Review of One of Them
Posted: 01 Mar 2023, 14:34
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "One of Them" by George Cutler.]
The yellow tang on the cover of this collection of poems immediately made me smile. Perhaps it reminded me of Dory, its blue counterpart from Finding Nemo. The title, One of Them, further reinforced the uniqueness and allure of the contents curated by the author, George Cutler.
These 102 poems glided smoothly through 11 sections, which included headings such as “Nature Poems,” “Experiences,” “Memories,” and “Humorous.” As is my usual practice when reading poetry anthologies, I scanned the headings of the entries and picked out those that captured my attention. Without hesitation, the poems “Sally Final,” “Christopher and Bleecker Streets,” and “Whoopi” made my list. Could he possibly be referring to the Whoopi? To find out, grab your copy of One of Them and enjoy this compilation of reflections.
Through his writing, Cutler reveals a multi-talented man who loves his family and enjoys the company of others. Given his life experiences, it appears he is a member of the silent generation, and I appreciated his scope of reflections as I encountered them in the lyrics. In “Recall,” he referenced using a payphone, and I stopped for a moment to reminisce about this structure that has quietly disappeared from the curbsides. I also marveled at the significance of the parade that the 7-year-old Cutler attended to celebrate an unprecedented (and not since duplicated) run for a third presidential term in “The Passing of FDR.”
There were several entries about his family and work in the arts, including engagements as an illusionist, stand-up comedian, and writer. Even the presentation of an occasional poem reflected his artistic flair. Two examples were “Falling” (in the shape of an incline) and “How My Poem Is Done” (in the shape of a tree). His musings provided a sweeping peek at this New Yorker and his world.
I could identify with the author’s observations on life, such as recognizing traits of a long-departed family member in the face of your child or the willing trade of a youthful body for memories of worthwhile accomplishments. But in my reading experience, I never encountered a poem that moved me such that I knew I had grasped its essence. I do not gauge the quality of a collection by the number of entries that have this effect, only that it happens. Filling in the blanks with one’s own ideas makes a stranger’s poetry personal, but many questions kept me from connecting.
For instance, in “A Study,” a poem about his office in a room previously occupied by his stepson, I could picture the intermingling of their personal items and the dance of knowing what to keep versus what to let go. Cutler referenced the connection they had because of the previous occupant’s mother, but the type of relationship he had with his stepson or how his marriage to the man’s mother ended was not clear. These unknown factors made my experience less captivating.
I rate One of Them 4 out of 5 stars. I reviewed the proof version of this book in PDF format, and there were a few inconsistencies in punctuation and capitalization. These minor flaws did not affect my reading experience, but I deducted one star for my lack of connection with the entries. This collection is expansive; poetry lovers looking for reflections on family and artistic adventures will value this anthology.
******
One of Them
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The yellow tang on the cover of this collection of poems immediately made me smile. Perhaps it reminded me of Dory, its blue counterpart from Finding Nemo. The title, One of Them, further reinforced the uniqueness and allure of the contents curated by the author, George Cutler.
These 102 poems glided smoothly through 11 sections, which included headings such as “Nature Poems,” “Experiences,” “Memories,” and “Humorous.” As is my usual practice when reading poetry anthologies, I scanned the headings of the entries and picked out those that captured my attention. Without hesitation, the poems “Sally Final,” “Christopher and Bleecker Streets,” and “Whoopi” made my list. Could he possibly be referring to the Whoopi? To find out, grab your copy of One of Them and enjoy this compilation of reflections.
Through his writing, Cutler reveals a multi-talented man who loves his family and enjoys the company of others. Given his life experiences, it appears he is a member of the silent generation, and I appreciated his scope of reflections as I encountered them in the lyrics. In “Recall,” he referenced using a payphone, and I stopped for a moment to reminisce about this structure that has quietly disappeared from the curbsides. I also marveled at the significance of the parade that the 7-year-old Cutler attended to celebrate an unprecedented (and not since duplicated) run for a third presidential term in “The Passing of FDR.”
There were several entries about his family and work in the arts, including engagements as an illusionist, stand-up comedian, and writer. Even the presentation of an occasional poem reflected his artistic flair. Two examples were “Falling” (in the shape of an incline) and “How My Poem Is Done” (in the shape of a tree). His musings provided a sweeping peek at this New Yorker and his world.
I could identify with the author’s observations on life, such as recognizing traits of a long-departed family member in the face of your child or the willing trade of a youthful body for memories of worthwhile accomplishments. But in my reading experience, I never encountered a poem that moved me such that I knew I had grasped its essence. I do not gauge the quality of a collection by the number of entries that have this effect, only that it happens. Filling in the blanks with one’s own ideas makes a stranger’s poetry personal, but many questions kept me from connecting.
For instance, in “A Study,” a poem about his office in a room previously occupied by his stepson, I could picture the intermingling of their personal items and the dance of knowing what to keep versus what to let go. Cutler referenced the connection they had because of the previous occupant’s mother, but the type of relationship he had with his stepson or how his marriage to the man’s mother ended was not clear. These unknown factors made my experience less captivating.
I rate One of Them 4 out of 5 stars. I reviewed the proof version of this book in PDF format, and there were a few inconsistencies in punctuation and capitalization. These minor flaws did not affect my reading experience, but I deducted one star for my lack of connection with the entries. This collection is expansive; poetry lovers looking for reflections on family and artistic adventures will value this anthology.
******
One of Them
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I love reading anthologies; poetry is like a puzzle and I like puzzles of all kinds. 
