The Woman and the War Baby: Poetry

by Bill Ransom

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0911287620
• ISBN13: 9780911287622
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Blue Begonia Press
• Length: 153 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Memories

Searching for a perfect short memoir to share with a class, I was drawn back to this book filled with Ransom's memories of his childhood, his boxer father, time in war zones, faces in cafes. Images from this book are stuck to my brain -- "a leg by itself is heavier than you'd think." As to that perfect memoir, try the twenty-one lines of "Shooting the Thief" on page 39 and tell me what word could be added or taken way.

A Book-length Poem in Multiple Styles

In a prized visit to my writing program, Bill Ransom described The Woman and the War Baby as "a book-length poem in multiple styles." Ransom brings to his work the unique perspective of a man who lived a hard scrabble childhood, and who grew up to view war through the lens of an EMT. This is indeed, as the publisher notes, a biography of war and love. There are many reasons Ransom has been nominated for the Pulitzer. As he tends to a dying boy in the arms of the boy's father, Ransom uses his complex lens to bring home the tragedy of death unfolding--for both the boy and the "other mother's son" that shot him. In his stories of his childhood, Ransom vividly reproduces the authentic voice of the child. When he meets his father for the first time, we are there--with every emotion, smell and sound. I assigned this book to a class of fiction writers. Many had wrinkled their noses at the idea of poetry and prose-poetry until they read this book. The Woman and the War Baby left them forever changed in their view of how poetry and story can be woven together in narrative. I also highly recommend Ransom's Learning the Ropes: A Creative Autobiography. If you are in search of an author to invite to a writing class or workshop, I give my word that Bill Ransom will be the writer students will carry with them and talk about decades from now.

A solid recommendation to many a poetry reader

"The Woman and the War Baby" is an anthology of poetry from award winning poet Bill Ransom, who has also served as an international humanitarian, a military man, a firefighter, and other intriguing jobs. His vast experience shines through in his writing, making "The Woman and the War Baby" a solid recommendation to many a poetry reader. "Promise": The drawer you keep/empty for my things.