BOOK NOTES: Collection of thought-provoking poems by a Ukrainian Englishman in Brooklyn (07/09/06)

BOOK NOTES

Collection of thought-provoking poems by a Ukrainian Englishman in Brooklyn

"Everybody gets lost in brooklyn" by John Korduba, illustrations by Angela Green. New York: iUniverse Inc., 2005. 203 pp. $17.95 (paperback).

by Matthew Dubas

This collection of short poems by John Korduba, a transplanted Ukrainian Englishman, who now resides in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, offers the reader a thought-provoking sampling of the life he has seen while living in New York during the administration of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Everything from musical landmarks like CBGB's, to the everyday occurrences, like a stop at a café are covered by Mr. Korduba with external simplicity and internal depth.

Mr. Korduba's ability to capture a moment in time draws the reader in for a retreat from the ordinary, while the variety of the themes and keen sense of humor keep the reader turning pages to the next peek at a day in the life of a New Yorker.

An example of this can be found in "Bonus," his brief description of a typical sunrise in New York, but with a twist. Out of this typical start to a day comes a rainbow, the "bonus" for the day. Mr. Korduba addresses the reader and makes the story also a personal experience of the reader.

Mr. Korduba's humor is evident also in the poem "Cleaning Day," where he describes the chaos of his apartment as a king, whose crown can be found somewhere in the mess. This tells the reader that the author's life is just as chaotic as everyone else's, but the key to dealing with the messes of life, is to find the humor in it, no matter how insignificant.

This book is recommended for anyone who needs a smile to brighten their day, and is a perfect quick read for the ride on a bus, subway or taxi (in typical New York style).

Readers may order copies of his book from booksellers such as: www.amazon.com or by contacting: iUniverse, 2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512; online, www.iuniverse.com; telephone, 1-800-228-4677.

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