Book Review: A Book of Chrissyisms

A Book of Chrissyisms

Author: Christina Strigas

Publisher: Clasid Consultants Publishing

Publication Date: September 19, 2018

Genre: Self-Help, Poetry, Creativity

Page Count: 121 Pages

ISBN-10: 9780995186583

ISBN-13: 978-0995186583

ASIN: 0995186588

ASIN: B07GCBK39X

A Book of Chrissyisms Website

Available for Purchase From Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Thrift Books, Google Play, Jet, booktopia, bokus, AbeBooks, and other book stores.

My Rating: 5 Stars

About the Author: (From Christina Strigas Amazon Author Page)

Christina Strigas, a trilingual, raised by Greek-Canadian immigrants, has been featured by CBC Books in “Your Ultimate Canadian Poetry List: 68 Poetry Collections Recommended by You.” 

Christina Strigas is the author of five novels, three poetry books, and one self-help/poetry book based off of her popular quotes that went viral on Twitter. She writes romantic love poetry in a stream of consciousness narrative prose. Her influences are Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Mary Oliver, the Romantics, and Pablo Neruda. Christina Strigas holds a BA in English Literature from Concordia University and a Teaching Certificate from Universite de Montreal. She teaches English and French in an elementary school, and at McGill University. She created the popular @ArielPoets along with Alexandra Meehan, where they inspire writers and poets to believe in the power of poetry.

Social Media Sites: Christina’s Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Goodreads, Ariel Poets on Twitter

About A Book of Chrissyisms: (From Christina Strigas Amazon Author Page

“A Book of Chrissyisms is a book full of quotes, poems, thoughts, essays and inspiration from the creative mind of Christina Strigas. Based off of her tweets and journals, Christina has amassed the most popular quotes and explains in her quirky way what it all means; from being a writer to a mother, to a friend to a member of society. She tells us her story in her own words. Part confession, part poetry, part essays—it is a fun and easy coffee table book to share with friends and loved ones.”

“Everything you want to know about me, you will never really know. I write because I have no other choice. I write poetry on my blog and mostly in my head while I drive and live. Words are floating around in me like lily pads on a lake.” – Christina Strigas

Other books by Christina Strigas: 

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My Review:

If you are a writer, regardless of genre, then words and poetry are likely a part of your genetic makeup. Perhaps there was a poet’s heart within you that influenced your writing life. That is how it began for me. Before I had ever read poetry, I was writing poetry, and although I do not write nearly the amount of poetry today, that poet lives on within me.

 “Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.” – Anne Sexton

I’m not so sure that poetry can accurately be defined, as it is the music from one’s soul, the passion of loving and being loved, the grief of unrequited love, the pain of being an unwanted child, the wish to live or to die. It is both a gift and a curse to be a poet, as the poet, I believe, is born with an innate ability to feel, to know, to hurt, to love, to connect more deeply than can be naturally explained or understood. I often return to read the poetry of Anne Sexton, Lord Byron, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Pablo Neruda, Amy Lowell, and many others. Each time I find myself transported to the place where poets dwell in their wholeness, madness, difference, separateness, etc., contemplating what I swallow down that traverses from the poet’s writing to my mind and heart, stirring the innards within, and I sit alone in my silence reflecting what it is I am feeling. And I inevitably always find my silenced hidden poet within.  

In Christina’s letter to her readers, she writes:

“I don’t try to make people laugh or cry. I know the way I think is different. I know the way I feel everything is not the same as everyone else. I can pretty much cry at a commercial and feel sick to my stomach over shootings. I have a big world in my head. My trees are purple; my sky is sometimes grey, sometimes a rainbow. You might think I’m smiling, but really, I’m not.
I say dumb, smart, wise, silly, and brilliant things every day. No one is following me with a pen.”

These words offer you a glimpse into the life of a poet, and in this case into the life of the poet Christina Strigas. In her latest book, A Book of Chrissyisms, you immediately recognize her as a poet through her creative word play that is unique to the creative poet. My only disappointment is that A Book of Chrissyisms is not a large hardback book for all poetry and prose enthusiast’s coffee tables. Nevertheless, this does not take away from the artistry of Christina’s Book of Chrissyisms. While reading Christina’s book, I found myself sitting as I do when I return to read the words of the poets I spoke of earlier. The following is an example of Christina’s poetic speak:

“I wake up a
different person
Every day
Like the
sunrise,
If you look
closely
It is never
identical.”

– Christina Strigas

I am a poet at heart. I feel, I know, I love, I think, I hurt more deeply than many, but I am ok with the deep. Christina asked me to read and review A Book of Chrissyisms, and I did not hesitate to say yes to a poet’s poet. If you understand the deepness of poets or you are in love with words, I highly recommend Christina Strigas’ A Book of Chrissyisms. You will laugh, tears may roll silently down your face, you will hear truth, and find lightness and pleasure in A Book of Chrissyisms.

Thank you, Christina, for the privilege of reading and reviewing your book, A Book of Chrissyisms. Your book was reminiscent of the poet I was long ago when I first began to write. It brought back memories and a myriad of emotions; those of not being understood, and yet not caring because from somewhere within my soul, I accepted my misunderstood mind and emotions that were reminiscent of being a poet. Whether it was passing through a period of poetic madness, seeing the world through a kaleidoscope, or entering another poetically lyrical season, I enjoyed the journey.