The following reviews provide an excellent representation of what is in my book. May you find them helpful and they motivate you to purchase the book.
BOOK REVIEWS
For Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose
Epic Outreach Book Promotion
Dear Brion K. Hanks
Your collection, Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose, invites readers on a deeply personal yet universally relatable journey through love, loss, and the profound mysteries of life. Blending inspirational poetry, reflective prose, and even a powerful nine-page essay, God for An Interim Period of Time, your work offers both comfort and contemplation for those seeking meaning in life’s most challenging and beautiful moments.
With themes ranging from the celebration of love to the heartache of death and dying, your book serves as both a mirror and a guide helping readers honor their grief while holding onto hope.
Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose will resonate strongly with:
• Readers of spiritual and inspirational poetry searching for comfort and understanding.
• Individuals navigating loss or seeking words of healing and resilience.
• Fans of reflective, thought-provoking prose that blends philosophy and faith.
• Book clubs and discussion groups interested in love, mortality, and spirituality.
To share your book with a wider audience, we can:
• Highlight excerpts that speak to healing and faith on social media platforms.
• Position the essay God for An Interim Period of Time as a conversation starter in interfaith and spiritual groups.
• Connect with grief support communities and organizations that value literature as a tool for healing.
• Pitch your collection to poetry reviewers who specialize in reflective and spiritual writing.
Your words offer readers not only an emotional journey but also a source of strength and connection as they navigate their own stories of love, loss, and faith.
Sharon Williams
Book Promoter
Tulsa Book Review
Star Rating: 5 / 5
Tales of a Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose is a compilation of poetry and prose by Brion K. Hanks that is the result of almost fifty years of writing. It comprises his thoughts and emotions as he went through various phases of life. Brion contributes to making the world a better place by encouraging people to think about fostering strong connections and being sensitive to the consequences of their actions. In ‘What If There Is No Tomorrow,’ he writes about savoring the moment with a loved one. He professes his desire to understand his reason for being in ‘Earthling For Now.’ ‘History Of Being One Human Being’ offers teachings about having a clear conscience and focusing on the unwavering pursuit of the greater good.
Brion is in sync with his consciousness and spiritual self, as seen by the poems’ deep teachings. Taking the time to ponder on the underlying meaning of the poems and personalizing them is recommended to get the most out of the book. Fortunately, this is relatively easy since the author paints a vivid picture of the book’s different themes, which include meditation, the afterlife, lost love, empathy, consumerism, family, time, society, tenacity, and more. Several poems resonated with me, but ‘The Child In Thee’ stood out because it reminded me that “growing up isn’t growing old.” I felt inspired to keep my inner child alive and to be bright-eyed and full of vitality.
To add depth to his poems, Hanks uses a variety of poetic and literary devices, such as rhymes, repetition, metaphors, and similes. The author’s repeating of the query “What was happening to me?” in ‘Was I Dreaming?” made the reality of dying to feel more poignant and chilling.
“Only you can truly rescue yourself from yourself.” Some poems appear to talk directly to the readers, using straightforward, second-person language and phrases that create the feeling of getting instruction from a knowledgeable ancestor. Other poems have such styles as personal musings, narrations, and social commentary. A stand-alone essay in the book also provides significant views about humankind.
Brion K. Hanks ensures that his messages are properly communicated in each poem, so that even people who are not major poetry fans may grasp them. However, the poems have a variety of poetic tropes that will appeal to core poetic aficionados. Anyone who has the opportunity to read and ponder on this profoundly insightful, intelligent, and evocative book will feel an immediate positive internal alteration that will gradually spill over into everything they touch. A must-read for all fans of poems and essays with wise, thought-provoking messages about living consciously and being truly alive!
Reviewed by Foluso Falaye
Portland Book Review
Star Rating: 4.5 / 5
Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose by Brion K. Hanks is an astonishing book of poetry. In his preface, Hanks mentions his hope is that the reader uses his work “to think”. One can see this theme throughout his book of poetry, as he brings up various topics that are deep and connect to spirituality.
Hanks uses an immense amount of creativity in his work. His descriptions and symbolism are rich, which engages the audience. He also uses a fair amount of rhyme in his poems, which gives a good rhythm for the reader. He does not use conventional poem formats but uses a variety of formats throughout the book. His font and format easily engage the reader and are not strenuous to the eye.
Hanks’ work includes themes such as life, death, and meaning. He asks questions most people are afraid to think about, such as what happens after we pass and whether we will continue to have connections with our loved ones. While this would normally evoke anxiety in the average person, Hanks uses a gentle approach that leads the reader to feel comfortable while exploring these questions.
One thing that sticks out the most after reading Hanks’ work is the sense of positivity he puts into his poems. It is evident that Hanks wants his reader to hold hope for the future. He pulls on spirituality and being able to connect to a higher entity in order to see that, despite hardship, there is meaning and purpose. This reminder helps the reader cope with some of the more difficult topics, as one can recognize that not all things are entirely negative. As he mentions throughout the book, when one door closes, another opens.
Hanks also includes an essay criticizing the current conditions of our world and society. He includes topics such as oppression, genocide, war, global warming, and abuse. The word choice and formatting make the essay sound like a sermon. Hanks brings up many valid points throughout the essay, such as war leads to destruction and that we still have the power to make different choices that could lead to better and more loving outcomes. Hanks reminds the reader not to act like sheep and to think mindfully and independently. While Hanks’ perspective is absolutely valid, it seems to not fit in quite as well as some of the other works of his book. The essay is bold because it tests the cognitive dissonance of the reader. Though he holds faith there is room for change, it still leads the reader to feel somewhat down due to the current condition of the world and society. This emotional response doesn’t go along with the comfort the reader may have while reading other poems in the book.
Reviewed by Hannah Stutz
Pacific Book Review
It is a truly noble, if not difficult, road to travel in order to make one’s dreams become a reality. The means by which we can achieve our goals and make our passions into a true career are not easy to attain, and utilizing those means is even more difficult. Yet the path to happiness is never a straight shot, and finding a positive approach to make these dreams a reality is the means in which we traverse those bumpy roads to happiness.
Capturing this theme is in the heart of author and poet Brion K. Hanks’s Tales of a Traveler in Poetry and Prose. The book is a beautiful collection of poetry and prose in which the author explores the hardships and struggles most people find themselves dealing with when they lack the energy or belief that their actions can lead to positive changes in their lives. Life will always be busy, filled with the daily grind that keeps people focused on the job at hand and not on the path to joy that we all seek. These poems help inspire and grow the positivity we all need in our lives to move forward and find the peace we are all seeking.
The positive and emotional impact of the author’s writing was the first thing that I felt. The almost meditative and spiritual aspect of the writing allowed me to feel a sense of calm and collectiveness. The thought-provoking nature of the work will allow the reader to appreciate the work which went into the author’s writing, and his inner thoughts, keeping the theme of life itself so profoundly felt. Exploring time and how little of it we have on this planet. Brion Hanks speaks to those looking to live life to the fullest and find the heart and love which keeps our lives full and engaging.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy poetry and prose, especially those filled with beautiful imagery and powerful emotional growth that is brimming with positivity and light. The book also contains a great deal of spiritualism and faith, speaking to the author’s own personal experiences and perspectives – one many readers will be able to identify with. A whirlwind of emotion and heart, this beautiful collection shares with readers a beacon of hope and light which will withstand the test of time.
Reviewed by Tony Esponiza
US Review of Books
“I heard a faint whisper on the wind which
Gently caressed my inner being and said,
‘Treasure the time you have together.’”
Within this collection of 200-plus pages of poetry and prose, Hanks ponders such universal concepts of life, love, loss, human relationships, spirituality, and more. An underlying emphasis on healthy human relations and an ever-present striving for goodness anchor these poems and other creative reflections within a grounded moral compass. The author began writing at age twenty-three primarily “connecting with and relating to” other people within his sphere. In recent years, due in large part to the coronavirus and personal retirement, more “thoughtful reflection and dreaming” has yielded an increased output of and dedication to writing, poetry and otherwise. Hanks’ poetry seeks out that which is good and universal: love, compassion, faith, human relations, nature, meditations, and dreams. Though primarily comprised of poetry – with effective use of end rhyme and rich imagery – Hanks has also “sprinkled in” some fictional elements alongside his life experiences.
Celebrating life and love, the author shows his obvious zest for humanity on every page. “Whatever our passion of choice might be,” writes Hanks, “let us move to purposeful, positive action as a means to turn dreams into reality.” This sentiment is put to great effect as the author delivers his passions for writing poetry into the reality of this present work. Readers will find inspired, heartfelt words and a strong sense of what is beautiful in this world. Of special interest is a section of the book entitled “God for an Interim Period of Time,” which shares an essay begun in 2008 (with various iterations over the proceeding years), intended to connect “heart to heart and spirit to spirit.” Addressing planetary damage, oppressive terror, wars, slavery, persecution, and more, this essay is simply arresting in its delivery and passion. The essay alone is worth reading, with the plentiful poems serving as icing on the cake.
Reviewed by Jonah Meyer
