Whereas

by Layli Long Soldier
Whereas cover
Good Books rating 4.42
Poetry
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Paperback • £12.99
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  • ID: 2296
  • Added: 2025-10-13
  • Updated: 2025-10-13
  • ISBN: 9781555979614
  • Publisher: Graywolf Press
  • Published: 2017-03-07
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

WHEREAS is a groundbreaking collection that uses a variety of poetic forms to examine the intricate relationship between the author's Lakota heritage and her American citizenship. Layli Long Soldier's work delves into the historical and personal impacts of government policies and apologies, offering a poignant and innovative perspective on identity and belonging. Through a mix of short lyrics, prose poems, and narrative sequences, the book reflects on the author's experiences as a mother, artist, and observer, constantly navigating the duality of her citizenship. The language and structure of the text mirror the official and often duplicitous language of government documents, turning it back on its perpetrators in a powerful act of resistance and self-expression.

Reviews
Poetry School · 2025-10-13
insightful 4.00

The book is dynamic and exposes the deceptions of language. The reviewer finds the work to be an elegant and insightful exploration of language's role in historical and personal narratives.

The reviewer notes that nothing in the poem is static, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the work. They appreciate how Layli Long Soldier conducts an elegant exposé of language's deceptions, making the book a compelling read. The reviewer finds the book to be a groundbreaking piece that challenges the reader to think critically about the role of language in shaping our understanding of history and identity.

Quick quotes

    Nothing in the poem is static.

    Throughout Whereas, Layli Long Solider conducts an elegant exposé of language's deceptions.

    The book is a groundbreaking piece that challenges the reader to think critically about the role of language.

PShares.org · 2025-10-13
powerful 4.50

The book masterfully uses language to critique unfair treaties and government paternalism. It is seen as a powerful document that turns the government's own words against it.

This review highlights the book's unique approach to language, using the very diction and vocabulary of unfair treaties to expose and critique governmental actions. The reviewer praises the book for its elegant and powerful deconstruction of language's deceptions, making it a masterful document that challenges the reader to see the nuances of historical and political narratives.

Quick quotes

    A masterful document that deploys the language, diction, and vocabulary of unfair treaties and paternalism against the government that initiated those treaties.

    The book is a powerful document that turns the government's own words against it.

    It is a testament to the power of language and the ways in which it can be used to both oppress and liberate.

The New York Times · Dwight Garner · 2017-08-04
profound 4.75

The book challenges the making and maintenance of an empire by transforming the page to withstand the tension of an occupied body and country. The reviewer finds it to be a profound and thought-provoking work.

Dwight Garner from The New York Times highlights how the book challenges the very foundations of empire by transforming the page into a site of resistance. They find the work to be profound, noting its ability to capture the tension and complexity of occupied spaces. Garner appreciates the book's unique approach to language and its powerful exploration of identity and ownership.

Quick quotes

    Whereas challenges the making and maintenance of an empire by transforming the page to withstand the tension of an occupied body, country and ...

    Long Soldier's work is profound and thought-provoking.

    The book captures the tension and complexity of occupied spaces in a unique and powerful way.

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