“Dreesenpresentsanunusualandwelcomingmemoir-in-verse,anepiccolloquialjourneythroughhischildhoodinachaotic,eight-kidfamilyastheyrana24-hourhighwaytruckstopandpopularroadhouseinNebraska...Dreesenexpertlyplayswithlanguage,cadence,texture,emotion,memory,andfactstoimpartthesensethatallourknowledgeis’secondhand,’fullofmiscomprehensionofotherpeopleandtheirperceptions,andyetourexperiencesareprecious,ourstoriesilluminating.“--Booklist“I’mstillmarvelingatnotonlytheartistryofthisbook,theplayfuleruditionofit,thesheerentertainmentofthestorytelling,butalsothelife(harrowingandjoyous)andplacethatinspiredit.Ifthatlifewouldn’tcreateawriter,Idon’tknowwhatwould.Thedetailsareterrific...Dreesenhascapturedatimeandaplaceperfectly.“--LadetteRandolph,Editor-in-chief,Ploughshares“AndwhatI’mabouttotellyoucan’tbetoldstraight,soneedstobecontainedbyform,forthetaleismessyandmeandering,ifnotdownrightweedyandwindyasallthecharacterswhoblewthroughourlivesbackthenandwhowehadtobendinto,grimacingandhunchedover,holdinghandssoasnottoloseoneanother,sieve.“Inhisimaginativememoir-in-verse,RobertDreesencapturesthestop-and-startrhythmofgrowingupinhisfamily’s24-hourtruckstopanddrinkin’anddancin’baralongsidethePan-AmericanHighwayinnortheasternNebraska.Inalifethatcanbedescribedaspicaresque,Kenny,Rose,andtheireightkidsmaketheirwaythroughaworldrichwithfarmersandranchers,writersandpainters,drunksandne’er-do-wells,horsesanddogs,imaginedvisitsfrompoet-sages,insufficientmoney(butnotpoverty),fights,siblings,honor,booze,andtheMissouriRiver.
CHIEF VERSE cadence SAGES memory Rose fights ER SECONDHAND EDITOR
