Ada Limon Books In Order

Publication Order of Poetry Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Ada Limon

An American writer gifted in the art of prose, the novelist Ada Limon is well known for ability to expertly craft a sentence. Knowing how to truly evoke a feeling from a simple turn of phase, she definitely has a firm grasp of exactly what it is that she’s doing. Really pushing the format and what can be done with the novel, she perfectly understands the template that she’s working within and what it can really offer her. Capturing the imagination and attention of her readers, she writes in a clear and accessible manner, not letting go till the very last page. With a lot of strong ideas as well, she definitely has a lot to say with her work too, as she clearly displays a strong sense of personality within her novels.

It is also her characters that strongly resonate with readers as well, with their various plights being easy to relate to on a universal level. This goes some way towards explaining how it has come to be that she has managed to reach a worldwide audience, with readers from all across the world appreciating her work. Talented at writing both poetry and long-form, she definitely knows how to really get the most out of each and every word as well. Part of this lies in the fact that she is able to combine her stories and plotting alongside her skill at language and writing with a high degree of precision. There’s a lot more to come from Ada Limon as an author and writer as well, with her showing no signs of stopping any time soon.

Early and Personal Life

Born in 1976 on the 28th of March, Ada Limon would grow up within the vicinity of Sonoma in California, America. Harboring a strong interest and passion in the written word from an early age, she would focus herself on her writing, constantly developing her craft with precision. This would evolve throughout the years, as she was a keen observer of human nature as well, always looking to get to the heart of her subject matter. Over time this passion would build, allowing her to write in a more articulate and impassioned manner, engaging the reader on an intimate level. Constantly drawing inspiration from the world around her, she managed to create a voice and style that was all of her very own.

Studying at the University of Washington School of Drama, she would go on to graduate in theater, which would allow her to build upon her characters. This would, in turn, transform into her gaining an MFA in 2001 from the New York University, and it was here that she would graduate alongside various other notable poets. After her graduation she would receive a fellowship that would allow her to live within Provincetown, whereby she could write at the Fine Arts Work Center there. In time this would evolve into her gaining a grant, which she would receive from the New York Foundation for the Arts. All of this would see her well on her way to becoming a fully fledged writer, something which continues to this very day from her homes living between California and Kentucky.

Writing Career

Starting out writing for various different publications, Limon would have her work featured in magazines such as ‘Martha Stewart Living’, ‘Travel + Leisure’ and ‘GQ’. These would all see her well on her way to becoming a much respected figure within the literary industry, along with building a strong brand for herself. Reaching a mass audience of readers from all across the world, she quickly became adept to writing for a wider market, whilst also remaining true to her own voice. Her poetry would also become highly admired too, with her winning many awards for her work, including the ‘Chicago Literary Award for Poetry’ in 2003. This would see her come to be respected by both the critics and the general public alike, with her global audience rapidly building by the day.

Teaching the art of writing herself, she seeks to impart her knowledge to young aspiring writers who also show a gift for the written word. Originally published in 2006 with the book ’99 Cent Heart’, she would quickly gain a name for herself, allowing her to follow her passion for the form. Not writing series as such, she largely opts to write stand-alone novels and anthologies, putting forth her ideas in a concise and straightforward format. Previously she has also been a beneficiary for the ‘Kentucky Foundation of Women’ as well, building her reputation and profile throughout the industry. With her writing career growing from strength-to-strength, she definitely has a lot more work planned on the horizon.

Sharks in the Rivers

First published in 2010, this was originally brought out on the 1st of July. Released through the Milkweed Editions publishing label, this would come out to much acclaim. It would also show the writer at her most potent and powerful, with it being a definite must for any fans of the author.

A collection of poems brought together by a singular voice, these pieces find the speaker, Ada Limon, moving from her home in California onwards. Transformative as they are inspirational, each poem looks at different aspects of her past and what makes up the entire whole. Weaving her memories together like jigsaw pieces waiting to be fitted, they evocative as they are truly timeless. Conjuring up images floating out of the past, they swim past allowing us to see the world for what it really is, watching its many beautiful moments passing like sharks in the rivers.

Bright Dead Things

Originally released in 2015 on the 8th of September, this was first published through the Milkweed Editions publishing label. Showing a clear sense of development for the author as an artist, it really managed to take her writing to another level. Immersing the reader, it really is another strong entry into her already impressive backlog of work.

Another highly powerful and poignant collection of poetry from Ada Limon, she speaks with a certain degree of authority this time. With strong, potent, feminist ideas that really leap off the page, this book manages to ignite the imagination of the reader in truly honest way. Looking at the chaos of life, it works at cutting through it all to find something that is really personal that the reader can really call their own, all amongst the bright dead things.