NERVOUS READER is the SECOND EDITION of a book of poetry by Jason Goodman. The first was published in 1992 and consisted of mainly award winning poems. In 1972, Jason was named " Poet Laureate for the State of Florida " based on poems from NERVOUS READER. In the late 1960's and 1970's, Jason read his poetry internationally; from the New York Poetry Society in Manhattan to a small back alley coffehouse in Melbourne, Australia. He was one of the last "beat" poets, reading with bongos, flutes and a cello on one occasion. Through these readings, Jason met many interesting colleagues. He read by invitation with Allen Ginsberg at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Also, in the early 70's he read with Archibald MacLeish at Kings College in Wilkes-Barre. The poetry encased in NERVOUS READER makes social commentary on issues that are as relevant today as they were when Jason was reading these works. Consider this volume of poetry to be 116 pages of mirrors, each reflecting the viewer's image, or reaction to a particular landscape, painted with words. NERVOUS READER was never meant to be entertaining, it was designed to shout, it was written to scream in your face that there is a very big problem in our world and no one is going to fix it. Jason has included a few of his works from Vietnam, most of these were reserved for his first book, SIMPLE REFLECTION on a frozen surface. It was a tribute to his comrades in arms that did not come home from Vietnam. Alchemy Studio, LLc completely redesigned this SECOND EDITION of NERVOUS READER, it has new covers, photos, fonts and overall design. Also, this edition has a Library of Congress Control Number, new ISBN, UPC and copyright, but the main thing that hasn't changed, mainly because it did not have to, are the contents, each poem is as fresh today as the day it was conceived on any scrap of paper within reach. As you read these, think of " Howl " and " City Lights " smokey back rooms with an old chrome mic and a stool, black turtle necks and berets, finger snapping, words like " groove " and " hip " with the man and his herb in the corner, and real coffee that was there all day, only one flavor, bad!Then you may have a chance understanding where NERVOUS READER found its parents, you may even meet them!
About the Author: Born the son of a struggling coal miner and a well educated mother in the anthracite region of Pennsylvania, Jason learned early how to work and fight for his every success. Travels began as a young man with the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam, he went on to live and work in the Caribbean, Australia, Europe, throughout the United States and a number of places in between. Jason lives what he writes about, looking at the big picture with a microscope, then providing a raw commentary on the view. This is the SECOND EDITION of the book NERVOUS READER. The first was published in 1992 and became an outstanding success, most of the poems contained within those 56 pages were fine tested by the audience of numerous coffee houses who proved to be final critics. A few years ago, Jason's wife found and old tattered journal of his handwritten work.The content proved to be perfect for the introduction of a second edition because it came from the same period in time and thought, but the most uncanny thing was its relevance to our society today. There is something to be said about poetry penned in the 1960's and 70's still proving to be applicable over 40 years later, either nothing has changed in our society, or, the poet is a master of his craft, it could also be a combination of both.