Great Chicago Books Club: Elizabeth Marino’s Asylum

Elizabeth Marino is a Chicago poet, performer. and educator. Her book Asylum (Vagabond, 2020) is a hybrid poetry/memoir collection. According to a Femficātiō review, "What stands out most is how seamlessly Marino blends narrative drive with lyric intensity. Even when the work shifts away from overt political themes and into intimacy and longing, it never loses focus or purpose. This is especially striking given that Asylum is also a memoir. The reflective prose pieces at the end are raw and unsettling, grounding the poetry in lived experience and moral urgency."

The Pushcart Prize nominee's previous work includes chapbooks Debris (Puddin'head Press) and Ceremonies (dancing girl press), as well as more than 20 print anthology contributions. Chuck Kramer wrote of Asylum, "...great images and lines throughout…poems blend personal experience, history, art and politics…'Sonic Projections' is a wonderful, lyric ode to joy." Marino will be in conversation with Yolanda Nieves at 18th Street Casa de Cultura on Thursday, August 27. The discussion will focus on Asylum but range into related territory. Registration is free. Registration is now open.