Dome of the Hidden Pavilion - by James Tate (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The seventeenth book of verse from one of America's finest and most acclaimed contemporary poets--winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

Capturing his inimitable voice--provocative, amusing, understated, and riotous all at once--the poems in Dome of the Hidden Pavilion demonstrate James Tate at his finest. Innovative and fresh, they range in subject from a talking blob to a sobering reminiscence of a war and its aftereffects.

Though they are diverse in scope, a theme of dialogue and communication--and often miscommunication--links these poems. Accessible yet subtly surrealist, filled with dark wit, dry humor, and a deceptive simplicity, Dome of the Hidden Pavilion confirms Tate's continuing relevance as one of the most celebrated American poets of the modern age.

From the Back Cover

The seventeenth book of poetry from one of America's finest and most acclaimed contemporary poets

Capturing his inimitable voice-provocative, amusing, understated, and riotous-the poems in Dome of the Hidden Pavilion demonstrate James Tate at his finest. Though they are diverse in scope, a theme of dialogue and communication-and often miscommunication-links these poems. Accessible yet surreal, filled with dark wit, dry humor, and a deceptive simplicity, Dome of the Hidden Pavilion confirms Tate's place as one of the most significant American poets of the modern age.

Review Quotes

"Dome is Tate at his restless, relentless best - leaving many questions unanswered, and no answer unquestioned." - Boston Globe

"He left behind a body of work full of the matter-of-fact, surreal, small-town scenes that morphed into curious dreams, a percolating humor that never quite hid the darkness beneath." - Philadelphia Inquirer

"Tate's masterly storytelling keeps things fresh; even when the reader can anticipate the inevitable absurdist twist in a piece, its delivery is always interesting. . . . Tate's style will be recognizable to readers of his recent few books, but even those unfamiliar should find this whip-smart collection a joy to read." - Publishers Weekly

"The rare American poet who managed to make poems that were at once fanciful and grave, mundane and transcendent. . . . His work is singular in American poetry for marrying goofball humor and childish jouissance to a lyricism that never seems cheap or self-serious-an unusual achievement." - New York Times Book Review