Turn It & Turn It

Alicia Ostriker has published nineteen collections of poetry, been twice nominated for the National Book Award, and has twice received the National Jewish Book Award for Poetry, among other honors. As a feminist critic, she is the author of the now classic Stealing the Language and several books on poetry and the Bible. Her poems have been translated into numerous languages, including Hebrew and Arabic. She was the New York State Poet Laureate from 2018 to 2021 and a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets from 2015 to 2020. She lives in New York City, is on the advisory board of Yetzirah: A Hearth for Jewish Poetry, and loves leading poetry-writing workshops.

“Alicia Ostriker is one of my favorite poets and thinkers about poetry . . . You read her poems and instantly you are in the presence of a poetic mind that communicates a live-wire joy of senses—in a way that is both timeless and very much of this moment . . . Here she is, in all her glory, Alicia Ostriker guiding while inspiring.”—Ilya Kaminsky, author of Deaf Republic and Dancing in Odessa“In this erudite, eloquent collection, exhilarating in scope, Alicia Ostriker examines an eclectic range of subjects, from biblical narrative and midrash, to diverse American and European poets, to feminist theology. Demonstrating a mastery of multiple genres—poetry, essay, and drama—Ostriker dives into the depths of her own inner life. In writing that is always lucid, she answers Muriel Rukeyser’s famous call: Ostriker tells the truth of her life, and the world splits open.”—Marcia Falk, author of The Sky Will Overtake You and The Book of Blessings“Whether she’s commenting on the work of other poets, reclaiming the stories of biblical women through midrash and poetry, or seeking to restore the exiled Shekhinah to her rightful place, Alicia Ostriker’s writing is always challenging, provocative, and urgent. This varied collection gives readers a strong sense of the range and power of her work.”—Judith Plaskow, author of Standing at Sinai and cofounder of the Journal for Feminist Studies in Religion“With Turn It & Turn It, Alicia Ostriker has once again created a work that is both liberating and transformative. In her readings of other poets—including Dickinson, Rukeyser, and Stern—along with her readings of biblical stories, Ostriker uncovers meanings that would have remained trapped had it not been for her courage, imagination, and depth and breadth of knowledge. At the risk of saying something heretical, I’ll add that with this book of essays and poems, Ostriker adds another branch to the Tree of Life. Turn It & Turn It keeps that tree alive, and without that tree, we wouldn’t have the oxygen we need to breathe.”—Richard Chess, author of Love Nailed to the Doorpost“The trickster-mystic Alicia Ostriker has made a career of retrieving the repressed, and in this new book, she lays bare the treasures she has found.”—Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD, author of Sisters at Sinai and coauthor of The Hebrew Priestess“In the middle of the journey through my copy of this book, it occurred to me that Alicia Ostriker is not only a poet who profoundly influenced my writing—she is also a major spiritual figure whose irreverently reverent ways profoundly influenced my very inner life. Then again, to quote Ostriker quoting Rukeyser, “Oh for God’s sake / they are connected / underneath.” I’m grateful for everything Ostriker writes and teaches, but this book, even by her standards, is a standout. It delves into matters of writing and spirit with humor, ease, erudition, and a lot of practical thinking around the very praxis of reading, writing, and living as a cosmic Jewish poet in this twenty-first century.” —Jake Marmer, author of The Neighbor Out of Sound