These Are Strange Times, My Dear: Field Notes From the Republic

by Wendy Willis

In these pointed and wide-ranging essays, Wendy Willis explores everything from personal resistance to the rise of political podcasts, civic loneliness to the exploitation of personal data, public outrage to the opioid crisis―all with a poet's gift for finding the sacred in the mundane, a hope in the dark.


One of the country's sharpest observers of politics, art, and the American spirit, Willis returns often to the demanding question posed by Czech writer, activist, and politician Václav Havel: What does it mean to live in truth? Her view is honed by her place as a poet, as a mother, and, when necessary, as an activist. Together, the essays in These Are Strange Times, My Dear work within that largely unmapped place where the heartbreaks and uncertainties of one's inner life brush up against the cruelties and responsibilities of politics and government and our daily lives.

Genres: Nonfiction

315 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2019

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Counterpoint Press for my gifted review copy.

I really enjoyed this book of essays. Wendy is a very gifted writer with an ability to tap into the political climate & discuss things in a way I never could.

I love the length of the essays too. Perfect for a quick read to think about.

[Josephine Ensign · Rating 3 out of 5]

An uneven collection of essays yet interesting nonetheless. Some were overly "ranting" and not saying anything new. The essays which were really art reviews fell flat since even she admitted she is not qualified to be an art critic.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite essay said all the things about "emotional labor" that I'd never put to words, but which sat at the pit of my stomach every time I heard the term used.

[Y.Poston]

Comforting read for anyone questioning the air we all seem to be breathing right now.
Excellent exploration of poetry and the role of artists in difficult eras of history.