Bowling Pin Fire

by Andy Quan

In his second book of poems, Andy Quan recounts a series of first time listening to Joni Mitchell's Blue, first loss of a friend, first dance with a man. Building on earlier explorations of memory, sexuality, and culture that are the signatures of his best work, Bowling Pin Fire transcribes the arc of one man's life, from growing up Chinese in Vancouver, to seeing the world through the lens of fearless, free-spirited youth, to arriving, as we all must, at the initial cautionary glimmerings of midlife. The rituals and rivalries of grade school, the later experiments with everything new, the close-knit dynamics of family and far-flung friends, the happenstances and fidelities of love, the elation and hangover of travel to unexpected quadrants of the globe all prompt the quality of reflection necessary to the leading of a truly examined, contemporary life. Andy Quan asks of himself and of how to be fully in and of the moment? Bowling Pin Fire is filled not with empty answers but with the good fortune of worldly insight.

Genres: Poetry

72 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2007

About the author

Andy Quan is the author of four books, one of short fiction, Calendar Boy, two of poetry, Slant and Bowling Pin Fire, and one of gay erotica, Six Positions. He was the co-editor of Swallowing Clouds, an Anthology of Chinese Canadian Poetry. His work has appeared in a broad range of anthologies, magazines and literary reviews in Australia, Canada, and elsewhere. His work often deals with the themes of identity, community, and culture.

Born in Vancouver of Cantonese origin, Andy has lived in Toronto, Brussels, and London before settling in Sydney, Australia. A singer and songwriter, he has also self-produced tapes and CDs.

Reviews

[Andy Quan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey. Bowling Pin Fire was my last book of poetry - I think the description here sums it up pretty well. More information about the book and some reviews at my website at: http://andyquan.com/?page_id=120 (a particularly interesting review from Northern Poetry Review). If you find Bowling Pin Fire, hope you like it. Happy to engage in conversations about it here too.

[Stuart Cooke]

Some extremely accomplished conversational verse here. Deserves closer attention.