If you were wondering whether attending a book talk is worth it, this is your sign. Yes, it is! Brontez Purnell lit up the room with his charismatic spirit, witty humor, and poetic stories about his life. And what an amazing feat to capture these qualities so precisely in his latest book, Ten Bridges I've Burnt. As a part of the Rockridge Branch Library's Meet the Author program series, Brontez Purnell read from and answered questions about his memoir in verse on April 17, 2024.
Purnell has a unique literary voice that both provokes and envelopes readers in a painfully tender familiarity. As he unearths scarring memories disrupted by quippy humorous remarks, he unravels himself throughout the narrative, producing tears and laughter easily from the audience as he read aloud.
During the Q&A facilitated by OPL staff Aliyah Muhammad and Tarshel Beards, everyone in the room was able to learn from Purnell's thoughts on crafting narrative, critiquing the literary canon, existence as resistance, rest as a superpower, and so much more!
We highly recommend this book to Bay Area dwellers, especially writers and artists. And as the novel in verse becomes increasingly popular way to explore poetry and poetic structures or devices, the memoir in verse holds a similar allure to curious audiences.
You can check out Ten Bridges I've Burnt using your library card. Find more book talks from your library here.
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