Driving at Night in October

A book of poetry by J.L. Cooper.

About the Author

J.L. Cooper was an author and psychologist in Sacramento, California. His writing highlights the lyricism in everyday life, relational mysteries, and the elevation of subjective experience. He has received five literary awards in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and essay, including the Tupelo Quarterly Prose Open Prize, TQ9, judged by Pulitzer winner Adam Johnson, and the Grand Prize in Poetry, Crosswinds Poetry Journal, 2018, judged by Pulitzer winner in criticism Lloyd Schwartz. His full-length book of poetry, An Ocean Large Enough (David Robert Books) is available on Amazon Books, as are his two books of short stories, The Sages of 47^th Street and A Perfect Stillness, and a novella, Spell of the Pelicans. His short stories, poetry and a craft piece have appeared or are forthcoming in numerous journals including The Manhattan Review, The Comstock Review, New Millennium Writings, Oberon Poetry Magazine, StoryQuarterly, Cutthroat, Hippocampus, Leveler, The Tishman Review, 3Elements Review, Structo, and several other journals and anthologies. His website is: jlcooper.net.

James passed away at home with his family in October, 2018 after a 5-year battle with cancer. This is his final book.

"This touching, elegant, understated poem seems perfect - not a note not a syllable out of place. Yet consistently surprising - and believable - at every turn. Is it a nature poem? A city poem? A poem about a relationship? Yes to all of the above. Elizabeth Bishop said her favorite poems combine 'accuracy, spontaneity, mystery.' Driving at Night in October has all three of those qualities. "

--Lloyd Schwartz, Poet and Pulitzer Prize-winning critic

"The poems in J.L. Cooper's new collection continue to explore the complexities and engage the mysteries with intensity and deep passion; reading them we ..".remember/ the closeness of absence, / the alertness of presence..."; we inhabit the shadow-selves, the crescent moons inside and all around us; here "Bright fresh / thoughts circle us in the dark," and we are better for them"

--Susan Kelly-DeWitt, Author of Spider Season Two