Poetry. "If an echo is a 'pining into sound, ' Kuhl rewrites it in a way that gives pining uncommon agency--this is not a 'pining away' but a pining toward, a pining into. It's vigorous; it's vivid, but nonetheless graceful in its manipulation of the layers and columns of the human psyche. Rangy in her syntax, tight in her rhythms and sounds, Kuhl exposes the intricacies of daily acts, events and sights, slowly extending them out beyond their own boundaries to where ghosts whisper into open mouths and the 'past is wild but almost / over.' This exceptional poet hits a new height with each new book, and the view from this one is great "--Cole Swensen

Now in paperback, an enduring survey of the venerable trees. Since the pine tree is able to sprout after forest fires, on mountainsides, and in semi-desert climes, it is no surprise that the ever-resilient tree signifies longevity, wisdom, and immortality. From the pine cone staffs carried by the worshippers of Bacchus in the classical world to their role in the movement to establish national parks in nineteenth-century North America, pine trees and their symbolism run deep in cultures around the globe. In Pine, Laura Mason explores the many ways pines have inspired and been used by people throughout history. Mason examines how the somber, brooding atmosphere of pine woods, the complex forms of pine cones, and the coniform shape of the trees themselves have aroused the creativity of artists, writers, filmmakers, and photographers. She also considers the many ways we use the tree—its resin once provided adhesives, waterproofing, and medicines, and its wood continues to be incorporated into buildings, furniture, and the pulp used to make paper, while its cones provide pine nuts and other food for animals and humans. Filled with one hundred illustrations, Pine provides a fascinating survey of these rugged, aromatic trees that are found the world over.