Noose and Hook

by Lynn Emanuel

“I have long believed that Lynn Emanuel is one of the most innovative and subversive poets now writing in America. Her aesthetic and artistic choices consistently invoke a complex hybrid poetics that radically reimagines the shape of our poetic discourse. The brilliant, shattering, and disturbing poems of Noose and Hook are not only wry critiques of recent poetic and cultural activity in this country but also compelling signposts to what yet might be possible in our future. This is Lynn Emanuel's most exquisite and powerful book yet.”―David St. John

Genres: Poetry

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Katie Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written book. I had a chance to hear Lynn Emmanuel read from Part 2, "The Mongrelogues" and was entranced: I was afraid to discover it on the page. But fear not! It was just as good on tree pulp. The sense of sound throughout the book is unholy good, and despite the feverish, nightmarish, post-apocolyptic subject matter, a great energy and hunger for the better things in life ("martinis, fillets and cigarettes, tea sandwiches") persists.

[Erika Schoeps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't finish, and couldn't really bring myself to finish. I gave this two stars because I think that this work has potential, and I really like Lynn Emanuel. The poetry in Noose and Hook is experimental and opaque, and I just couldn't get interested enough to devote my time to any sort of extensive reading or analysis. Maybe I'll pick this up again some other time.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book of poetry, but Emmanuel bizarrely opens with her weakest poems.

[Darlene Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these are fantastic. The long dog poem in the middle didn't do much for me. Yeah, cute idea. The end.

[Erica Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong collection of surprising, well-crafted poems. The dog play in the middle is one of the most (successfully) innovative sequences I've read in quite some time.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good poems here that evoke exhaustion, burnout, and a general sense of malaise, but the extended poem in the middle told from a dog's point of view seems out of place and reads as a gimmick that isn't tied to anything else in the collection.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars isn't a bad rating, it means I liked it. There were some poems I really loved and I will come back to again. Overall, though, I wasn't as won over as Emanuel's book Then Suddenly (which was great, I recommend reading it before this one).

[Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but sort of disappointing. She's a bright author, and there are some excellent pieces. But overall it feels short and shallow for someone that seems to have a great deal of potential.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

naaaaah

[Matt Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read my review of this book and others, please visit:

http://miscmss.blogspot.com/2012/12/t...

[Roy White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a piece about my favorite poem from this book:
http://lippenheimer.wordpress.com/201...