Native Poet Joy Harjo's memoir of her childhood and early adulthood, recounting her escape from an abusive stepfather, only to encounter a violent husband later on. Through it all she suffers intense anxiety, but a personal source of power she dubs the "knowing", and the desire to tell stories through images, words, and music, lead her out of the darkness and on to creative triumphs. Simple and polished prose...very inspirational. Displayed here is the life that brought Harjo to poetry, where "crazy" means close to the necessary risks for the survival and grace shown in her poems.Raised in a hardscrabble life in Oklahoma, the Native American effectively uses that background in her many volumes of poetry and songs.Only 2 photos in the book, both from Joy's early youth, so would have like more pictures of her adult life. Still, an inspiring tale of evolution from poverty to the wealth of literature and poetry.
What do You think about Crazy Brave: A Memoir (2012)?
This book was beautifully written. I just wanted to savor some of the poetry within the pages...
—tessdes
3.5 starsGreat book. I love the different rhythm a native writer brings to a story.
—fmirenzi
A difficult read, a blistering read, but a necessary read, in some ways.
—pezata
A clear and unique voice. I admire Joy Harjo.
—aurorehsu
