Improvise in the Amen Corner by Larnell Custis Butler - Review & Giveaway
I strive to share unique books with you and this time there’s no doubt I’m about to succeed. Improvise in the Amen Corner is a book of poetry and art unlike any you’ve ever seen. Larnell Custis Butler writes her prose about the African American community in her church, her town, her family. Each poem tells about one fascinating character coupled with a portrait drawn by the author. The portraits are unique in that they have been drawn using sticks and twigs which the author collects from the park across the street from her Virginia home. She sharpens each stick and dips them in India ink, creating shadows with wet paper towel. Don’t let the process fool you–these are works with plenty of artistic merit, and the media she uses lends just the right effect to her poetry. I’d happily hang one on my wall. Even the font is creative, based on Larnell Custis Butler’s own handwriting, giving you the sense you’re reading her own personal notebooks.
The people in Larnell’s life are not wealthy; they struggle to make ends meet, and some of them do that with grace while others take the wrong path, only adding pain to their already difficult lives. This is not to say the poetry is depressing, not by any means. Throughout the book, readers will gain a feeling of hope and community. One gets an intimate and unique glimpse into Larnell Custis Butler’s world. As for me, I’d love to sit myself down in The Amen Corner and get to know the people better.
1.) Leave a comment telling me what interests you about the book. (Something more than “sounds good” is kindly suggested.) Or tell me something inspiring or interesting about your community.
2.) Subscribers are automatically entered into this and all future giveaways. Just enter your email address in the little white box on the upper part of the right hand column. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail.)
3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back.
Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win!
Posted in Book Review and Giveaway
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:52 am
What a unique book (with a unique layout)…I have to see it!
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:29 am
I’d like to add this to my reading list
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:35 pm
[...] Improvise in the Amen Corner by Larnell Custis Butler By Contests4Moms | May 23, 2008 Where: carp(e) libris reviews [...]
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Huh, sounds interesting.
May 23rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm
What interests me is hearing someone else’s take on small town life. I’m from Southern Maryland (very rural) and now I live in the city (Baltimore) going home makes me both wistful and grateful to go back to the city.
May 23rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
What interests me about this book is that I love poetry and I write myself. I have an inspiring story. When my daughter was 5 my parents took her from me because I was an alcholic. I moved to florida 4/4/2007, the day my daughter turned 19, with 10 1/2 years sobriety, my car payed off and money saved for the move after working 2 and 3 jobs for years. I had another daughter in 97 who I chose to give up for adoption because it was best for her. I wrote a poem for her and her new parents promised to give her the poem when she was old enough to understand
===============================
:”My Little Angel Of Love”
I gave life to a precious angel just a few short days ago
I love her more than life itself but I loved her enough to let her go
For two short days I held her close in a warm loving embrace
Those beautiful moment in which we bonded my mind will never erase
God gave me a Christian couple who can take care of her every need
My eyes will always be streaked with tears; my heart will forever bleed
If I could have just one wish, our paths will cross again
But I’ll hold her close in my heart and love her in silence until then
I know I did the right thing
I’m at peace with the Lord above
And I know he’ll always be watching over
:”My Little Angel Of Love”
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I love the title. I also like the sound of Larnell’s family.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
This extraordianry poetry book is attractive and appealing. Thanks for this unique giveaway.
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I would love to see the artwork. Blogged ya:
http://mommyland512.blogspot.com/2008/05/win-copy-of-improvise-in-amen-corner.html
Great giveaway, thanks!
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
This particular book would be a treasure to me…for reasons you are well aware. I can relate to the characters in this book…I lack the adequate words to express myself, but will use a short poem by Maya Angelou to describe what’s within my heart: “…You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise…”
—————–
Kindest Regards,
Kathryn
May 23rd, 2008 at 10:00 pm
i love poetry and I guess relating it to African American in general is a great combination for this race has a great and diverse culture.
please toss my name in the hat.
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Evening, I just finished reading your link copy of the book! I actually got chills reading her clip about looking at people and her gift of “sight and touch!” Then, the poem about her uncle and the picture. I would never have thought about using sticks dipped in ink to make portraits like that! Amazing!!!!! I would be proud to own this book. Please enter me in another one of your delightful book drawings. Many thanks…..Cindi
May 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
This would be great. I really hope I win!
May 24th, 2008 at 7:00 am
I don’t often read poetry but this interests me. I live in a small town in Virginia and have a granddaughter who is half African-American. Would love to read the book to discover the folks in it.
May 24th, 2008 at 7:22 am
our community has some very interesting folks, strong christians, and living with disabilities, yet not content with being taken care of. They work and strive to contribute in possitive ways to our community.
May 24th, 2008 at 8:13 am
this looks like it would be a good read
May 24th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Very Intriguing!
May 24th, 2008 at 11:10 am
The sticks and twigs for medium are so creative; to create from the soul with objects of nature. Not only writing about but creating about each character. This book sounds aesthetically pleasing and touching.
would be honoured to delve into the lives..
May 24th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
I would like to read this
May 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
This is so beautiful. I am so touched by the drawings and her poetry. She completely brings these neighborhood people to life for us. I found her description of her technique and how this all comes out (on the back cover) fascinating and I very much want to read this book. More than that, when I’m done I want to share it with my daughter who writes amazing poetry herself and is very fond of reading and seeing art forms from this part of her culture. What a most generous and meaningful giveaway. Thank you.
May 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
We would LOVE to have a copy!
I blogged your contest on Prize-A-Tron too!
http://www.prizeatron.com
May 24th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
not a poetry guy, But people can change.
May 25th, 2008 at 8:41 am
enter me please
May 25th, 2008 at 9:32 am
I want to win.
May 25th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Looks good! Need it!
May 25th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
The cover of this book is eye-catching.
May 25th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
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May 26th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Poetry inspires me. Seeing the heartfelt feelings of others. What a great concept.
May 26th, 2008 at 1:20 am
the thing that interests me is the fact that it tells the stories of different people with poetry, i don’t read a lot of poetry books, so this sounds really interesting to me
May 26th, 2008 at 6:43 am
What interests me is the use of sticks and twigs in poetry.
May 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am
I want To Win
May 26th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
Looks like a wonderful read!
May 26th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I love poetry especially the topics that relate to life as it is lived everyday by people like me.
May 26th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Looks good!
May 26th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
sounds like an interesting concept
May 26th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Please count us in.
May 26th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
art and poems are good
May 26th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
The “homemade” portraits sound interesting.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
great
May 26th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
I could get to like poetry!
May 27th, 2008 at 12:58 am
i live in a townhouse complex with mostly elderly retired people; although i am not either elderly (53) or retired i find these people very interesting and i know each one has their own unique story of their journey, too bad its not documented as i am sure it as well would make for interesting reading
May 27th, 2008 at 8:41 am
The author’s poem about each individual interests me. I wish I had the talent or someone would write about the people in my town. The tools used to create the drawings are also very interesting.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:52 am
please enter me
May 27th, 2008 at 10:17 am
How interesting to put the human with characteristics to the pen and from that form a visual pictoral; many thanks my curiosity is on the ups; as we all hope to win for each who entered. Many Thanks SW
May 27th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Diane, Thank you for the wonderful review of Ms. Butler’s book. It is so heartening to see all the supportive comments; she will be so excited!
For more about Passager’s mission to celebrate the creative works of older artists, visit http://www.passagerpress.com. If you would like to order Improvise in the Amen Corner, you can do so online at http://order.passagerpress.com.
Thanks again for everyone’s stories, comments, and support!
The Passager Editors
May 27th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
This book sounds different and very interesting!TY!! 4 THE GREAT CoNTEST!
May 27th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
What really interests me is the
first hand experience,seeing
it through her eyes,a small
town,a struggle to make ends
meet while still having hope
and power of the spirit to
move on.Sounds wonderful
May 27th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I’m anxious to view the additional artwork as well as read about the others in the book. Pukie Lee seems to be a one of a kind character that must have had a hard life.
May 28th, 2008 at 4:59 am
I am interested in seeing the artwork in this book and how it compliments the text.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:30 am
[...] Improvise in the Amen Corner by Larnell Custis Butler - Review … Improvise in the Amen Corner is a book of poetry and art unlike any you’ve ever seen. Larnell Custis Butler writes her prose about the African American community in her church, her town, her family. Each poem tells about one fascinating … [...]