Joker, Joker, Deuce

by Paul Beatty

Overview

An electrifying  collection of poems from the author of The Sellout, winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize
 
Originally published in 1994, Paul Beatty’s second volume of poetry won praise for the way it “pushes the boundaries of free verse while assessing the landscapes of African American autobiography” (Bomb Magazine).  In these  poems, which explore aspects of race, identity, and popular culture, Beatty was honing the comic, satirical voice and vivid imagination that  came to full realization in his acclaimed fiction.  Joker, Joker, Deuce “moves to fierce urban rhythms, both cool and hot,” writes Jessica Hagedorn.  “A rush of intense visual images and electric word music.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780140587234
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/01/1994
Series:	Penguin Poets
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.36(d)

About the Author

Paul Beatty is the author of four novels — The White Boy Shuffle, Tuff, Slumberland, and The Sellout, which was the winner of the 2016 Man Booker Prize and the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction – and two collections of poetry, Big Bank Take Little Bank and Joker, Joker, Deuce.  He lives in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

Beatty is fresh, hip, and his images, cadences, rhythm and use of language are extraordinary.”
– Quincy Troupe
 
“Beatty parts the curtain of retro respectable poetry, revealing an image world astrally projected on a hip hop reality trip.”  
- Evelyn McDonnell, The Village Voice

From the Publisher

Poet and performance artist Beatty's ( Big Bank Take Little Bank ) second collection is obviously meant to be performed: the long poems read like a course in pop culture, covering everything from TV reruns to meditation and Mickey Mouse. Summoning up such black heroes as James Brown, Paul Robeson and Charles Mingus, he raises fascinating questions about the relationship of the African American past with present realities of a racially divided society. One poem, appropriately titled ``Verbal Mugging,'' suggests he's arrived at a position that combines anger with humor. He can become didactic at times, but the writing is so lyrical that readers don't feel shouted at or wrongfully accused. The imagery is vivid: describing a black poet he feels sold out to the establishment, he speaks of his ``platforms'' being replaced by ``hush puppies''; in another poem he depicts his house as a ``shooting gallery'' where he ``used to play connect the dots with the pock marks and scars / on my daddys arms.'' As good as he is, Beatty writes in one pitch which grows tiresome after a while, but it isn't long before some startling new image comes along and screams out for attention. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly