Boneshaker

by Jan Beatty

In hard-hitting, sophisticated, often lyrical language, Jan Beatty investigates the idea of the body as cultural machine, shelter, mirage, or home. She rescripts the birth scene with girders and industrial pulleys; the womb as inhabited by a young girl architect. Structurally adventurous, the poems in Boneshaker question icons and invoke taboos, connect desire with place and class, walk the tightrope between sex and love.

Genres: Poetry, Fiction

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Julene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poetry rocks! Sharp driven poetry that addresses working class, family, sex.

In "The Waitress Angels Speak to me in a Vision" she writes: "You've heard of/dust to dust, well this was dust to angels,/but these were real women with hard faces,/ lifers in white, these were tough broads,/broads with cigarettes, pockets full of/guest checks and loose change—sassy babes/with big hair, gravelly laughs and downtown talk,/smackin each other on the back, saying,/"Honey, you're full of shit," the whole time/my chest bursting with pride and relief/at the end of virginal blue, pressed palms,/and bowed heads. Death to Silent Acceptance!"

In "Speaking Corvette" she writes: "He's Italian, can't speak English/but we both speak Corvette—sleek rounded fins,/scalloped side cut-out/silver spinner hubcaps,//closest thing to sex I know at 16—//I don't know Italian for wet between my legs,/but I feel it on the leather seats."

She has blurbs by Sandra Cisneros, Bruce Weigl, Lynn Emanuel & Gerald Stern. Gerald writes: "There is a school of poetry where the poems have content, where they communicate, where beauty is not forgotten. It is about work, family, and the lost towns. Grief. Jan is a central figure in this school."

This book blows!

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Asked if it was good a couple of times, unfortunately by my teenage daughter and her friend, and had to tell them, i misstakenly borrowed it from the library, while ordering a book of similar title, but that i would not recommend it.
The poetry is dramatic, and the time to make you think, but very negitaive, the author repeatedly explains her pain in being a motherless child, who was abandoned, and left with a father who died of drink and abuse, and that she was inlove with women, and was abused by various men. very raw and very opinionated, hard for the average person to understand, more they type of poetry trying to push the boundries for the sake of pushing boundries.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty good. The writing is solid, and the characters are reasonably good. The world building is fairly excellent, and definitely my favorite part of this book.

My problem was I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters. I have this problem with some books, and this was one of them.

I did get through to the end, but knocked a star off an otherwise 4-star rating because this just wasn't a page-turner for me.

[Retha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Beatty's poems hit me where it hurts and it feels so good. She's raw and real and tender all at the same time.

[Patricia Jabbeh W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, wonderful poet. Jan makes poetry meaningful to our lives. Read her.

[Laura Desiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beatty writes honestly about things others refuse to try: sexual abuse and rape, poverty, ignorance, the holiness of outdoor sex and motorcycles.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This is slap in the face, wake the fuck up and smell the roses poetry. " Bruce Weigl