Official Review: Best Evidence by Mark S. Osaki

Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 23 Mar 2023, 13:58

I don’t really like poetry; mostly because I don’t understand it. I’ll keep trying, though.

gift etete · Post by **gift etete** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:05

The reviewer did an excellent job, but I'm not a poetry fan, I had no idea there was such a thing as a prose poem, and I didn't particularly enjoy the way the author portrayed women.

Bethany Kroeger · Post by **Bethany Kroeger** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:08

Great review! Thanks for the honest opinion especially about the poems pertaining to women-that alone is a turn off to me! It seems to be a collection of some interesting poetry about Asian-American culture and would be great for someone interested in both poetry and the culture! Congratulations on BOTD!

Mayuri Kotalawala · Post by **Mayuri Kotalawala** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:22

Osaki has a beautiful way with language. He is able to utilise even the most mundane and everyday object to depict a depth of emotion that arises from the discourse on heavy topics. A great example of this would be “Chinese Camp, California”, where he creates a triple play on the word “pen” – taking it to mean the pen used to pen the poem, the penning itself, as well as likening the isolation Asian-Americans experience to being trapped in a metaphorical pen.

- I like doing that when writing poetry too, but the fact that Osaki portrays women in a negative and inferior light, brought my mood down. Nonetheless, it's a book of poetry, I love poetry, and so I will read it because the reviewer mentioned many more nice things about it. Excellent review. Thank you.

Adeoluwa Adebusuyi · Post by **Adeoluwa Adebusuyi** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:30

Best Evidence is a collection of 39 prose poems, this group of poems seems to be very fascinating. It would be nice learning about the Asian way of life, both here in America and in their native nations. Thanks for the review.

Omobolanle Shittu · Post by **Omobolanle Shittu** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:35

Thank you for this review. I am not really a fan of poetry as they feel cumbersome to me, I am also not going to root for an author who seems to be a misogynist.

Omneya Shakeep · Post by **Omneya Shakeep** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:44

I'm not a fan of poetry, but I believe it takes someone with real language skills to compose poetry regarding such heavy topics as racism and oppression. I admire the author for writing with honesty about his feelings. However, I don't support degrading women through his writing. Thanks for this exquisite review. You did an amazing job.

Mojolaoluwa Idowu · Post by **Mojolaoluwa Idowu** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:45

I find it fascinating. Despite not being a fan of poetry, I would nonetheless suggest it to those who are. Congratulations on winning BOTD.

Thafheema Zaroony · Post by **Thafheema Zaroony** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:48

Poetry is not my cup of tea. But the whole plot seems interesting. Added to the bookshelf. Thank for the review. Congrats on botd.

Abdul-Malik Hassan · Post by **Abdul-Malik Hassan** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:48

I'm not quite familiar with prose poems, but it's something I'm looking to learn more about. Great review!

bibimahkh1960 · Post by **bibimahkh1960** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:50

Thank you for your comment. I wasn't aware of prose poems either, and this may be more attractive to me! I will reserve comment on Osaki's negative portrayal of women until I have read the whole volume. Perhaps he was writing on those particular aspects. It would be interesting if he were to do others as you have suggested.

As an Asian myself of immigrant parents, I can certainly relate to some of the topics covered by his work. I'm looking forward to reading this collection. Thank you!

Petunia P · Post by **Petunia P** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:51

"Best Evidence" by Mark S. Osaki is an impeccably researched and well-written exploration of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Osaki's insightful analysis of the evidence and key players involved in the investigation challenges widely accepted theories and leaves readers questioning what they thought they knew about the event. Highly recommended for history buffs and true crime enthusiasts alike.

Kenneth Onyenwe · Post by **Kenneth Onyenwe** » 23 Mar 2023, 14:53

I understand "Best Evidence" by Mark S. Osaki is a collection of 39 prose prose poems. I am not o good fan of poems so, I will pass this one along. Thanks for the review.

tarafarah7 · Post by **tarafarah7** » 23 Mar 2023, 15:07

Today's BOTD is a collection of 39 poems, written in prose, that focus on a variety of issues ranging from the Asian-American experience to war and its aftereffects. Not only are the words powerful and moving, but they also encourage reflection and leave a lasting impact with readers. Thank you so much for the awesome review and keep up the great work!

Jack Winnick · Post by **mrlefty0706** » 23 Mar 2023, 15:08

"Best Evidence" by Mark S. Osaki is a collection of 39 poems in a 54-page book. This is a well written book of poems but as the official reviewer pointed out Osaki has a tendency to portray women in an inferior light which bothers me. The poems focus on different times in Osaki's life including the aftermath of the Vietnam War, his experiences in a predominately white America and they show Osaki's raw emotions. Readers need to keep an open mind with these poems and try to put oneself in Osaki's shoes. I imagine the official reviewer had a tough time with this review but did a great job.