June 19, 2023: Beach Reads: New to Liberty

[Thearrival of summer means a lot of good things, but high on the list for thisAmericanStudier is the chance to read for pleasure, preferably on a beachblanket with a view of the crashing surf. For this year’s annualBeach Reads series, I’ll highlight recent or forthcoming books bycolleagues and friends. Add your Beach Read ideas and nominations for acrowd-sourced weekend post that’ll always keep toes in the sand!]

It’spretty rare to find a creative writer who is genuinely equally adept at bothpoetry and fiction—not just at writing them, that is, but at producing stunningworks in both genres. Which makes it pretty cool that I’ve had the chance towork in the Fitchburg State University English Studies Department with two suchmultitalented writers: my past colleague Ian Williams, on whom more in a coupledays; and my current colleague DeMistyD. Bellinger. DeMisty’s first two poetry collections, RubbingElbows (2017) and PeculiarHeritage (2021), were quite different from each other, and alreadyreflected a writer and voice that could take readers on multilayered journeysacross history, culture, identity, and more. But her most recent book, herdebut novel New to Liberty(2022), represents another striking and significant step in this evolvingand inspiring career. You won’t better a better book to bring in your book bagthis summer, I promise!

Next BeachReads tomorrow,

Ben

PS. Whatdo you think? Beach Reads you’d nominate?