Long Life: Essays and Writings

The gift of Oliver's poetry lies in her ability to communicate the beauty she discovers in the world, rendering it unforgettable, as noted by the Miami Herald. This sentiment is particularly true in her latest work, Long Life, a luminous collection of seventeen essays and ten poems. With the grace and precision that have become the hallmarks of her writing, Oliver demonstrates how the act of writing "is a way of offering praise to the world" and suggests that her poems be seen as "little alleluias."

Whether describing a stranded goosefish at low tide, the sensation of being baptized by the mist from a whale's blowhole, or the "connection between soul and landscape," Oliver invites readers to find themselves and their own experiences at the center of her literary world. In Long Life, she also speaks of other poets and writers, such as Wordsworth's "whirlwind" of "beauty and strangeness," Hawthorne's "sweet-tempered" side, and Emerson's belief that "a man's inclination, once awakened to it, would be to turn all the heavy sails of his life to a moral purpose."

With consummate craftsmanship, Mary Oliver has created a breathtaking volume that is sure to add to her reputation as "one of our very best poets," as noted by the New York Times Book Review. Her ability to communicate the beauty she finds in the world and to make it unforgettable is a gift that shines through in every line of this luminous collection.

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