Richard Brautigan
A true original. The way he twisted words and phrases to make the mundane seem extraordinary is a joy.
Tony Hoagland
In my opinion, he was a much more grounded Brautigan, and is as close to this generation’s version of him as we might get. Very conversational; you wouldn’t have minded sharing a long elevator ride with him.
Saul Williams
Powerful and electric, even when he’s purposefully trying to lull you. Reading him was a game-changer for me; you can almost hear the blood pumping through his veins in his words.
Claudia Rankine
Her book Citizen should be required reading for every high school student. To view the world through her lens is to know American literature and history.
Hanif Abdurraqib
Whether it’s his poetry or essay collections, he has a gift for telling a story and making you feel like you’re a part of it. Whatever topic he’s discussing feels like it’s yours to experience directly with him.
Norb Aikin is an author and a Mental Health Advocate. He’s originally from Buffalo, NY and now lives in Cortland, and his debut poetry collection 100 (Eliezer Tristan Publishing) is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and his website (www.norbaikin.com/blog). You can almost always track him down on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fivesixer