I recall deciding I hated poetry somewhere around freshman year of high school and have only very reluctantly ever read a poem all the way through since, until I found Newspaper Blackout. Someone sent me one of Kleon’s blog posts, and I decided that anyone who understood creativity as well as he did was worth the cost of the book. So now, I’ve read about half of the book, and would have finished except I appear to have hidden it from myself. It’s here somewhere. It will appear when I need it. That’s 20 poems more than I’ve read since 1974.
Even more, I’m talking about Newspaper Blackout, which is a sign that a book matters. I read enough–150+ books a year?–that most of them slip right on through, in one eye and back to the library, and only rarely mentioned in passing to someone with similar interests. However, I’m mentioning Newspaper Blackout, and may try setting it up as a party game later in the summer, with a pile of newspapers, some examples, the books, and a can of black markers. Think it might be interesting… My partner is skeptical, but he hasn’t seen the book itself yet.
