Dec 3, 2013

Chasing Utopia by Nikki Giovanni

Teaser Tuesdays  is hosted by MizB; choose sentences from your current read and identify author and title for readers.  First Chapter, First Paragraph is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea.


Title: Chasing Utopia: A Hybrid by Nikki Giovanni
Published October 29, 2013; William Morrow
Genre: a combination of prose and poetry

First paragraph:
So here is the actual story. I was bored. Well, not bored because I had the privilege of interviewing Mae Jemison, the first Black woman in space, who said she pursued a degree in physics and also became a medical doctor to keep her mind occupied. Mae's IQ must be nine hundred and fifty-five or thereabouts. I asked, "How do you keep from being bored?" And she replied, "A friend of my father's once told me "'If you're bored you're not paying attention.'" 
Poetry teaser:
Poets shouldn't commit
Suicide
That would leave the world
To those without imagination
Or hearts
(from the poem, "Poets")
Publisher description:
"Nikki Giovanni's poetry has spurred movements and inspired songs, turned hearts and informed generations. She's been hailed as a healer and as a national treasure. But Giovanni's heart resides in the everyday, where family and lovers gather, friends commune, and those no longer with us are remembered. And at every gathering there is food--food as sustenance, food as aphrodisiac, food as memory. A pot of beans is flavored with her mother's sighs--this sigh part cardamom, that one the essence of clove; a lover requests a banquet as an affirmation of ongoing passion; homage is paid to the most time-honored appetizer: soup.

With Chasing Utopia, Giovanni demands that the prosaic--flowers, birdsong, win-ter--be seen as poetic, and reaffirms once again why she is as energetic, "remarkable" (Gwendolyn Brooks), "wonderful" (Marian Wright Edelman),"outspoken, prolific, energetic" (New York Times), and relevant as ever."

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review/feature.

13 comments:

  1. I'm not familiar with this book, but the beginning is wonderful!

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  2. So true. Poets are so needed in this world and I love the first paragraph of the book. I never thought of being bored as a lack of paying attention. It really opens my eyes. thanks.

    Here is my teaser. Also thanks for the info a new book hop. I will have to join it too. ;)

    http://maryanderingamongthepages.blogspot.com/2013/12/whats-in-my-stack-this-week-and-my.html

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  3. I saw this one somewhere recently....I love the comment: "If you're bored you're not paying attention." I'll have to quote that to my grandchildren...lol.

    Here's MY TUESDAY MEMES POST

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  4. I like the beginning, very interesting!

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  5. I like that quote too, "If you're bored you're not paying attention." And I like the poetry tidbit you shared too. Imagination and heart are so important! I don't know if this is a book I would pick up to read, but it does sound interesting.

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  6. This sounds very worthwhile! Excellent teaser post!

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  7. I like both a lot Harvee - I haven't heard of this one --enjoy

    Thanks for joining us.

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  8. I haven't heard about this book, but it sounds interesting. Great teaser!

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  9. I really need to read more poetry. I have not read Giovanni but I would really like to. Sounds like a great collection.

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  10. This sounds wonderful! I am currently reading her book Bicycles: Love Poems. She is going to be in town on the 12th and I have plans to go see her read. I am so looking forward to it!

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  11. Oh, no. Does that mean I wasn't really paying attention if a book bored me?

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