’.
The Introduction, A Poetic Autobiography, is an impressive, wide ranging commentary on poetry. Duchovny quotes poets on poetry, and talks about his own motivation for writing. He notes his educational background, which is impressive. And he speaks to what poetry is to him: “All poems are about love and death.”
Because these poems are quite personal, not all spoke to me. There are some notable turns of phrases and little insights sprinkled throughout. The poems are diverse, some with humor, confessional poems, more intellectual ones. There are ‘quotes’ scattered throughout, rewritten, such as this from Shakespeare: “A tale edited by an idiot, full of surround sound and fury, dignifying nothing.”
The first poem that caught me so I reread it was Carbon Canyon in which he describes a walk with his young daughter and coming across a dead mouse on the road. At first I thought, not another roadkill poem. But it surprised me and I found myself relating to it and moved by it. The narrator saw only death, but the child saw an act of love.
I also appreciated the poems in which he deals with grief for his father’s loss, his continual need for him.
In Moonrise, the Earth and Moon have been torn apart but are “trapped by one another, in one another,” “the ever-ongoing/reconciliation of loss” like human lost love.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
October 1, 2025
I have been challenging myself to read more poetry; I have adored David Duchovny since he was Fox Mulder; without a doubt, I was going to read his book of poetry.
Even though I have written my fair share of it, I admit, I don't always "get" poetry; I know often it means more to the writer than to the reader. There were some lines of poetry that I more than understood, there were many more that I did not. That's okay. Maybe in a year when I read it again, I'll see what stands out to me then.
In the mean time, I'm still going to give this 5 stars because putting yourself out there can be a scary thing to do, even for as big of a celebrity as David Duchovny. Just because I don't "get it" right now, doesn't mean there won't be plenty of others who will.
#ReadMoreBooks #NewYearsIntentions #Bookworm #BookDragon #SupportYourLocalLibrary #KindleBasic #AboutTime #AboutTimePoems #Poetry #DavidDuchovny #FiveStars #HandsOfSerenity #HospiceMassage #EndOfLifeMassage #PalliativeMassage #PediatricMassage #MassageInSchoolsProgram #MassageInSchoolsAssociation #DragonReiki #Reiki #DeathDoula #EndOfLifePlanningAdvocate #DeathEducation #Dying #Death #DeathCompanion #DoTheWork #ForEverAfterMinistry #RevChrissi #OrdainedMinister
Even though I have written my fair share of it, I admit, I don't always "get" poetry; I know often it means more to the writer than to the reader. There were some lines of poetry that I more than understood, there were many more that I did not. That's okay. Maybe in a year when I read it again, I'll see what stands out to me then.
In the mean time, I'm still going to give this 5 stars because putting yourself out there can be a scary thing to do, even for as big of a celebrity as David Duchovny. Just because I don't "get it" right now, doesn't mean there won't be plenty of others who will.
#ReadMoreBooks #NewYearsIntentions #Bookworm #BookDragon #SupportYourLocalLibrary #KindleBasic #AboutTime #AboutTimePoems #Poetry #DavidDuchovny #FiveStars #HandsOfSerenity #HospiceMassage #EndOfLifeMassage #PalliativeMassage #PediatricMassage #MassageInSchoolsProgram #MassageInSchoolsAssociation #DragonReiki #Reiki #DeathDoula #EndOfLifePlanningAdvocate #DeathEducation #Dying #Death #DeathCompanion #DoTheWork #ForEverAfterMinistry #RevChrissi #OrdainedMinister
August 6, 2025
Well educated and well versed in the mechanics of poetry, David Duchovny delivered a book of poetry filled with pain and disappointment. I have Major Depressive Syndrome and I am able read accounts of life spent in concentration camps but this poetry is not meant for me, it is too intense, a little obscure and leaves me in the feeling of descending into horror.
There is one poem that really sticks in my mind, Carbon Canyon. In the poem, the author is walking with his very young daughter (2 to 4 years old) and they come upon a mouse that has been run over by a car. He wants to go away because he cannot stand the sight of death. A group of ants converge on the mouse, he wants to leave, but his daughter says no. There are so many ants and they love the mouse.
I thought about the mouse for some time after reading the poem. The author described the carnage. And his daughter saw it differntly. The mouse is feast for the ants, so if ants can be happy (we don't know yet) they must be very happy. The mouse died, his body doesn't belong to it anymore, the ants are cleaning up the road. Maybe the mouse had a good life until its sudden death. I see it differently too!
There is one poem that really sticks in my mind, Carbon Canyon. In the poem, the author is walking with his very young daughter (2 to 4 years old) and they come upon a mouse that has been run over by a car. He wants to go away because he cannot stand the sight of death. A group of ants converge on the mouse, he wants to leave, but his daughter says no. There are so many ants and they love the mouse.
I thought about the mouse for some time after reading the poem. The author described the carnage. And his daughter saw it differntly. The mouse is feast for the ants, so if ants can be happy (we don't know yet) they must be very happy. The mouse died, his body doesn't belong to it anymore, the ants are cleaning up the road. Maybe the mouse had a good life until its sudden death. I see it differently too!
July 27, 2025
I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.
And I think that I shall never read a poet as lovely as Duchovny.
Sorry not sorry for my ham fisted attempt at poetry. I am by no means a poet or even well-read when it comes to poetry. So why am I writing a review of About Time? Because I’ve been a fan of David Duchovny for decades & his writing for years. Put aside any preconceived notions of “David the actor.” In my admittedly inexpert opinion, he knows what he’s doing when he puts pen to paper. This is really his second published set of poems, a few of these made it into a limited run chapbook that came with his novella The Reservoir. I kinda wish About Time had the year he wrote each of the poems. He once said he had been writing poetry for decades, so it would be interesting to see how his writing has evolved. Which of these have been hiding in a desk drawer for years, which are new? A lifetime in poetry. Not the rhyming stanzas kind. The thoughts on paper that make you think kind. I hope he keeps writing & sharing with us.
And I think that I shall never read a poet as lovely as Duchovny.
Sorry not sorry for my ham fisted attempt at poetry. I am by no means a poet or even well-read when it comes to poetry. So why am I writing a review of About Time? Because I’ve been a fan of David Duchovny for decades & his writing for years. Put aside any preconceived notions of “David the actor.” In my admittedly inexpert opinion, he knows what he’s doing when he puts pen to paper. This is really his second published set of poems, a few of these made it into a limited run chapbook that came with his novella The Reservoir. I kinda wish About Time had the year he wrote each of the poems. He once said he had been writing poetry for decades, so it would be interesting to see how his writing has evolved. Which of these have been hiding in a desk drawer for years, which are new? A lifetime in poetry. Not the rhyming stanzas kind. The thoughts on paper that make you think kind. I hope he keeps writing & sharing with us.
September 5, 2025
For my friends who like celebrity memoirs in poetry form.
Epiphanies while listening to ABOUT TIME: POEMS by David Duchovny
🎧Thanks, @prhaudio, for the #gifted audiobook. #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored
1. A 90s-era crush on an actor is not enough to sustain a book of poetry.
1a. Exception: Matthew McConaughey
1b. Exception: David Duchovny
2. DD’s voice is still scratchy, soulful-eyed perfection.
3. I can, will, and do judge a book by its cover.
4. DD and Téa Leoni split up? I had no idea (Google: in 2017).
5. I absorb and appreciate poetry via eye more than ear.
5a. Exception: Matthew McConaughey
5b. Exception: David Duchovny
6. DD has a clever way with words, both his and fun riffs on others’. “A tale edited by an idiot, full of surround sound and fury, dignifying nothing.”
7. I don’t know enough about poetry to know if this is good poetry.
8. But I liked it.
9. This “review” is probably longer than the entire book.
10. I can’t end a list with only nine items. There must be ten.
Epiphanies while listening to ABOUT TIME: POEMS by David Duchovny
🎧Thanks, @prhaudio, for the #gifted audiobook. #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored
1. A 90s-era crush on an actor is not enough to sustain a book of poetry.
1a. Exception: Matthew McConaughey
1b. Exception: David Duchovny
2. DD’s voice is still scratchy, soulful-eyed perfection.
3. I can, will, and do judge a book by its cover.
4. DD and Téa Leoni split up? I had no idea (Google: in 2017).
5. I absorb and appreciate poetry via eye more than ear.
5a. Exception: Matthew McConaughey
5b. Exception: David Duchovny
6. DD has a clever way with words, both his and fun riffs on others’. “A tale edited by an idiot, full of surround sound and fury, dignifying nothing.”
7. I don’t know enough about poetry to know if this is good poetry.
8. But I liked it.
9. This “review” is probably longer than the entire book.
10. I can’t end a list with only nine items. There must be ten.
August 16, 2025
Mr. Duchovny offered various interpretations of poetry in his introduction: from the mouths of literary giants he plucked and plied and reshaped their souls into satirical, heartfelt, personal clarity; used them as road maps to give voice to his meaning and yearning.
I've yet to find the words that mark what I'm seeking when dabbling with the neighbor of prose. But his book brings me a little closer to that mystery-- for which I am not only entertained but grateful. Powerful and raw, his emotions and language meld beautifully with his disclosures.
"But it is exactly that humble spirit of gorgeous limitations in which I offer these poems. The spirit of uselessness and beauty. The spirit of memory and forgetting and of thresholds honored and crossed. My deepest hope, one I'm a fool for saying out loud, is that they give you nothing of worldly worth and you can't get enough of them.
David Duchovny
6/1/25"
I've yet to find the words that mark what I'm seeking when dabbling with the neighbor of prose. But his book brings me a little closer to that mystery-- for which I am not only entertained but grateful. Powerful and raw, his emotions and language meld beautifully with his disclosures.
"But it is exactly that humble spirit of gorgeous limitations in which I offer these poems. The spirit of uselessness and beauty. The spirit of memory and forgetting and of thresholds honored and crossed. My deepest hope, one I'm a fool for saying out loud, is that they give you nothing of worldly worth and you can't get enough of them.
David Duchovny
6/1/25"
September 6, 2025
This intimate collection reflects on themes of love, loss, memory, and the quiet passage of time. The poems explore the people who have shaped the author’s life—his parents, children, and lovers. Some pieces are brief and impactful, while others feel more like a conversation. One poem contemplates the experience of watching his children gain independence, while another honors his late father, expressing both admiration and a sense of regret. Several poems explore the challenges of aging.
The author writes with clarity and warmth, incorporating humor even in the most somber moments. The poems read like a reflection on life’s experiences—parenthood, memory, and aging. They remind us of what we carry with us and what we choose to let go.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
The author writes with clarity and warmth, incorporating humor even in the most somber moments. The poems read like a reflection on life’s experiences—parenthood, memory, and aging. They remind us of what we carry with us and what we choose to let go.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
June 17, 2025
Duchnovny, one of the best educated American actors, has become quite a Rennaissance Man in his later year. I knew he was a writer, just didn't know he wrote poetry too. But that tracks.
This slender volume is at least as self-indulgent as most poetry, if not more. The cover is Duchnovny's handsomely aging mug, the contents are deeply personal. A significant chunk of the book is taken up by various praise for his prose work. There there's a huge foreword by the author - likely my favorite part of the book.
And yes, he is intelligent and erudite -- all that Ivy league education has paid off.
So that's already a third of the book. The rest are poems. And they are somewhat uneven. At best, he does create some haunting imagery, and every so often there's a potent sentence that strikes a chord. Which is pretty good for such a small book.
Thanks Netgalley.
This slender volume is at least as self-indulgent as most poetry, if not more. The cover is Duchnovny's handsomely aging mug, the contents are deeply personal. A significant chunk of the book is taken up by various praise for his prose work. There there's a huge foreword by the author - likely my favorite part of the book.
And yes, he is intelligent and erudite -- all that Ivy league education has paid off.
So that's already a third of the book. The rest are poems. And they are somewhat uneven. At best, he does create some haunting imagery, and every so often there's a potent sentence that strikes a chord. Which is pretty good for such a small book.
Thanks Netgalley.
August 3, 2025
Duchovny's unique voice and highly individual take on poetry comes through consistently in this collection. At times, his other talents in other creative media are clearly influences on the structure and nature the poems, whether that's music (something he attempts to address in the introduction) or directing/screenwriting. There's certainly repeated themes about and musings regarding God/religion, fatherhood, love, and aging/mortality...none of which are surprising I think considering the source. The introduction definitely reflects his deep academic knowledge of the form and subject, though the collection of poems itself is a bit uneven. I think a few pieces could have been a bit more refined, but overall an enjoyable and interesting view on a multi-faceted man that I think has at least a few pieces I'll find myself returning to.
June 7, 2025
Perhaps what the world needs now is a reminder that, every once in a while, it's okay to rest in uselessness and beauty. I never would have imagined that it would be David Duchovny giving us this reminder, but here we are! :)
The book opens with an introduction by the author that focuses on all things poetry and how he came to be writing it in the first place. The poems themselves are surprisingly and delightfully inviting to everyone, they reek of real world, they recognize the humanity in everyday things. This doesn't read like a vanity project and I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised by that. This ended up being one of the best books of poetry that I've read all year.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book opens with an introduction by the author that focuses on all things poetry and how he came to be writing it in the first place. The poems themselves are surprisingly and delightfully inviting to everyone, they reek of real world, they recognize the humanity in everyday things. This doesn't read like a vanity project and I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised by that. This ended up being one of the best books of poetry that I've read all year.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2025
David Duchovny has shown that he has a dark, humorous and sometimes morbid side but with this collection of poetry I felt as if this was a darker, more intimate side that we hadn't fully heard from him before. I thought of his first album Hell or Highwater and the journey of divorce and was lost in the tales of a young boy trying to find his way. This was a very touching and thought provoking read and will revisit after it all sinks in. I love the mix of serious heartbreaking words and ones that will have you laughing from one page to the next but deep in thought at the same time! Definitely worth giving it a read.
July 12, 2025
Thank you Edelweiss and Akashic Books for this ARC! This is the first time I've read any of Duchovny's works. And although I am not a professional poet and/or poetry critic, I have read my fair share of celebrity poetry books. This ranks high up there for me! I can tell Duchovny has an appreciation and mind for poetry. I feel like with celebrities-turned-poets, often times many of their poems read as emotional spewage meant for a diary rather than a piece of art. With this collection however, many seemed well thought-out and well-written. My favorites were "Hope You're God" and "Like a Pet Rock".
November 4, 2025
It's hard to rate a book of poetry. There are usually poems you like...poems you don't like...poems that make you feel and that you relate to...poems that sail right over your head and don't touch you at all. I found all of these types in David Duchovny's collection. The only definite thing I can tell you is--don't think you'll be reading anything upbeat and sunny. Cynicism and regret and a kind of resigned pessimism are woven into a lot of these poems. They are well-written, but don't project the slightest bit of better times to come.
Read
December 1, 2025It always feels weird to me to review poetry because it's so deeply personal, not just to the author to but to the reader as well. I've long been a fan of Duchovny, both as an actor and as a writer. The introduction was pretentious word salad, but some of the poems really resonated. I loved "Carbon Canyon" and "Homesick for Mystery." I was not a fan of "God is a Changed Man." (I'm not sure if it was supposed to be an homage to Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower or if it was an unknowing rip-off, but that didn't sit well with me.)
Despite some criticisms, overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much of this I enjoyed.
Despite some criticisms, overall I was pleasantly surprised by how much of this I enjoyed.
October 24, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the review copy.
2.5 stars. I had really high hopes for this collection and I found it fell really flat. I found the “poems” hard to follow and more of a stream of consciousness trying to be edgey type of writing that was overall unpolished and too rough around the edges for me. I feel like this collection spent more time trying to be profound than trying to write cohesive poems.
2.5 stars. I had really high hopes for this collection and I found it fell really flat. I found the “poems” hard to follow and more of a stream of consciousness trying to be edgey type of writing that was overall unpolished and too rough around the edges for me. I feel like this collection spent more time trying to be profound than trying to write cohesive poems.
November 14, 2025
I’m back with my main man DD’s latest book. I’m not into poetry. AT. ALL. I’m a neophyte when it comes to poems, aside from the ones I read to my kindergarten class, and those all rhyme. 🤣 That being said, there were quite a few that really stood out for me in this collection, and while I couldn’t personally connect to much of it, I actually enjoyed this one, as I could *hear* his voice in them. And he looks really hot on the cover. 😆😆😆😆
April 26, 2025
I haven't read David Duchovny's novels, and as a [recovered, snobby, ex-]academic, I've never been impressed by his ABD status...until now. This is the effort of a poet who learned from Harold Bloom and knows how to lean into Milton, reference the Brontes, and still remain committed to a vernacular that pulsates, at times wildly, with a desire to say something beyond the reach of words. Playful yet whipsmart, Duchovny's poetry stands alone (but why not watch a few old X-Files episodes or listen to Bree Sharp's 90s song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC149... as a reminder that hecontains multitudes?).
November 2, 2025
This book was just how you would put everything in your heart on paper! It was amazing writing that was very sweet, heartfelt and enjoyable. I am hopeful that David will continue to write suck beautiful poems. I felt a glimpse into his life with reading such personal poetry. Highly recommend especially if you love true from the heart poetry!
December 13, 2025
There's definitely more to David Duchovny than playing Mulder on the X-Files! I understand that Duchovny has written novels and poems. I picked up this book at the library and enjoyed his work. There's definitely an academic vibe along with vulnerability in this body of poetry. Although I had to look up a few words, the book was enjoyable to read. I highly recommend this book!
June 30, 2025
About Time: Poems (Hardcover)
by David Duchovny
This phenomenal actor uses his fame as a platform to bring his thoughts to his fans. The poems are varied and thematically different. He uses imagery and word twists to bring a perspective to life. His poems are obscure and vivid.
by David Duchovny
This phenomenal actor uses his fame as a platform to bring his thoughts to his fans. The poems are varied and thematically different. He uses imagery and word twists to bring a perspective to life. His poems are obscure and vivid.
September 4, 2025
This was my first time ever reading a book of poetry. In my opinion this book was good enough for me but I might need another read though to fully appreciate it. His writing is still amazing. I just think that one should have more depth of reading poetry to fully appreciate this one.
September 7, 2025
I’m not always a fan of poetry, but I found this collection quite enjoyable! It’s an entertaining mix of “serious” and “funny” poems (love the one about Cupid). I’m definitely going to have to reread this book and revisit these poems again.
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