The Woman I Kept to Myself

Julia Alvarez is perhaps best known for her novels; such as, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies (which became a movie), but it seems she has also produced three collections of poetry. Alvarez was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the US when she was 10. Her work has always reflected these two cultural influences.

I no longer approach a poetry collection by an author whose novels I read with certain expectations—that I know what I will find or who I will find. Poetry is a different medium altogether. In this collection, Alvarez is writing more personally about the stories of her life. Her poetry is frank and friendly, accessible, with a slight cadence. I enjoyed the collection and have singled out some favorites, including one titled "Poetry Makes Nothing Happen?", about the unacknowledged effects poetry can have on us. ( )

Nothing is better for the average reader than a non-fiction book that reads like a novel except a collection of poetry that reads like prose, and this is just what that is. Alvarez makes her poems enjoyable for the average reader who may have a hard time appreciating poetry because of the difficulty of reading it. Not only that, but she manages to show us glimpses of her experiences growing up in two different cultures and ending each one with a lesson to think about. This is truly a must read for all. I'll definitely read this again. Alvarez has found herself a new fan! ( )