IN A NUTSHELL - THE COLLECTION by Lesly Auerbach

Outskirts Press, Inc.
Parker, Co
www.outskirtspress.com
Genre: Poetry
Rating: Good
ISBN: 9781432706869, $8.95, 76 pp.

Quoting from the back cover:

"A glimpse into the head of an average, everyday kind of woman–me! Much of what you’ll read between these covers comes from my personal experiences; then there are the pieces where I put myself into those proverbial ‘someone else’s shoes.’ I’ll leave it up to you to decide which is which.

"Part emotional outburst, part fantasy, some social commentary, and everything in between, this collection is my life in a nutshell and helped form who I am today–well, sort of ...."

Lesly Auerback is a unique, interesting writer. In 2006 I reviewed her debut novel, Fragments, which was an exceptional first effort. In A Nutshell is a free-style, poetry collection, and the primary element which appealed to me in Fragments is also present here–her honesty. She is an intelligent writer, and her honesty and writing style could make her a great writer. Allow me to share just a small excerpt with you from page 30:

"Lost to myself in proving I do exist
A blank soul begging to be written on
Painted on with something other
than charcoal water and mud
Putting on any discarded mask
Creating a new one to suit new friends
Leaving a shattered face quivering underneath
Unable to hold any real expression
That first abandonment reaching
across the years
Disconnecting tentative connections
Wiping out trust and security
with its lie taken for truth"

If you’re a poetry buff, give her a try and see if you don’t agree.