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The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed
Kay Ryan is the Poet Laureate of the United States. Her intensely strange, yet humorous and musical poems have been compared to those of Emily Dickenson. Playful and darkly witty, The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed delves into the oddities of human behavior. Each of the fifteen poems are Ryan's response to a randomly selected entry in Ripley's Believe It or Not!. The poems are accompanied by delightful full color illustrations by Carl Dern. This is a perfect gift for any poetry lover.
- GenresPoetry
40 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2008
About the author
Kay Ryan
36 books170 followersBorn in California in 1945 and acknowledged as one of the most original voices in the contemporary landscape, Kay Ryan is the author of several books of poetry, including Flamingo Watching (2006), The Niagara River (2005), and Say Uncle (2000). Her book The Best of It: New and Selected Poems (2010) won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
Ryan's tightly compressed, rhythmically dense poetry is often compared to that of Emily Dickinson and Marianne Moore; however, Ryan’s often barbed wit and unique facility with “recombinant” rhyme has earned her the status of one of the great living American poets, and led to her appointment as U.S. Poet Laureate in 2008. She held the position for two terms, using the appointment to champion community colleges like the one in Marin County, California where she and her partner Carol Adair taught for over thirty years. In an interview with the Washington City Paper at the end of tenure, Ryan called herself a “whistle-blower” who “advocated for much underpraised and underfunded community colleges across the nation.”
Ryan’s surprising laureateship capped years of outsider-status in the poetry world. Her quizzical, philosophical, often mordant poetry is a product of years of thought. Ryan has said that her poems do not start with imagery or sound, but rather develop “the way an oyster does, with an aggravation.” Critic Meghan O’Rourke has written of her work: “Each poem twists around and back upon its argument like a river retracing its path; they are didactic in spirit, but a bedrock wit supports them.” “Sharks’ Teeth” displays that meandering approach to her subject matter, which, Ryan says, “gives my poems a coolness. I can touch things that are very hot because I’ve given them some distance.”
Kay Ryan is the recipient of several major awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation. She has received the Union League Poetry Prize and the Maurice English Poetry Award, as well as the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. Since 2006 she has served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
Ryan's tightly compressed, rhythmically dense poetry is often compared to that of Emily Dickinson and Marianne Moore; however, Ryan’s often barbed wit and unique facility with “recombinant” rhyme has earned her the status of one of the great living American poets, and led to her appointment as U.S. Poet Laureate in 2008. She held the position for two terms, using the appointment to champion community colleges like the one in Marin County, California where she and her partner Carol Adair taught for over thirty years. In an interview with the Washington City Paper at the end of tenure, Ryan called herself a “whistle-blower” who “advocated for much underpraised and underfunded community colleges across the nation.”
Ryan’s surprising laureateship capped years of outsider-status in the poetry world. Her quizzical, philosophical, often mordant poetry is a product of years of thought. Ryan has said that her poems do not start with imagery or sound, but rather develop “the way an oyster does, with an aggravation.” Critic Meghan O’Rourke has written of her work: “Each poem twists around and back upon its argument like a river retracing its path; they are didactic in spirit, but a bedrock wit supports them.” “Sharks’ Teeth” displays that meandering approach to her subject matter, which, Ryan says, “gives my poems a coolness. I can touch things that are very hot because I’ve given them some distance.”
Kay Ryan is the recipient of several major awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation. She has received the Union League Poetry Prize and the Maurice English Poetry Award, as well as the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize. Since 2006 she has served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 12, 2025
Random oddments of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, inspiring (provoking?) eccentrically humorous poems by Kay Ryan, with whimsical watercolor drawings by Carl Dern. Perfect for eyebrow raising and slow-take chuckling.
November 13, 2019
A short book or perhaps what is called a chapbook. It contains about a dozen short poems with watercolors.
The premise is a reading of Ripley’s with certain lines taken from it and used to form the basis or narrative of a poem. The poems by Ryan are what readers can expect from her in terms of thought and format.
The book is a nice novelty, but is probably more suited to readers who have read one or more of her poetry collections. Familiarity with her wit makes these poems more interesting.
The premise is a reading of Ripley’s with certain lines taken from it and used to form the basis or narrative of a poem. The poems by Ryan are what readers can expect from her in terms of thought and format.
The book is a nice novelty, but is probably more suited to readers who have read one or more of her poetry collections. Familiarity with her wit makes these poems more interesting.
September 30, 2023
I’m not a poetry reader, I often don’t understand it — at all.
The Jam Jar Lifeboat is an exception. I went to see Ms. Ryan read from this collection shortly after she was named Poet Laureate of the United States in 2008. I found her heart-warming and funny.
The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed is a strange, yet humorous poetry collection. Each of the fifteen poems are Ms. Ryan’s response to a randomly selected entry in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Playful and darkly witty, they explore the oddities of life.
“The Walking Stick Insect” is one of my favorite.
This collection of poems made me smile a rainy night. As an added bonus, the poems are accompanied by delightful full color illustrations by Carl Dern.
In case you’re wondering about the title — one of poems in this collection is based off another Ripley’s tidbit about a man who invented a jam jar life boat which instantly sank the first time – you’ll just have to read it.
Ms. Ryan held the U.S. Poet Laureate position for two terms, using the appointment to champion community colleges like the one in Marin County where she teaches.
Ms. Ryan helps us see the miraculous in the every-day. These poems bring the freaky, outlandish and extreme down to earth with Ryan’s signature pith and wit. Her poems are funny and winsome — and most importantly very accessible. This slim volume may be hard to find, but every library should have a copy — somewhere — The Jam Jar Lifeboat is well worth searching out.
More at: https://www.bookbarmy.com
The Jam Jar Lifeboat is an exception. I went to see Ms. Ryan read from this collection shortly after she was named Poet Laureate of the United States in 2008. I found her heart-warming and funny.
The Jam Jar Lifeboat and Other Novelties Exposed is a strange, yet humorous poetry collection. Each of the fifteen poems are Ms. Ryan’s response to a randomly selected entry in Ripley’s Believe It or Not!. Playful and darkly witty, they explore the oddities of life.
“The Walking Stick Insect” is one of my favorite.
This collection of poems made me smile a rainy night. As an added bonus, the poems are accompanied by delightful full color illustrations by Carl Dern.
In case you’re wondering about the title — one of poems in this collection is based off another Ripley’s tidbit about a man who invented a jam jar life boat which instantly sank the first time – you’ll just have to read it.
Ms. Ryan held the U.S. Poet Laureate position for two terms, using the appointment to champion community colleges like the one in Marin County where she teaches.
Ms. Ryan helps us see the miraculous in the every-day. These poems bring the freaky, outlandish and extreme down to earth with Ryan’s signature pith and wit. Her poems are funny and winsome — and most importantly very accessible. This slim volume may be hard to find, but every library should have a copy — somewhere — The Jam Jar Lifeboat is well worth searching out.
More at: https://www.bookbarmy.com
May 21, 2010
One of the coolest books you'll see. Great illustrations by Carl Dern.
June 3, 2011
quirky poetry,with no reference to everyday life that still manages to be touching. its great.
June 28, 2011
A beautiful little book.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews