Jo-Ann Mort with Leah Hager Cohen: A Precise Chaos

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A life-long commitment to social evolution—and, occasionally, revolution—animates the poems in Jo-Ann Mort’s debut collection, A Precise Chaos. Moving from Mostar to Oaxaca, Paris to Taormina, Mort’s peripatetic poems reflect her experiences as a trade union activist, a political organizer, and a peace activist in the Middle East. Refusing to evade the hard questions called for by a life honestly examined, she asks: “We, who are so righteous./Where does it lead us?” By publishing her first collection in her sixties, Mort succeeds in distilling a wealth of experience into something like wisdom: “The men were larger than life/starting revolutions in their heads and in their classrooms...//The men were larger than life,/so life eluded them.”

Jo-Ann Mort is a poet and journalist. Her first book of poems, A Precise Chaos, was published this spring by Arrowsmith Press, when she was 69 years old. Jo-Ann’s creative and non-fiction writing reflects her years of deep engagement in progressive activism , travel, and Jewish identity. She is a native of suburban Philadelphia , a long time resident of Brooklyn, NY, and a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College.

Brookline Booksmith, thriving in the heart of Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts, since 1961, is one of New England’s premier independent bookstores. We offer a vast selection of books, ranging from current bestsellers to the most eclectic titles. We are also known for our beautiful and inspired gifts. Customers buy and sell gently used books in our treasured Used Book Cellar and enjoy our bountiful bargain book selection. We host award-winning events series (including our groundbreaking Transnational Literature Series), offering more than 300 author talks, community conversations, and book clubs annually. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!

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