Love, love, love Donald Hall. His book, Without, has always been my all-time favorite book of poetry, and it still is, but The Back Chamber is certainly in my top 5. I won't lie, though. His descriptions of having sex freaked me out just a tad. I mean, come on, it's like your grandfather talking about sex! But that's also why I loved the book. We're all aging and although you don't want to think about old people having sex, don't you also hope that you're having sex when you're old? Yes!

Hall also wrote more poems about his wife, Jane Kenyon, and her death and what she would have thought about him today if she was alive. He wrote about his home, his family, his aging body. It was just fantastic. If you like poetry, go borrow this from the library or go buy it. If you're ready to dip your toes into reading poetry, go get this. Hell, if you just want a good story? You should read this, too.