The Man Who Swam Away and Left only His Wet Feet by Gene Frumkin.
Every so often, we language teachers must seek out literature that commercially resides on the margins, for one of the important traits of literature is that everybody writes. Making money does not preclude talented writing; indeed, these processes may be separate, each requiring their own set of skills and procedures. To that end, I love finding literature from unknown "corners" of our society. Gene Frumkin is one such writer. Living in New Mexico, Frumkin first published in the early 1970s. The Man Who Swam is a collection of poetry dating from that first volume. His themes include philosophy, everyday wonders, characters from his life, etc. Stylistically, Frumkin uses the entire page, something not usually chosen today. He believes in the long line with indented lines interspersed throughout; his writing, in fact, looks like a squiggly word picture with these "twists and turns." Considered to be a surrealist wordsmith, Frumkin delves into our mind trips with "clarity" (one reviewer notes). Another critic elegantly states that this text "invites reading and deepens with each new exposure." Wonderful as a high school/college classroom aide for quick views into language versatility and power. By Natosi, high school/college English instructor.