Happy Book Birthday to Vox Humana by Adebe DeRango-Adem 🎉
Today, we celebrate the release of Vox Humana by Adebe DeRango-Adem! Read on to learn all about this remarkable poetry collection.
Happy book birthday to Vox Humana by Adebe DeRango-Adem! This first title in our Fall 2022 season and Most Anticipated Fall 2022 Poetry pick from 49th Shelf is driven by a sense of urgency to probe the ethics of agency in a world that actively resists the participation of some voices over others.
In and through literary experiments with word and sound, utterance and song, Vox Humana considers the different ways a body can assert, recount, proclaim, thus underscoring the urgency of doing so against the de-voicing effects of racism and institutional violence.
As the title also represents an organ reed that sounds like the human voice, so DeRango-Adem shares her reclaiming of the instrument traditionally accessed by the white establishment. These poems are born from the polyphonic phenomenon of the author’s multilingual upbringing. They are autobiographical and alchemical, singular and plural, but, above all, a celebration of the (breath) work required for transformation of society and self.
In anticipation of the book’s release, DeRango-Adem recorded a video introducing readers to the book. Watch below or here. Enjoy!
And save the date! There will be a virtual launch celebrating the release of Vox Humana on Thursday, November 10, at 7 pm ET. Guest readers will include Liz Howard and Michael Fraser, and the event will be hosted by Shazia Hafiz Ramji. More details to come soon!
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That’s all for now, dear reader. Please join us again in wishing a very Happy Book Birthday to Vox Humana by Adebe DeRango-Adem. Purchase a copy from our online shop or your local independent bookstore today. Happy reading!
