To Go Into the Words - Paperback

by Norman Finkelstein (Author)

To Go Into the Words is the latest book of critical prose from renowned poet and scholar of Jewish literature Norman Finkelstein. Through a rigorous examination of poets such as William Bronk, Helen Adam, and Nathaniel Mackey, the book engages the contemporary poetic fascination with transcendence through the radical delight with language. By opening up a given poem, Finkelstein seeks the "gnosis" or insight of what it contains so that other readers can understand and appreciate the works even more.

Pulling from Finkelstein's experience of writing thirteen books of poetry and six books of literary criticism, To Go Into the Words consistently rewards the reader with insights as transformative as they are well-considered and deftly mapped out. This volume opens the world of poetry to poets, scholars, and readers by showcasing "the gnosis that is to be found in modern poetry."

Author Biography

Norman Finkelstein is the author of fourteen books of poetry and six books of criticism. His most recent critical work is Like a Dark Rabbi: Modern Poetry and the Jewish Literary Imagination (Hebrew Union College Press, 2019); recent volumes of poetry include In a Broken Star (Dos Madres Press, 2021) and Further Adventures (Dos Madres Press, 2023). He writes and edits the poetry review blog Restless Messengers (https: //www.poetryinreview.com/). He is Professor Emeritus of English at Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he taught for forty years.