LIKE LOVE Essays and Conversations

In this compendium of essays and conversations, Maggie Nelson reflects on the art and artists who have shaped, inspired, and changed her. Senn Annis's narration is a mixed bag. Her rhythmic cadence is sometimes a bit stilted. She uses the same inflection for most sentences, and it gives her performance a feeling of recitation, rather than liveliness. She's at her best when she's able to sink into a story Nelson tells--whether it's about her family, a book she loves, or her own writing. At those times she lets the natural rhythms of conversation take over. The far-ranging essays themselves illuminate Nelson's curiosity, dedication to complexity, and knowledge of theory, philosophy, and literature. The conversations between Nelson and various other writers, poets, and critics are a highlight. L.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]