Naming a Hurricane

by Madeline Artenberg

Philip Larkin said that love is the rule of life, but that it's often proven negatively—we are as much shaped by love denied as love received. That double edge—dazzling human possibility, potential disappointment—is at the heart of Madeline Artenberg's powerful new book. A dried-out acorn becomes the token of lives "not fully lived." The unspoken nightmares of the Holocaust lie behind a father's punitive silence. A mother is "all kisses, all fists." Artenberg's feminist vision moves beyond the personal—we visit Greece and Guatemala—but the visceral figures of childhood return, humanized by time, "Now her eggshell hand tugs at my skirt." Monumental in its arc and canvas, Naming a Hurricane is the work of a lifetime. —D. Nurkse, author of A Country of Strangers

Madeline Artenberg's Naming a Hurricane, a terrific book of poetry, traces not only a life but the social changes impacting the speaker...from the innocence of pink pajamas to "hand-rolled joints," a woman's journey. Artenberg tells how packs of black dogs roam in Brooklyn as opposed to a kid and his dog she sees in the beloved movie theater, her escape. And even through glamorous travel, true escape is limited—as in "A Jew in Texas." This is where poetry comes in. Romance—young and older—and a keen eye for irony make Naming a Hurricane a wonderful debut! —Denise Duhamel, Guggenheim Fellow and author of Second Story

136 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2023

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly seductive, heartfelt collection follows the arc of a superstorm. Celebrating a life illuminated by poetry and passion, Artenberg names her hurricane, struggles through the storm, and triumphs as she metaphorically passes to the other side. This riveting and daring collection will not leave your hands until you have read it from cover to cover.

[Amy Barone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This poetry collection is fabulous, offering readers a mix of poignant and provocative works. I read several poems every morning and savored them