Among the Lost
Series: In Dante's Wake
Publisher: Fomite (November 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1942515057
Paperback: 240 pages
- Among the Lost, set in the modern American rust belt, is a meditation drawn from Dante’s Purgatorio. To Dante, Purgatory was the mountain where souls not damned went after death to cleanse themselves of sin in preparation for entering Paradise. What, Steinzor asks, are we preparing ourselves for, having lost the fear of hell and the hope of heaven, in the course of our daily urban existence? And whatever that is, how do we go about preparing for it?.
This story is written in the poetic form that is complex and tough to understand more often than not yet, the modern day plot made it a little more manageable to read. Possibly it would have been easier for me to fully grasp everything if I would have first read book one “To Join the Lost”. Whereas having never read Dante’s Divine Comedy (shocking, I know) could have also put me at a slight disadvantage but then again I am not sure. This is much different than any other book I have read before. I did not just read the book cruising through it seeing it like a movie playing out in my head, but it caused me to stop and contemplate what the author was saying to me. One thing that stood out the most to me is how stunning the wording is.
Her eyes are blue as twin Lake Tahoes, her cheekbones
high and sharp as the peaks surrounding
Tahoe basin, her nose a proud straight ridge, her
mouth glistening red and lush as the
Rolling Stones’ lips logo, her teeth as white as
kitchen appliances, her neck a
column carved in chocolate by ancient Greeks, her
shoulders bare, her skin as fine and
matte as the dashboard in the car she lies on.
Her muscular arms show she works out
high and sharp as the peaks surrounding
Tahoe basin, her nose a proud straight ridge, her
mouth glistening red and lush as the
Rolling Stones’ lips logo, her teeth as white as
kitchen appliances, her neck a
column carved in chocolate by ancient Greeks, her
shoulders bare, her skin as fine and
matte as the dashboard in the car she lies on.
Her muscular arms show she works out
As the narrator made his rounds through purgatory with Dante there are some recurring topics such as many varied aspects of the family, also an abundance of themes regarding government. For example, him speaking with past presidents such as Lincoln. My question is why is Lincoln in purgatory? He was a brave man remembered for his character and leadership also memorialized for his vital role as the leader in preserving the Union during the Civil War and beginning the process (Emancipation Proclamation) that led to the end of slavery in the United States. A few other things mentioned was the effect music has on the soul and most importantly, how much hate there is between the rich and poor.
They make government their bitch and plaything,
and claim it’s for the common good.
They keep to themselves what the poor must need, and when
from lacking the means to soften their lives
the poor are toughened, stunted, and deformed
they damn the poor for being so damaged.
I hate their hypocrisy and I hate their charity,
giving to whom they deem deserves it
what they deem will make them go away
In quiet and leave their wealth undisturbed.
and claim it’s for the common good.
They keep to themselves what the poor must need, and when
from lacking the means to soften their lives
the poor are toughened, stunted, and deformed
they damn the poor for being so damaged.
I hate their hypocrisy and I hate their charity,
giving to whom they deem deserves it
what they deem will make them go away
In quiet and leave their wealth undisturbed.
I recommend this to readers who want to expand their horizons you do not need to be a reader of poetry to enjoy this book but it will help.
★★★☆☆
PURCHASE:
Seth Steinzor protested the Vietnam War during his high school years near Buffalo, New York, and his years at Middlebury College, advocated Native American causes after law school, and has made a career as a civil rights attorney, criminal prosecutor, and welfare attorney for the State of Vermont. Throughout he has written poetry. In early 1980s Boston, he edited a small literary journal. His first, highly praised book, To Join the Lost, was published in 2010.
📜Tour Schedule:
Jan. 3: Eva Lucia Reviews (Review)
Jan. 4: Eva Lucia Reviews (Interview)
Jan. 10: the bookworm (Review)
Jan. 12: Wall-to-Wall Books (Review)
Jan. 17: Nerdy Talks Books (Review)
Jan. 18: The Indextrious Reader (Review)
Jan. 19: Everything Distils Into Reading (Review)
Jan. 21: Readaholic Zone (Review)
Jan. 23: Book Nerd Demigod (Review)
Jan. 25: Diary of an Eccentric (Guest Post)
Jan. 30: Necromancy Never Pays (Review)
*All pictures used are from Seth Steinor's website™
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