Overview
"A marvelous book of generous, giving poems." —Yusef Komunyakaa, author of Everyday Mojo Songs of Earth
Far District, the transporting debut by the author of House of Lords and Commons, charts the spiritual path of a poet-speaker caught between two spheres: the culture of bush people and a luminous, dangerous sea of myth. Crafting an impressionistic portrait of his youth in Jamaica, Ishion Hutchinson explores the West Indian distrust of European literature and mythology. The speaker fears the land of myth because he is loyal to the bush people, but he also desires to transcend his physical and intellectual poverty. Little by little, the two cultures come together as the speaker begins grafting childhood memories onto the realm of imagination, shaped by art, music, literature, and new glimpses of the world.
Written in both traditional and formless verse, as well as in English and Jamaican patois, Far District is an indelible, urgent collection. As the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award committee said of its 2011 winner, “Far District is a classic, which is to say a rare and exemplary first book.”
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Far District (Poems), we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Far District (Poems).