Description
Book Synopsis: One of O, The Oprah Magazine’s Ten Best Books of the Year The New York Times bestselling collection of essays from beloved poet, Mary Oliver.
“There's hardly a page in my copy of Upstream that isn't folded down or underlined and scribbled on, so charged is Oliver's language . . .” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air
“Uniting essays from Oliver’s previous books and elsewhere, this gem of a collection offers a compelling synthesis of the poet’s thoughts on the natural, spiritual and artistic worlds . . .” —The New York Times
“In the beginning I was so young and such a stranger to myself I hardly existed. I had to go out into the world and see it and hear it and react to it, before I knew at all who I was, what I was, what I wanted to be.” So begins Upstream, a collection of essays in which revered poet Mary Oliver reflects on her willingness, as a young child and as an adult, to lose herself within the beauty and mysteries of both the natural world and the world of literature. Emphasizing the significance of her childhood “friend” Walt Whitman, through whose work she first understood that a poem is a temple, “a place to enter, and in which to feel,” and who encouraged her to vanish into the world of her writing, Oliver meditates on the forces that allowed her to create a life for herself out of work and love. As she writes, “I could not be a poet without the natural world. Someone else could. But not me. For me the door to the woods is the door to the temple.”
Upstream follows Oliver as she contemplates the pleasure of artistic labor, her boundless curiosity for the flora and fauna that surround her, and the responsibility she has inherited from Shelley, Wordsworth, Emerson, Poe, and Frost, the great thinkers and writers of the past, to live thoughtfully, intelligently, and to observe with passion. Throughout this collection, Oliver positions not just herself upstream but us as well as she encourages us all to keep moving, to lose ourselves in the awe of the unknown, and to give power and time to the creative and whimsical urges that live within us.
Details
If you're craving a captivating and enlightening read, look no further than "Upstream: Selected Essays." This collection of essays by acclaimed poet Mary Oliver has garnered critical acclaim, earning a place among O, The Oprah Magazine’s Ten Best Books of the Year. Oliver's language is so charged and evocative that you'll find yourself folding down pages and underlining passages in no time at all.
With "Upstream," Oliver takes us on a journey into the depths of her thoughts on the natural world, spirituality, and art. Drawing from her previous works and other sources, she weaves together a profound exploration of the interconnectedness between these realms. The New York Times describes it as a gem of a collection, offering a compelling synthesis of Oliver’s reflections.
What sets "Upstream" apart is Oliver's ability to capture the essence of her experiences and transform them into inspiring prose. From her early encounters with Walt Whitman's poetry, which taught her that a poem is a sacred space to immerse oneself in, to her musings on the forces that shaped her life and career, Oliver invites readers to lose themselves in the beauty of the natural world and the power of literature.
Inspired by Shelley, Wordsworth, Emerson, Poe, and Frost, Oliver encourages us to live thoughtfully and passionately, drawing upon our own creative instincts. She believes that we, like her, each possess a door to our own inner temple, waiting to be opened by the wonders of the world.
Let "Upstream" be your guide as you embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploration, and artistic awakening. Open the door to your own temple and allow Oliver's words to transport you to a place of limitless wonder and boundless curiosity. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enrich your soul with profound insights and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and literature.
Get your copy of "Upstream: Selected Essays" now and embark on an extraordinary adventure of the mind and soul.
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