No matter the formal names for what Harjo writes, it is all poetry in her extraordinary hands. Poet Warrior is a book to savor and to read again and again.

A gorgeous and powerful read. Vulnerable and intense, this book was beautifully written, and I enjoyed the narrative style, and the weaving together of prose and narrative. This is a stunning read, meant to be savoured and taken its time with.

This is not a book of poetry, but it contains poetry, both Harjo's and poems from those who have influenced her. The poet is looking back at her life, and the choices she made, good and bad, that led her to and through a life as an artist and a poet. She refers to herself in the third person, using spirit names, most often Poet Warrior. That took a little getting used to, but it makes a lot of sense in the context of the book.

While her life has not always been easy, her dedication to her crafts as well as to her traditions is clear, and the story is interesting.

My book club is scheduled to read this later in the year, and I'm looking forward to reading it again, as I think it calls for that kind of careful, focused attention.

#PoetWarrior #NetGalley #WWNorton

Joy Harjo, Poet Laureate of the United States, Muscogee Native Peoples, has suffered terrible injustice during her lifetime. She relates what she believes to be the truth - that simply being born Indian is a crime. Her writing is beautiful and simple on first reading, then one goes back and reads again, and discovers depths never seen the first time around. She speaks of hope in the middle of great adversity and loss, but always family and community are foremost in her messages. She has been and done so many things in her lifetime. This is an uplifting book, honest and hopeful. Because of her writings and poetry, we all ponder our own identities and our own cultures and attempt to take a broader look at the world we live in.

Harjo is always a joy with her no nonsense appraisal of life deployed in her poetry. Harjo is the type of woman who's somewhat confused that life has treated her well (and focuses well on how it has, rather than dwell on her tragedies) and this makes for an enjoyable memoir as she reflects on being a Mvskoke poet in a White USA.

This book is a rousing exploration of the lifetime of an inspirational woman. It is a love letter to the power of poetry. It is a portrait of a poet finding a voice. The book celebrates storytelling in all ita forms and a clarion call to storytellers to tell their own unique stories.

In a combination of prose, poetry, and song, Harjo weaves together the stories and voices of her ancestors and family. It’s a beautifully constructed tale of grief, nourishment, and bravery. Harjo's story is powerful and spiritual, and this memoir is written perfectly in her voice. I loved every page.

I’ve been told that you can’t tell a book by its cover, but this might be an exception. Joy Harjo, in her newest book and second memoir, Poet Warrior, laces her story together in poetry and lyrical prose. In the six segments named Ancestral Roots, Becoming, A Postcolonial Tale, Diamond Light, Teachers, and Sunset, she traces her own growth from her ancestors to her grandchildren. At every juncture, her heritage and her family are vital.
In an interview for Poets and Writers, she gives her description of this story, “There is rhythm and timing, and the best storytellers have rhythm. And rhythmically, I prefer to swing. . .What emerged and surprised me as it surfaced was a long poem that winds through the book, a book which Girl Warrior comes of age and in the coming of age discovers poetry.” In the very beginning, “The Council dressed Girl Warrior’s spirit for the journey to enter the story, to make change. They placed the map in her heart.” Then comes the day when the Girl Warrior is transformed and becomes a woman to be called “Poet Warrior.” Using her own definition, she rates as a “best storyteller.”
Harjo recounts the difficulties of heartache and loss, of being a young single mother, and of a meandering path through music to find her way to poetry. A bit of humor here and there brings a vision I share in her mother’s mother who was better kept away from the cooking fire and her own mother who planted flowers in the traditional cooking pot.
In case there was any doubt, Poet Warrior verifies her selection as Poet Laureate. Her membership in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation gives authenticity to her account of traditions in these ancestors and family and makes the cover an accurate portrayal for what is inside the book. It is a book for those who love a personal story done in lyrical writing.

This book is lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story of Harjo's life told in such a beautiful way.

Poet laureate, Joy Harjo, begins this autobiographical work with episodes and insights from her life as a child in the household of an abusive father. She interweaves poetry, of course, with a rich underlay of pathos. The book continues through Harjo’s life, noting both personal and social landmarks along the way. She contemplates historical backgrounds and connections with her ancestors and those of her people. While the premise is solid, I prefer her books of poetry. The narrative becomes a bit one-note, and I found myself wandering off. Harjo’s distilled imagery and passion for justice come through more powerfully without the prose trappings.

Thank you to Joy Harjo, Norton, and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. Joy Harjo is perhaps our greatest living poet & this memoir did not disappoint. It was so fluid and poetic, actual poetry intermingled with poetic prose that didn't follow a linear trajectory. I learned a lot about Harjo and felt like I was sitting beside her while she told me tales from her life.

Joy Harjo's Poet Warrior: A Memoir is a truly remarkable book—partly because Harjo has led a remarkable life, but also because of the beautiful, almost incantatory prose Harjo uses. Harjo doesn't just relate events in her life, she pulls us into a world view that makes us rethink our relationship to what we see around us—that makes us rethink the very world we see around us.

Take your time with this title. Move slowly, pick it up, put it down. Nothing here should be rushed. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Pub date: September 7, 2021

Joy Harjo has such a beautiful way with words, and her newest memoir is no exception. This book tells the story of her life through prose and poetry and evokes such amazing imagery and emotion.

Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton for the advance copy of this book.

Joy Harjo's memoir takes readers on a spiritual journey that covers parts of her childhood with her abusive stepfather, her own children, and the last days spent with her mother. Throughout the memoir, there are poems and lyrical prose, and family photos that create a lasting and vivid image of Harjo's story.

I am such a big fan of Joy Harjo. She is such an inspiration and I find myself re-reading her work over and over. This is a beautiful look into what has made her who she is.
I cannot wait to purchase this one to add to my personal collection.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!