Victory Boulevard by Michele Herman (NWVS #136)

Her mother’s word, Michele Herman tells us in one of these strong, moving poems, was ‘lovely,’ a fitting adjective to describe the book as a whole. With warmth of heart, generosity of spirit, and keen observation of family and a receding past, the loveliness prevails, as endearing as it is evocative of a hot June night on Victory Boulevard, where time stands still and “last year’s dances are a glossy memory.”

–Philip Schultz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Failure

The poems in Victory Boulevard don’t ache for the missed moments of life or try to excuse the past, but embrace the way shown. There’s a clarity to this collection that comes from a keen observation and reflection of the world. From childhood to motherhood, from the bedtime story to the embarrassments which could belong to any of us, these poems are both familiar and full of surprise.

–Dorianne Laux, author of The Book of Men