This month I went in a completely different direction on the poetry front, and chose two recently published volumes of very critically-acclaimed and very contemporary poetry, Citizen: an American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, and Prelude to Bruise by Saeed Jones. Both are pretty quick read (100 pages each), and they pair really nicely together; although stylistically and structurally they are very different, they tread much of the same subject matter, namely race and identity (in the case of Prelude to Bruise, much of that identity is related to sexual and gender identity).

You shouldn't need my endorsement, because these were two of the most decorated books published in 2014, but I personally would recommend them to anyone who, like me, doesn't read much contemporary poetry. Reading them will also just make you a cooler/better person.

Because The Toast is the most excellent source of original content and writing on the Internet, they've naturally begun a new series of "Literary Ladies Cage Fights," with the first face-off between Elizabeth Benett and Jane Eyre. Round One is division into Harry Potter houses, because of course it is. FYI, the new Sleater-Kinney album makes a good soundtrack while you read it.

The National Book Critics Circle Awards finalists for 2014 were just announced, and the list is incredibly solid. Is is just me or was 2014 a fantastic year for writing? I'm especially happy to see Saeed Jones' Prelude to Bruise on the list, as well as a lot of books from independent publishers.

Everyone is apparently hosting gigantic book clubs now, and NPR's Morning Edition is the latest to jump on the bandwagon, although I can already say they are doing it better than so many others. The first selection was made by author and bookstore owner Ann Patchett, and she chose (National Book Critics Circle Awards finalist1) Deep Dark Down by Hector Tobar, a true account of the 2010 rescue of 33 Chilean miners. David Green hosted Patchett and Tobar in a discussion that included audience questions from Twitter, and it was a really nice treat on my morning commute. I definitely want to read the book now, and to find out what they'll be reading next.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has a short story available on the Medium. This requires no further explanation.

Finally, Rachel Kushner, author of the excellent novel The Flamethrowers, has an essay over at the London Review of Books on the Costa Concordia wreck. Not particularly "literary," or newsworthy, just a great essay from a great writer