Poetry, Politics and Passion
by Jennie Orvino
Jennie Orvino's Poetry, Politics and Passion is a genre crossover because the author herself is a crossover-poet, journalist, interviewer, writer of personal essays and memoir. Jonah Raskin, author of Natives, Newcomers, Exiles, Fugitives: Northern California Writers and their Work, says Orvino's book makes good on its title, exploring passion, politics and poetry as the three main loves of the writer's life. "What's priceless about the book are the snap-shots of the 1960s," Raskin says. "Jennie's take on the era is absolutely new and unique. It's funny and moves back-and-forth from past to present, from protest to romance to poems on the page. It's a joy to read." Well known writers and peace movement figures show up in these pages as the author's friends, mentors and lovers. But as Orvino offers up five decades of activism in the streets and on the page, we also get an intimate portrait of a woman from idealistic girlhood to grandmother, with all the complexity one might expect. The book is divided into three parts: 65 pages of memoir, 28 poems and 7 essays on topics from Robert Bly to online dating, from sacred sexuality to aging gracefully. There is also a section of photographs and ephemera which add a visual and historic dimension to an already vivid presentation. Jennie Orvino's Poetry, Politics and Passion will be informative and enjoyable for mature teenagers and up. Award-winning short story writer and college teacher Dan Coshnear has written of the book: "In these cynical times, be inspired by these fearlessly remembered, elegantly told tales of an American dreamer."
Paperback
English
Brand New
Author Biography
Jennie Orvino has been writing since she got a diary with a lock and key at age 14. Her poems have been published at cleansheets.com, slowtrains.com, in Redwood Coast Review, Present at the Creation, Petaluma Poetry Walk 10-Year Anthology, West County Reader, Squaw Valley Writers Anthology, Cloud View Poets, North Bay Progressive, Eclipse, The Dickens, Poets Against War, Burning Bush Publications, Marin Poetry Center Anthology, Sacramento News and Review, From Porn to Poetry, and Good Vibrations' Sex Toy Tales. Her spoken word CD, Make Love Not War explores the body erotic and the body politic in collaboration with some of San Francisco Bay Area's most accomplished musicians. This CD was on the Grammy ballot (Category 74) for Best Spoken Word Album in 2002. In 2003, Clamshell Press of Santa Rosa published Jennie Orvino: A Sampler of Her Poems, 12th in a series of hand-set, letterpress limited editions. She is also a feature writer who has been published in The Bohemian and other Sonoma County newspapers. Her radio credentials include a two-year stint at KRCB FM 91 as a producer and on-air interviewer for the literary salon, "Word by Word" and the poetry programs "Come, Said the Muse" and "Poetic License." Awards include: 1st prize poetry - Copperfield's The Dickens; second prize in Java Jive contest (North Bay Bohemian); and The Don L. Emblen Award from Santa Rosa Junior College for achievement and promise in creative writing. Her spoken word performances as a featured reader include: Live Wire Literary Salon, Harbin Hot Springs, Petaluma Poetry Walk, Sonoma County Book Festival, Health and Harmony Festival, Coffee Catz (CD release party in 2002; "Nothin' to Hide" 3-woman show with Cat Austin and Fran Carbonaro in 1999), Copperfield's Books, Northlight Books, River Reader, Healdsburg Literary Arts Council Third Sunday, Center Literary Café, Snake River Poetry Circle, Synergy Café & Lounge (Culver City), "Women's Work" Venue 9 (San Francisco). She has also participated in various group readings. among the locations are: Levin & Co. Books, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Marin Poetry Center Traveling Show, Russian River Writers Guild and numerous poetry slams. Jennie Orvino was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, lived in Milwaukee for 10 years after college and then moved to Sonoma County California in 1978.
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