Why people recommend it
Upstream is a luminous collection of essays by the revered poet Mary Oliver that reflects deeply on the natural world, literature, and the creative process. During an episode of The Book Review titled "The Year in Reading" on July 18, 2024, Will Schwalbe shared that he was currently reading the book. Schwalbe praised the collection extensively, describing the essays as stunning and noting that every single word seemed perfectly placed by the author. He specifically highlighted Oliver's insightful discussions regarding classic literary figures such as Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, alongside her profound meditations on the natural world, calling the overall experience simply fantastic. Schwalbe's enthusiastic endorsement illustrates the universal appeal of Oliver's prose, demonstrating that her keen observational skills and lyrical sensibility extended far beyond her celebrated poetry collections into thoughtful, engaging non-fiction writing.
Who recommended it
- Will Schwalbe Recommended
Will Schwalbe — 1 mention
“I'm reading Upstream the essays by the poet Mary Oliver oh yeah they're stunning every word perfectly placed um and the discussions of Whitman and Po and Emerson and nature it's just fantastic”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- "More more more" said the baby
- Books for living
- Coming apart
- David Copperfield
- Everywhere I look
- Games People Play
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Mary Oliver the poet um has an essay collection called Upstream that's new at number 10”