Johanna Skibsrud Knihy

On an imaginary island marked by deep socio-economic divides, an insurrection is brewing that will irrevocably change the lives of two women—one a rebel, the other a diplomat. Lota, a restless islander working at a fish factory, seeks a larger life. Her encounter with the charismatic leader Kurtz sharpens her focus as they, along with a group of misfits, plot to overthrow the occupying power. Their ambitious plans include charging the embassy and capturing Ø Com's outer station, a crucial hub for the empire's wireless operations. Kurtz inspires his followers with the belief that history need not repeat itself, as the past and future converge on this pivotal day. Meanwhile, Rachel, an anxious diplomat counting down her final hours on the island, faces escalating racial tensions that have forced her family to flee to the capital for safety. As she arrives at the embassy, gunshots echo through the corridors, signaling that this is no ordinary day. Held captive, Rachel grapples with her complicity in her government's sinister operations and questions whether she'll ever reunite with her loved ones. Blending fantasy and parable, the narrative explores themes of history and responsibility, urging reflection on cultural imperialism and the hidden costs of our interconnected world. It challenges us to envision a future that diverges from the patterns of the past.

Exploring the essential connection between poetry and humanity, this book delves into how poetry enhances our understanding of the human experience. It examines the ways in which poetic expression can deepen our insights into emotions, relationships, and existence itself, offering a fresh perspective on the transformative power of verse.

Johanna Skibsrud's debut novel connects the flooding of an Ontario town, the Vietnam War, a trailer in North Dakota, and an unfinished boat in Maine. Parsing family history, worn childhood memories, and the palimpsest of old misunderstandings, Skibsrud's narrator maps her father's past.

From award-winning writer Johanna Skibsrud, Medium uses language as a bridge across experience, sensibility, and time. These deeply resonant and performative poems share the lives and perspectives of women who--in their roles as biological, physical, or spiritual mediums--have helped to shape the course of history. Reckoning with the dominant historical narratives of each woman's era, Skibsrud underscores the power of poetry to bring about new formulations for understanding the relationship between past and present, self and other. Helen of Troy, Anne Boleyn, Shakuntala Devi, Hypatia of Alexandria, Marie Curie, Chien-Shiung Wu: Medium interprets the voices of women vilified by history, silenced by famous husbands, forced into sex work, or wrongly accused. Each exploration begins with a brief vignette inspired by the "vidas" that once began manuscripts of the troubadours. Both vidas and poems provide lyrical reinterpretations of real and imagined elements in the lives of scholars, scientists, computer engineers, mystics, entrepreneurs, artists, nurses, and other leaders.