The Book of Delights: Essays

The author is a poet who takes a year (from his birthday to his birthday) to record his “delights.” While some readers may define delight as joy, the author defines it more as the act of lighting up an observation. Some notes, or delights, may be joyful and surprising and others more sober. More than mid-way through the book the author says it “will look like all the nerves in a body. We might call it sorrow, but we might call it a union, one that, once we notice it, once we bring it into the light, might become flower and food. Might be joy.” These seem to be a spate of journal-like offerings which feature outpourings of unrefined occurrences and observations. That being said, this book is worth reading, and it is a quick read. The author, being a poet, is often quite original and expressive in what he chooses to notice and how he describes it. This would be an ideal gift book for readers of this poet during the holidays.