CHRIS MCKINNEY reviews Lilith Walks on Hawaii Review of Books

CHRIS MCKINNEY reviews Lilith Walks on Hawaii Review of Books

In Lilith Walks we read how Susan Schultz, Hawai‘i’s celebrated and (dogged) literary experimentalist, reacted to the daily challenge of walking her pooch while rational down a gantlet of Trumpeting, COVID-denying, conspiracist neighbors.

 

Is Kāne‘ohe the punchiest neighborhood on the island?

You could argue it. I would.

It’s the home of Castle High, the school that my stepfather, two siblings, and a long list of cousins never graduated from. Poet and publisher Susan Schultz lives there, and while this may sound odd at first, Susan is tough. If publishing challenging experimental poetry for twenty-two years doesn’t prove that, there’s her new book, Lilith Walks.

It’s a walk through a human minefield with only a poi-dog mix for company.

Obviously, when a pandemic hits, everyday life shifts dramatically. However, some routine tasks must continue to be fulfilled. Groceries must be purchased. Kids must be fed. For most dog owners, dogs must be walked. Susan Schultz’s Lilith Walks is a collection of her observations and conversations with her neighbors and fellow dog walkers, during what has been one of the most tumultuous eras in this country’s history—the Trump and Covid years.

The book, less a meditation and more a series of observational accounts, is filled with eye-catching juxtapositions. The majestic Ko‘olaus shadow townhouses, the graves of Temple Valley, and a growing population of feral chickens. The mundane task of dog walking in clement weather frequently devolves from friendly, idle conversations to flat-out hostility.

Read the whole review here

Buy Lilith Walks by Susan Schultz here