Frankly American: Narrative poems inspired by Robert Frank's "The Americans"

By Jill Pixley

Frankly American offers an unvarnished poetic response to one of the most influential books of photography ever made.

Inspired by Robert Frank's seminal book of photography The Americans, these 83 narrative poems of grit and grace look beneath the polished surface of 1950s America to reveal lives shaped by longing, hope, humor, and struggle. Using Frank's provocative black-and-white images as inspiration, the poems strip away postwar nostalgia to confront the raw realities beneath.

Jill Pixley's sharp humor and surprising cadence reveal a deft hand at creating stories and characters we can't help but root for. Whether it's the two men driving away from Blackfoot or a woman rolling dice in Reno or the tired-looking waitress at the Ranch Market, we invest in their worlds. Her poetic eye reflects the loneliness of an empty road; turn the page and we face the struggles of division, fear, and alienation in a country borne of contradiction. Simply put, these poems do not look away.

Stacey Reine Eddy's elegant designs further support the voices of these poems and pay homage to Frank's photography with artful nuance, enhancing the reading experience immeasurably.

Whether appreciated alongside Frank's iconic photobook or as a standalone work, Frankly American is a bold, visceral journey into what it means to look unflinchingly at America.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HG3V4W2L
• ISBN13: 9798995458609
• Release Date: January 2027
• Publisher: Skyscraper Books
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 1.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.6" x 8.0"