Favorite Things: Fortunes by Jen Lee
You write all the way to the fence,
then there’s nothing
left to do but tear it down and
expand the border. To stretch
your life by trading Safe and Secure.
To stare the beast, It’s Not Enough, in the
face and let it off its leash….
-from You Write to the Fence, by Jen Lee
This week’s Magpie Girl favorite is a lovely palm-sized book by Jen Lee, she of the soul-felt stories.
Fortunes is a beautiful collection of etheral toy camera images and prose-like poems chronicling the liminal space that is our 30’s and 40’s. When I cracked it open it was like finding an instant companion for all my issues. Finding your art; dealing with mothers and daughters; tapping into a midlife sexual revolution —- it’s all in here in pitch-perfected prose. It is a rare writer who creates work which is both rich with image and yet spare and accessible. Jen Lee achieves it here with aplomb. There’s not a superfelous word on the plate, and still such a rich meal!
You can purchase Fortunes here, either alone or as a duo (one for you, one for a friend.) If you are making the handmade pledge this season, Fortunes would be a lovely envelope-sized gift to slip in with the holiday card you’re sending to an artful friend. And if you are a writer, or think maybe perhaps you sort-of-want-to-be, then take a look at Jen’s new journal for writers, Take me with You.
May these small treasures bring big joy and beauty to your world today.
Magpie Girl’s Promise: I adore my readers, so I only review productsI truly believe in. I never review a product — even one I’ve received for free — unless I truly love it. My complimentary copy of Fortunes perfectly fits the bill. Click the link to find all my Favorite Things, and maybe one of yours! Thank you for being here.
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September 25th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
i bought a copy of this from her at SQUAM – it really is an amazing book. and the journal – oh! i think even i could write in that…