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  • John High Reading from his Book of Unknowing at BZC

    Published April 5th, 2010

    Zen student, novelist and poet, John High, will be reading from his new book of poems, The Book of Unknowing, at Brooklyn Zen Center on Friday, April 23rd, at 7:00pm. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.

    If you will be coming to the event, please RSVP by clicking here. Thank you.

    About the author:

    Founding editor of Five Fingers Review, John High is the author of nine books, including his award-winning (Village Voice Literary Supplement top 25 books of the year) trilogy of poetic novels, The Desire NotebooksThe Lives of Thomas, The Sasha Poems, Bloodline: Selected Writings, a book-length poem Here, and his recently published novel, Talking God’s Radio Show.

    John is one of his generation’s foremost translators of contemporary Russian poetry. The principal editor of Crossing Centuries: The New Generation in Russian Poetry, he is known for his translations of Nina Iskrenko, Ivan Zhdanov, and Alexei Parschikov, among others.

    He has received four Fulbrights, two NEAs, and writing awards from the Witter Bynner Foundation, Arts International, and the Academy of American Poets, among others. He has taught Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, Moscow State University, Montclair University, and currently teaches Creative Writing and literature at Long Island University. John currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter.

    Criticism for The Book of Unknowing:

    “Imagine a novel whose setting is dark and indeterminate, whose nameless characters are shadowy, and whose circular plot unfolds timelessly—and you will be imagining John High’s A Book of Unknow- ing. These powerful poems, whose language rushes past in a torrent of disorienting yet evocative images and sounds, will pull you out of this world and into another, that matters a great deal more, where all that you think you know becomes doubtful.” ——Norman Fischer

    “John High’s poems, threaded together by narratives of childhood that span a century, are always immediate, grounded, and as fleeting as the moment. Throughout, High’s ear stays close to the heart. The music is visible.” —Matvei Yankelevich

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