Spin Cycle: Essays on Contemporary American Poetry
Stroffolino, Chris
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From Publishers Weekly Spin Cycle: Selected Essays and Reviews 1989-2001, the first prose collection from poet Chris Stroffolino (Stealer's Wheel), eschews literary criticism as a method of canonization or categorization and argues against theory-based dissections of texts, preferring a kind of generative criticism that, in his own introductory words, might "further the discussion of contemporary poetry and its relation to culture." Thus it makes sense that he discusses, in 23 essays, everyone from James Tate and John Yau to Erica Hunt, John Godfrey, Jennifer Moxley and Barrett Watten writers who choose to explore and explode the boundaries of and between genre, narrative, identity and social critique. Stroffolino is suspicious of the notion of literary lineage, believing it to be a heavy handed method of academic and avant-garde side-choosing. He portrays ideas of writing and, just as crucially, living with writing as a series of examinable choices. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Product Description Stroffolino, Chris, Shakespeare scholar, tackles unknown, younger American poets in a unique collection of essays and reviews. Review Read these essays with pleasure for Spin Cycle is anecdotal, wide in reference, shaped by interest and desire rather than argument. -- Juliana SpahrThe first prose collection from poet Chris Stroffolino (Stealer's Wheel), eschews literary criticism as a method of canonization or categorization -- Publishers WeeklyThis is a unique and extremely valuable work of criticism. -- Charles Altieri About the Author Chris Stroffolino was born in Reading, PA, where he lived (aside from a short stint in Washington serving on the staff of two failed Presidential candidates) until he received his BA in English/Philosophy from Albright College in 1986. He received a MA in English from Temple University in 1988 and a Ph.D from SUNY-Albany in 1998. Stroffolino has taught at NYU, Rutgers University, LIU, Touro College, The University of Massachusetts, Peirce Jr. College and Drexel University. He is currently Distinguished Visiting Poet at St. Mary's College (2001-2002).
Spuyten Duyvil
2001
267 pages