The Book For My Brother: Exuberant Poems of Innocence, Desire, and Memory

This newest collection of poems from Tomaž Šalamun is exuberant, ambitious, and full of surprises. Here the devil is encountered and understood-

I see the devil's head, people, I see his whole body . . .

Here the poet juggles many tones, languages, and countries. Desire is evoked as both frustrating and exhilarating-

head into the wall, on the ground, or I burn, burn,

And memory comes back to remind us of the laws and experiences of childhood-

only after five o'clock in the afternoon to take

At once daring and clear-voiced, The Book for My Brother is an extraordinary achievement.

What emerges when a master poet holds desire, memory, and innocence up to a surreal, unwavering light?

• Avant-Garde Vision: A singular voice that juggles languages and landscapes, from the banks of the Nile to the streets of New York, creating a vibrant, borderless world.
• The Sacred and Profane: Confrontations with devils, saints, and childhood ghosts where innocence and experience are held in a beautiful, startling tension.
• Poems of Raw Desire: An unflinching exploration of longing—sometimes a fire on the couch, sometimes a knock against the wall—that is both frustrating and exhilarating.
• Masterful Translation: Experience the power and playfulness of one of Slovenia’s most celebrated poets, brought to life in a vivid and clear-voiced English translation.

Tomaž Šalamun was born in 1941 in Zagreb. He has published over thirty books of poetry and frequently teaches at American universities, including Pittsburgh, Richmond, and Texas.