Cold

by A.D. Carson

Cold is Carson's first novel, written in sensitive prose, striking poetry, reflected in the mystique of Hip-Hop, all highlighting this author's condiserable talent. Attentive to those who came before, Carson adds his own voice to the culture. His is not a timid voice. Through memorable characters challenging conventional thought, Cold is a coming-of-age novel, a commentary on culture, a love story.

Genres: Poetry

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 24, 2011

About the author

A.D. CARSON was born in Decatur, Illinois. He received a B.A. in Education and Creative Writing from Millikin University and M.A. in English from the University of Illinois, Springfield. He is a high school educator whose only aspiration as a high school student was to become a professional rapper. After releasing two albums independently and living out his rap dreams he chose education as a professional career. He has never lost his Hip-Hop ties, however, using his unique career path and avocations to engage students and audiences of all ages and disciplines. He continues bridging the gap between the music and literature through teaching, performing and conducting workshops. An educator, author, and performance artist, he has written hundreds of unpublished poems, stories, songs, and other tangentially related pieces, some of which he shares on his website, AydeeTheGreat.com. His first album, Writer’s Block, was released in 2000, followed by Aristotle XIV in 2002, White T-Shirt [EP] in 2004, Cold World Mix Tape Volume 1 in 2010, Cold World Mix Tape Volume 2 and Cold in 2011. The recipient of the Grace Patton Conant Award for Literary Creation, A.D. Carson’s work has appeared in Collage and The Alchemist’s Review and Quiddity International Literary Journal and Public-Radio Program. He currently serves as Writer-In-Residence for Benedictine University at Springfield. Additionally, his essay, Oedipus-Not-So-Complex: A Blueprint for Literary Education, appears as a chapter in the critical reader, Jay-Z: Essays on Hip Hop’s Philosopher King (McFarland Press, 2011). His first novel, COLD, is available from Mayhaven Publishing, Inc. His newest collection, The City: [un]poems, thoughts, rhymes and miscellany, is forthcoming from Mayhaven Publishing, Inc. A.D. Carson's audio projects can be purchased at amazon.com or on iTunes.

Reviews

[Blake E. Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

COLD: a Novel by A.D. Carson is a multi-layered narrative comprised of something for everyone. I'll start off by saying that this is the most Hip-Hop book I've ever read but it rarely, if ever, comes right out and admits it. It's a coming of age story, told through brilliantly-veiled allegory, about how Hip-Hop played an integral role in the life of A.D.

One of COLD's greatest attributes is its ability to flawlessly, and simultaneously, tell two different stories at the exact same time. On the surface, it's an enthralling love story but once it's put under a microscope, you realize that it's the story of how A.D. pursued Hip-Hop and what happened before, during, and after. When times were sad, he vented to Hip-Hop. When times were good, he rejoiced with Hip-Hop. When there was no one else to turn to or no other place to go, he turned to Hip-Hop.

I stated that it's comprised of something for everyone because the narrative is driven by poetry, prose and song. Each element would surely be impressive as standalones but they really shine as a cohesive collective. COLD is accompanied by an album bearing the same name and you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not listening to it as the novel urges you to along the way. It really adds to the overall experience in a positive way.

To be completely honest, this is one of the most uniquely written novels I've ever read. And that's definitely a good thing. If I had a complaint at all, it would be the longing for more narrative & dialogue during some poetry/song heavy points but one could argue that it's good to be left wanting more.

Overall, this is a book I'd recommend reading twice. No exceptions. I'd go out on a limb and state that you absolutely can't get everything you need to get out of COLD without reading it more than once. You'll definitely enjoy reading it on the surface but you won't fully see what A.D. is trying to show you until you begin to read it with a different set of eyes, a deeper train of thought, and a constant mindset of how every single thing he's telling you relates to Hip-Hop. And I mean every single thing.

[Shawna]

If you haven't read this yet you should.