This compelling collection of poems captures the essence of growing up in a fractured home. It is written with a deep sense of urgency by an extremely talented and seasoned poet who takes ownership of his complex upbringing, exposing his raw vulnerability with profound candor. Reign's book transcends pain and shame, and he should be applauded for his courage in sharing his narrative with the world. Reigns writes about secrets, dying lovers, psychic wounds, and passions-all the while reminding readers that he is who he is and is rightfully proud to be so.

The poem "Cocaine" sums up Reign's deepest sentiments: "The drug guided me to the inheritance my parents deprived me of-unconditional love." The poems "Biting," "Tom," and "Josh" aptly describe what gay love is all about. The last line of the poem "Italo" states: "Shock is too gentle a word," which is what one feels after reading this collection.

These poignant and unforgettable poems will leave readers with indelibly strong images, days after putting the book down. Also, this work will inspire those with similar stories to crack open their journals and write. Unforgettable and powerful. Highly recommended.

 

The Quotable Anais Nin (reference) by Paul Herron, editor

As someone who admires Anaïs Nin and often quotes her, I have to say that Herron's book has it all. My only disappointment is that I didn't think of collecting and compiling Nin's quotes myself!

The book includes 365 quotations and citations, all honoring one of my favorite writers and diarists.

As Herron says in his Introduction, when you Google Nin quotes, more than 480,000 websites appear, "making her one of the most oft-quoted authors on the web." In many cases, well-known individuals are often misquoted, but Herron avoids this by sharing the original source of each quote, making this a credible resource.

The book is divided into sections highlighting Nin's favorite subjects-lust for life, love and sensuality, consciousness, women and men, and writing and art. This is a valuable reference book and also a way to access all of Nin's other writings. Highly recommended.