Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour: Review from Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

The Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues with a glowing review from the Author Anthony Avina’s Blog. Anthony Avina describes the collection as a powerful exploration of the monumental and the mundane, blending personal and global themes in a way that resonates deeply with readers.

Anthony highlights the collection’s ability to connect with readers on an emotional level, calling it “memorable, honest, and passionately written.” Here are a few key takeaways from the review:

• “Each poem stands alone while contributing to the collective theme of life’s journey and the essence of being human.”

• “The collection’s imagery and tone leave a lasting impact, drawing readers into the poet’s intent and experiences.”

• “Themes range from personal, everyday moments of love and connection to broader social commentaries on topics like the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine.”

Anthony emphasizes the accessibility of Faraway Tables, noting how its relatability allows readers from all backgrounds to connect with the collection. He concludes by calling it “a must-read poetry collection” that evokes a strong emotional response and speaks to the universal experiences of recent years.

Rated 10/10, Faraway Tables is celebrated for its ability to blend profound themes with relatable moments, making it a collection that leaves a lasting impression.

Read the full review here: Author Anthony Avina Blog.

Stay tuned as the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues!

 

Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour: Review from Review Tales

The Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues with a thoughtful review by Jeyran Main on Review Tales. This review beautifully captures the essence of the collection, highlighting its exploration of personal and global shifts shaped by the COVID pandemic.

Jeyran describes Faraway Tables as “a captivating poetry collection that beautifully bridges the grand and the everyday.” The review emphasizes the collection’s reflection on life’s transitions and the courage required to navigate an ever-evolving reality. Themes of loss, resilience, and hope are woven throughout, making the collection both timely and timeless.

Highlights from the review include:

• Faraway Tables celebrates the beauty in small, quiet moments, described as “a faraway table offering a meal to be enjoyed slowly.” Goodman’s vivid imagery transports readers across times and places, encouraging reflection on life’s delicate beauty.

• The tension between stillness and motion during the pandemic resonates deeply in the poems, reflecting the complexities of adapting to change and finding connection in a distanced world.

• Jeyran praises the collection for its thoughtful meditation on the human condition, noting how it invites readers to find meaning in the ordinary while grappling with monumental changes.

Ultimately, Jeyran concludes that Faraway Tables is “a powerful and moving read,” offering a resonant meditation on life’s ever-shifting landscape.

Read the full review here: Review Tales.

Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour: Review from Lavender Orchids

The Poetic Book Tour for Faraway Tables continues with a detailed and insightful review by Enakshi J at Lavender Orchids. Enakshi J highlights the collection's themes of nostalgia, resilience, connection, and the paradoxes of modern life, praising its ability to transform ordinary moments into profound reflections.

Key takeaways from the review include:

• Faraway Tables captures “profound insights through mundane observations,” transforming everyday activities like brewing coffee (“Patience”) and walking a dog into meditations on patience, loss, and gratitude.

• The collection’s accessibility stands out, as Goodman uses comprehensible language and evocative imagery to connect the personal with the universal. Enakshi notes the balance between personal narratives and broader societal insights.

• Poems like “Patience” and “Toast to Friendship” are praised for their reflections on time and connection, while “Avocado Toast” ventures into socio-political commentary, blending the personal with the global.

Enakshi describes the collection as a whole as “engaging and evocative,” inviting readers to find beauty in the mundane and wisdom in stillness. Enakshi concludes that Faraway Tables is a powerful testament to poetry’s ability to capture both fleeting and eternal moments.

Read the full review here: Lavender Orchids.

Stay tuned for more reviews as the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues!

Treat Writing Like a Job

Alice McDermott said that she treats fiction writing like a full-time job — because it is one.

Alice writes four days a week and treats writing like a real job on those four days. She’s never been exclusively a full-time fiction writer. She teaches, does workshops, and fills her time with other activities as well. Few fiction writers actually write full time … or rather, few of them make it an exclusive job.

“As literary fiction writers, we’re trying to get to something true of us all. So write about common humanity, communal experience, not about a place, plot. Show universal truth to the reader in an interesting way.”

That sounds like a full-time job to me.

Learn more about Alice McDermott and her writing at https://www.alice-mcdermott.com/

Reston Reading Series – February 23

 

On Sunday, February 23, I’ll be one of the featured readers reading from Faraway Tables at the Reston Reading Series hosted by Nathan Leslie at Reston’s Used Book Shop in Reston, Virginia. This event will bring together writers and readers for an intimate literary evening. I’m excited to share some of my favorite poems from the collection.

Learn more here. 

Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour: Review from Impressions in Ink

The third stop on the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour brings a heartfelt review from Annette at Impressions in Ink. In her thoughtful analysis, Annette praises the collection’s ability to balance vivid sensory detail with emotional depth, highlighting the courage it takes to embrace life’s ongoing transitions.

Annette notes the collection is divided into four sections: Savor, Ache, Enough, and More (or Less), with an Epilogue featuring the final poem, “Taste.” She highlights several standout poems, each evoking a unique blend of reflection and emotion:

• “Patience,” the collection’s opening poem, creates a sensory experience with its vivid imagery:
  “Milky mist rolls along marshy grounds.”
  Annette describes it as a poem that immerses readers in the sights, smells, and feelings of an early morning ritual.

• “Renovate,” the first poem in the Ache section, stands out for its rhythm and emotional resonance, blending frustration with hope for the future.

• “Moments,” from the Enough section, reflects on the weight and significance of memories:
  “How can I pin down moments,
  select them, give them weight,
  anchor those greatest hits, I wonder.”

• “Taste,” the final poem, captures the ritual of making tea, resonating with Annette as a tea lover. She describes it as a fitting conclusion to the collection.

Annette’s review highlights the balance of sensory imagery and emotional reflection that makes Faraway Tables a rewarding read. Her thoughtful insights make this another meaningful stop on the Poetic Book Tour.

Read the full review here: Impressions in Ink.

Stay tuned for more reviews as the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues!

Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour: Five-Star Review from The Reading Bud

 

The second stop on the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour brings a glowing five-star review from The Reading Bud. This thoughtful review dives into the heart of the collection, celebrating its ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The review describes Faraway Tables as “an exquisite collection of poems that takes the reader on a heartfelt journey through life’s quiet moments, grand explorations, and poignant reflections.” It highlights the balance between introspection and storytelling, showing how each poem resonates deeply.

Some standout moments from the review include:

• The everyday beauty of “Patience,” which celebrates the ritual of brewing coffee:
  “These beans have traveled across four years,
  across the globe from Indonesia to our home…”

• The intimate musings of “Embracing Hermithood,” reflecting on pandemic-induced isolation.

• “Moments,” which juxtaposes daily life with the joy of cherished memories:
  “How can I pin down moments,
  select them, give them weight,
  anchor those greatest hits…”

The reviewer notes the vivid imagery and emotional depth throughout the collection, calling it “accessible and profound” and likening the experience to “a conversation with a wise and witty friend.”

I’m grateful for this generous review and thrilled to see Faraway Tables resonate with readers. Read the full review here: The Reading Bud.

Stay tuned as the Faraway Tables Poetic Book Tour continues!

Featured at The Hot L Poets Series on February 9

I’m honored to be a featured reader at The Hot L Poets Series on Sunday, February 9! This monthly series brings together poets and poetry lovers for an evening of readings, discussion, and literary camaraderie.

I’ll be reading from Faraway Tables and sharing the stage with another featured poet. The event is free to attend and includes an open mic session for those who want to share their own work.

Join us for a great night of poetry!

📍 Event details: Hot L Poets Series