I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

Author and poet Trevor W. Harrison shares a powerful collection of dystopian poems in the book “War and Other Inconveniences.”

The Synopsis

This collection combines several poems written since 2020 with five poems of older origin. An earlier version of “A Pretty Good Planet” appeared in Alberta Views in March 2022. An earlier version of “Guernica, Then and Now,” appeared in Canadian Dimension in November 8, 2023.

Together, the poems deal with the growing dystopian elements of our age. War, threats of war, our collective apathy, and its consequences take centre stage. But war also shares the stage with other threats—climate change, pestilence, oligarchic power, and right-wing authoritarianism. The poems bend towards the dark but in the author’s words, he would rather walk in the truthful dark than in a false light.

THE REVIEW

This was a very powerful and thought-provoking collection of poems. The collection delves into the dystopian elements of our modern world. Right from the beginning, with the opening poem titled “It happened“, the author touches upon how so many people remain blissfully in the dark about the challenging events occurring throughout our world because it often is not happening to them, but when it does, it sneaks up and finally makes them realize the truth.

Every poem utilizes haunting imagery and thought-provoking themes to explore the harsh realities of our modern world. This includes ideas about war and its impact on society, pestilence and plagues that persist in every society, and the impact these phenomena have on the climate and the environment as a whole. The creative imagery these poems evoke in the reader’s mind has a powerful, emotional impact that is hard to ignore.

THE VERDICT

Compelling, gripping, and truly engaging, Author Trevor W. Harrison’s “War and Other Inconveniences” is a must-read collection of poetry. The creative use of dystopian themes to shed light on real-world problems in these poems, and the visceral emotional impact each poem has on the reader, will linger with audiences and make them want to pick up the book time and time again. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Trevor W. Harrison is a retired professor of sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, a former Fulbright Chair, and former Director of Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta. He is best known for his studies in political sociology, political economy, and public policy, and is frequently seen in various media. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of fourteen books, including a recent collection of autobiographical short stories, Tales This Side of Elysian Fields (Endless Sky Books, 2024), and a previous collection of poetry, Another Voice, published by Friesen Press (2016).