Gondwana: an ancient supercontinent long-dispersed into fragments in the Southern Hemisphere. Contemplating this once-massive landmass at the the end of the world while looking out at the ethereal blue ice of Antarctica, Nathaniel Tarn writes: āThey said back then / there was a frozen continent / in those high latitudes encircling the globe: /are you moving toward it?ā The various parts of Gondwana cohere into a unified whole that celebrates bird flight, waves, and innervating light while warning against environmental calamity. Some poems celebrate the New Mexican desert as it becomes a place of protest against the invasion of Afghanistan; in another, the rising and falling stairs at Fez in Morocco meld into a meditation on marriage, empire, and the origins of climbing. Elsewhere the heroic fighter pilot Lydia Litvyak is personified as Eurydice speaking to her Captain as Orpheus; and in the final long section, āExitus Generis Humani,ā lines pour over the reader in slow, mournful, yet often humorous, song, revealing āthe poetsā hearts are a worldās heartā as the human race ends and whole armies sink into the earth āyearning for mother love.ā Celebrated as a poet where āinquiry and ethical action are imperativeā (Joseph Donahue, Jacket2), Nathaniel Tarn has lifted up a mind-heart mirror of our contemporary existence in Gondwana and warns us of a definitive ending if we do not demand radical change. Ā
This book title, Gondwana, ISBN: 9780811225021, by Nathaniel Tarn, published by New Directions (June 27, 2017) is available in paperback. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
Unlike Amazon and other retailers who may also offer Gondwana books on their website, we specialize in large quantities and provide personal service, from trusted, experienced, friendly people in Portland, Oregon. We offer a Price Match Guarantee, and QuickQuote form, to make purchasing quick and easy.
Prefer to work with a human being when you order Gondwana books in bulk? Our Book Specialists are standing by Monday-Friday 8-5 PST, ready to help!