Magnolia by Nina Mingya Powles
A SPIN, Electric Literature, Book Riot, and The Catholic Post Best Poetry Collection of 2022
Finalist for the RSL Ondaatje Prize & Forward Prize for Best First Collection
A LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Chicago Review of Books Best Book of the Month
- Sale Date
- ISBN
- 9781953534279
- Page Count
- 104
- Language
- English
- Imprint
- Tin House
Meet the Author
Nina Mingya Powles
A SPIN, Electric Literature, Book Riot, and The Catholic Post Best Poetry Collection of 2022
Finalist for the RSL Ondaatje Prize & Forward Prize for Best First Collection
A LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Chicago Review of Books Best Book of the Month
Magnolia, Nina Mingya Powles’ exquisite debut poetry collection, pushes the borders of languages and poetic forms to examine memories, myths, and the experiences of a mixed-race girlhood. From Aotearoa to London, from Shanghai to New York City, these poems journey across shifting, luminescent cities in search of connection: through pop culture, through food, through vivid colors. Scenes from Mulan, Blade Runner, and In the Mood for Love braid together with silken tofu and freshly steamed baozi. At the heart of the collection is “Field notes on a downpour,” a lyrical sequence that questions the limits of translation and our ability to understand one another. Alone, the speaker recognizes that “certain languages contain more kinds of rain than others, and I have eaten them all."
Full of hunger and longing for a home that can embrace a person’s complexities, Magnolia draws on every sense to arrive at profound, yet intimate insights, and introduces readers to a brilliant new voice in poetry.
Finalist for the RSL Ondaatje Prize & Forward Prize for Best First Collection
A LitHub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A Chicago Review of Books Best Book of the Month
Magnolia, Nina Mingya Powles’ exquisite debut poetry collection, pushes the borders of languages and poetic forms to examine memories, myths, and the experiences of a mixed-race girlhood. From Aotearoa to London, from Shanghai to New York City, these poems journey across shifting, luminescent cities in search of connection: through pop culture, through food, through vivid colors. Scenes from Mulan, Blade Runner, and In the Mood for Love braid together with silken tofu and freshly steamed baozi. At the heart of the collection is “Field notes on a downpour,” a lyrical sequence that questions the limits of translation and our ability to understand one another. Alone, the speaker recognizes that “certain languages contain more kinds of rain than others, and I have eaten them all."
Full of hunger and longing for a home that can embrace a person’s complexities, Magnolia draws on every sense to arrive at profound, yet intimate insights, and introduces readers to a brilliant new voice in poetry.
Praise for Magnolia
-
“Captivating. . . . full of longing and wit.”
Poetry Foundation -
“Evocative.”
Publishers Weekly -
“Compelling. . . . graceful. . . . Powles is one of the most talented writers of her generation, and she is quickly establishing herself across multiple genres. Magnolia [has] numerous poems that linger long after you set down the book.”
The Poetry Question
About the Imprint
Where the literary canon of tomorrow is born. Critically acclaimed titles that challenge, illuminate, and linger. Discover award-winning fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from emerging voices you’ll say you found first.
