What Narcissism Means to Me

by Tony Hoagland

Book Overview

An eagerly awaited new collection of poems by contemporary favorite Tony Hoagland, author of Donkey Gospel

How did I come to believe in a government called Tony Hoagland?
With an economy based on flattery and self-protection?
and a sewage system of selective forgetting?
and an extensive history of broken promises?
--from "Argentina"

In What Narcissism Means to Me, award-winning...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555973868
• ISBN13: 9781555973865
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Graywolf Press
• Length: 78 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.3" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

i find my favorite poet.

for the past year or so i have been making an attempt to become a fan of poetry. there have been some ups and many downs. but i am now pleased to give a shout out to a poet i can honestly call my first favorite. tony hoagland's the name. smart with words, this fella. sad stuff & funny stuff, & stuff to make one think about the old life. and a genius who avoids pretension i would say, and will say: a genius who avoids pretension. not one reference to greek mythology in these poems (thank God!) as far as i can recall. intelligent straightforward and a joy to read. he riffs with words like john coltrane does with music, free from cliche, hitting unexpected places: places that are either fun or a revelation to visit. i loved this book, as well as his equally great "sweet ruin." i suggest that you read this man's work.

outstanding poetry

I tried reading one of the poems over the phone to my friend but it just didn't work. You really have to read the words yourself to get the true genius of it. Do you love spite, self-deprecation, a beautiful observation and a good joke? Then this is for you.

Poetry Lives Again!!

I had the wonderful pleasure of seeing Tony Hoagland read at a conference in Austin, TX, and I can say without exaggeration that it was one of the most inspiring events I've ever attended. It's a sad truth that at many writing conferences, one can experience almost as much disappointment as they do elation. With Hoagland, though, there's no need to worry. Hoagland's work is gutsy, comical, dark yet hopeful, accessible, and tenacious in its quest to clarify the human experience. I immediately purchased all of Hoagland's books, and read each one almost straight through. While I'll admit that the first section of "What Narcissism Means to Me" doesn't, in my opinion, equal the poems in the three sections after, many of the poems in this book--especially "Suicide Song", "Windchime", and "Man Carrying Sofa"--are honestly some of the best poems I've ever read, bar none. Like all of Hoagland's work, I highly recommend this book!

Honest, blunt poetry from a captivating author

While taking a poetry class from Mark Jarman, I had the chance to hear Tony Hoagland read selections from this, his newest book, as well as selections from Donkey Gospel, along with some unpublished works. If at all possible, hear this man read his poetry--it is incomparable and surprisingly refreshing. I usually don't like poetry readings, but after hearing some of these poems, I ended up buying two of his books, and they haven't ceased to amaze me yet. This poetry is not afraid of mentioning such common things as a "kissy-face," and at the same time, not afraid to confront the emotions tied to being a human being.

Dancing after the Donkey Speaks

Tony Hoagland's new book, What Narcissism Means to Me from Graywolf Press, is almost perfect. From the conversational beginnings, where he shares a beer on a summer porch, to the last poem (reprinted on the back page of the American Poetry Review Nov-Dec issue) every poem sings sweet truth. The thoughts here aren't everyday- but he makes them sound as if they are. He doesn't hold himself up by some MFA bootstrap, lording his poetic density over your head like an anvil, he points out direction as if saying "Look- did you see that? Amazing, isn't it!" He limns carefully crafted images while never letting you see how hard he must have worked to make things seem so simple.highly recommended- *****