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BY THE WAY

Poems over the Years

by David Radavich

"David Radavich has found the perfect poetic technique for the expression of his unfailingly interesting take on life. This is splendidly controlled free verse which takes the reader into fascinating alleyways . . .  There are many 'Yes, yes, that's exactly how it is' poems." - Orbis

About the Author:

In addition to By the Way, DAVID RADAVICH has published poetry collections entitled Slain Species (Court Poetry Press, UK) and Greatest Hits (Pudding House, 2000) , as well as several chapbooks and a wide variety of poetry in the U.S. and abroad.  Among his published plays are Nevertheless . . . : A Romance in Two Acts (Aran Press, 1988) and three shorter plays.  His latest  work is America Bound: An Epic for Our Time, published by Plain View Press (2007).

Radavich's plays have been performed by the Charleston Alley Theatre, First Stage (Los Angeles), Love Creek Productions (New York), Mid-America Playweights Theatre, New Perspectives Theatre (New York), and many other groups.  Five plays have been performed Off-Off-Broadway to date.   Fragments of the Third Planet received its European premiere in 2000 in Germany.  He has also published articles on poetry, drama, and  contemporary writing.  Recipient of a number of poetry and drama prizes, Radavich was named an Illinois Distinguished Author in 1995.  (For further information, consult his Web site at www.ux1.eiu.edu/~daradavich ).

ORDERING INFORMATION:

By the Way, by David Radavich.  ISBN 0-9658045-0-X (Paperback).  $12.00.
ISBN  0-9658045-1-8 (Hardback).  $20.00.
On-Line: barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com
 
 

Comments on BY THE WAY

From the review by David Skinner:

"Radavich is certainly vigorous . . . .  He chooses his words carefully and pulls his lines together for the utmost impact and clarity.  Rarely obtuse, hardly ever abstruse, Radavich delivers his lines with the clarity of hindsight and the simple elegance of a poet given neither to the sentimentality of the confessional nor the ostentatious verbosity of the Romantics.

"Overall, By the Way has a feel similar to Simic's Pulitzer Prize winning Walking the Black Cat, somehow concrete in the abstract, building clear images from wind and fog to illuminate parts of the world accessible only through poetry. . . .  By the Way is certainly a solid winner.   The tone and imagery captured between its covers certainly put me into places I would expect to find in a Hopper painting.  Clear, concise, deliberate verse makes By the Way one of the stars in the constellation of my heaven of poesy." - Prism Quarterly, Spring 2006

From the review by Charles Waugaman:

"David Radavich has given us a thought-provoking and intriguing volume.  Many pieces contain fine music that glows with reading aloud.  The initial poem, 'Refugee,' finds us where we inevitably are - By the Way.  The final 'Sea-Canticle' is not an end, but another beginning.  The stanzas in 'Kansas Canticle' are crisp as starched and ironed linen, intense as Willa Cather's poignant short story, 'A Wagner Matinee.'  In 'Egyptian Days,' the reader is brought so onto location that the exotic spicy air is pungently present; wind in the palms almost audible.  The love poems are fresh, still in bud, waiting for the reader's mind to tease them open . . . .  Here is a book challenging to the thoughtful and educational to fellow poets. An excellent purchase." - Time of Singing, Summer 1998

Responses from Readers:

"The book cannot be read just once. I find the poems increasingly fascinating as I read them again and again." - Allen Raymer Reesor

"The strong lyric voice and sense of place is lovely." - Jennifer Phillips

 "I love the poems, devoured the whole thing quickly - too quickly - when it first arrived and have returned to it many times to reread poems I especially like." - Judy Powers

"I'm getting such a kick out of 'Mercy'. . . . From its opening, striking, two-barreled adjectives to its closing teasing enigma, it delights me. I've made a list of antitheses - just for fun. . . ." - Frances McColl

"I sat down the glance through [By the Way] while waiting for a batch of cookies to bake.  I became so engrossed that I didn't hear the timer go off and that batch of cookies got burned.  I didn't mind.  Thank you for writing!" - Molly Vivian
 

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