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Any Reviews?

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By Rusty Barnes
Anyone noticed any reviews of Redneck Poems out there, or have one planned? I sent out maybe 5-10 copies to various places and people,and would like to remind potential reviewers and other people that they can get the (FREE!) nicely formatted e-chapbook by visiting either of these two URLS:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/38606297/Redneck-Poems-by-Rusty-Barnes#fullscreen:on

http://issuu.com/didimenendez/docs/barnes_rusty_chapbook?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed

or get a cheap print copy ($5.50) by visiting Magcloud.

If you like rural-based poems of sex, violence or shelling peas, or the visceral feel of mud in your toes, you might like this little chapbook. Here's part of what one reviewer liked--

from Rene Schwiesow at the Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene blog:
Edge. Rusty Barnes work will walk you out to the edge, ask you to look over, and consider whether you feel your stomach drop or your eyes water as you read. This is the real thing. Barnes grew up in rural Appalachia and his words are shot through with those Appalachian roots.
Or you can check What to Wear During an Orange Alert: 

The term "redneck" has many different meanings. There is the humorous Jeff Foxworthy parody, but there is also the hard-working rural farmer and fresh air image that is tied a little closer to reality. I'm not sure why Rusty chose that word to represent this collection of poems, but I feel he almost uses it affectionately. Sure there is mention of cut-off jeans, halter tops, beer, shotguns, fights, and of course cows, but in each of these poems there is also something that is universally relevant. Be it young love (or lust), a father's fears, neglect, or lose, the poems are power, moving and real.
Rusty is a master of capturing the darkness in everyday life and magnifying its effect. Just as in his short story collection Breaking It Down (Sunnyoutside, 2007), he brought the rawness of rural America into a structured and controlled setting. What is unknown is if these are observations or scenes pulled from imagination, but nonetheless Barnes yet again pulled me into his world.
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Comments

  1. DeadMuleJanuary 6, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    I still don't have my copy. Did you mail it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rusty BarnesJanuary 6, 2011 at 5:19 PM

    I did I swear, ages ago! Aaaarghh. Backchannel me your address again and I'll send another. So sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rusty BarnesJanuary 7, 2011 at 3:27 PM

    Here's another quick one, from Ben Tanzer:

    http://bentanzer.blogspot.com/2011/01/these-chap-books-will-change-your-life.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rusty BarnesJanuary 7, 2011 at 3:28 PM

    And another from Down Dirty Word:

    http://www.downdirtyword.com/nonfictionpage.html

    ReplyDelete

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