Official Review: Contact Tracer / Virus Diary

[williamsack6329]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Contact Tracer / Virus Diary" by Phil Barber.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Phil Barber’s work Contact Tracer / Virus Diary is a collection of poems that are somewhat episodic in that they each describe an interaction or experience Barber has had with various clients and other people as a Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) for the Rhode Island Department of Health. The reader is shown the wide variety of ways in which people react to the news of testing positive for an STD, which includes outbursts of disbelief, anger, panic, depression, and a multitude of other emotional responses. Some of the poems also encapsulate the inner feelings that the author finds himself afflicted with, such as the curses of guilt and judgment from other people, like the “Feds,” who referred to him as “Doctor Death” (86).

One of the greatest facets of Barber’s writing is the inexplicable way in which he paints how discontent, guilty, and sullen it was for him to notify people that they have a terminal illness that not only threatened death but also reputational destruction due to the stigmas associated with sexually transmitted diseases. The author’s poetic mastery is evidenced by his ability to establish this atmosphere of dread, solemnity, and anger, communicating his own unwillingness and disdain for being the bearer-of-bad-news. I was also really impressed and astonished by the pop-culture and literary allusions made throughout that piece that each worked to enhance the reader’s understanding of the author’s experiences. For example, Barber references Macbeth on page 61, where he compares one of his upset clients to the titular character. The author also alludes to the famous phrase from the play when he titles this poem as “Out Damn Spot,” which possibly suggests that the client feels guilty and crazed upon finding out that he has an STD. Barber also compares himself to Macbeth’s witches on page 86, where he sees himself as a similar prophet of death. The only unlikable aspect of the book was the occasional convoluted, run-on sentence.

Keeping in mind how dark-themed Phil Barber’s book is, I think it could only appeal to a mature audience or anyone who has dealt with such heavy topics like those of drug addiction, death, guilt, and/or life-threatening illness. Furthermore, I think that children and teens—or even a considerable portion of adults—would not easily be able to relate to the themes explored in the piece. Lastly, fans of poetry pieces and collective works would probably appreciate the structure of the book more so than other readers.

As if to maintain consistency, Contact Tracer / Virus Diary also proves commendable in its editing. Throughout my reading, I came across very few errors. Most of these only included some minor misspellings and spacing issues that did not ever really become distracting or detrimental to the overall quality of the piece. For instance, on page 41, the word “penicillin” was just barely misspelled as “penicllin.”

With all of this in mind, I think Phil Barber’s Contact Tracer / Virus Diary deserves a score of 3 out of 4 stars. Although the book was beautifully written and rather eye-opening about the emotionality surrounding STDs and addiction, the lack of editorial perfection and the frequent drawn-out sentences prevent me from suggesting a perfect rating.

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Contact Tracer / Virus Diary
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[That Reviewer]

This is a unique one. It's beautiful to see somewhere share there experiences at work in poems.