NPR

In 'Kill Class,' A Poet Aims To Map The Distance Between Perspectives

At her best, Nomi Stone is able to make an anthropological excavation into something beautiful and haunting, laced with double meanings. But at times she stands in her own way, obscuring our view.
<em>Kill Class</em> by Nomi Stone

Nomi Stone sets her second poetry collection in Pineland, a military training center in North Carolina. It's a mock-country where American soldiers engage in war games.

"Pineland," Stone writes in one of many prose poems that set the scene and offer context between first-person lyrics, "has room for whatever the world does to itself. In the beginning, Pineland was somewhat like the Soviet Union. Now, Pineland is somewhat like the

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.
NPR3 min read
What's Making Us Happy: A Guide To Your Weekend Viewing And Reading
Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: Vanderpump Rules recaps, the book The Worst Ronin, and a duet by Pavarotti and Celine Dion.
NPR2 min read
Brian Wilson Of The Beach Boys Is Being Placed Under A Legal Conservatorship
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge approved the conservatorship Thursday, noting that Brian Wilson suffers from "a major cognitive disorder." Wilson has agreed to the conservatorship.

Related Books & Audiobooks