Synopses & Reviews
Plash & Levitation delves into the chaotic sublime of fatherhood, the candid revelations of youth, and the lingering consequences of history. Adam Tavel’s revealing and imaginative poems are joined by fictional monologues from historical figures and cultural icons, juxtaposing personal history with our shared one. Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman and rock legend Keith Moon are joined by musings from the Redskins logo and the Wolfman. Together they create a lively chorus that clashes and soars. The result is forty-two fascinating pieces that are witty, consistently musical, and undeniably powerful—the perfect inaugural selection for the Permafrost Book Prize.
Review
Tavel’s Plash and Levitation, as the title suggests, attacks with sardonic lancets. Humor, erudition and a witty talent for sheer invention set this volume apart.
Synopsis
Plash and Levitation delves into the chaotic sublime of fatherhood and explores candid recollections of the poets own youth. Juxtaposed with these confessional poems are dramatic monologues from an array of historical figures, including Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman, rock legend Keith Moon, and Harriet Bailey, the mother of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, as well as cultural figures, including the Redskins logo and the wolfman. The result is a book that explores the newness of parenting, the abuses of history, and the burden of memory in poems that are often witty, consistently musical, and undeniably powerful.
About the Author
Adam Tavel is associate professor of English at Wor-Wic Community College on Maryland's Eastern Shore. He is the author of
The Fawn Abyss.