Publisher
Alien Buddha Press
Reviewed by
Ryan Quinn Flanagan.
I can't think of a book in modern memory that has gone through so much to be realized or a writer who has gone through as much to make that happen.
Because of these difficult circumstances, A Cold Beer Beats A Warm Heart exudes a life lived and an unflinching spirit. There is great humour sprinkled throughout: "Another Day In Triple A" or "Once Upon A Bus Ride To Cleveland," always the sign of a seasoned spirit, but this book takes you right into the heart of what it means to be human and messy and imperfect and dedicated as hell against the odds.
Many poems are extremely personal and revealing such as: "Another Night On The Ward." John Patrick Robbins is not writing to be cute or theatrical, he is writing honestly from experience and does not sugarcoat anything. He had been there and you know that from page 1.
And there are some absolute golden lines: "Chaos is not an art; it's simply clutter on display" or "The best drugs all resemble some sort of twisted version of love" or "Our choices are like bullets" or "Cause everyone wants to party but nobody wants to be stuck cleaning up the mess." This is a man who has lived hard and is not afraid to show that.
But with all great books there is range as well. Pieces such as: "Cocktails With The Giant" are almost whimsical in their homage. With such a fantastic book it is easy to forget that this is John Patrick Robbins' first one. It is almost unheard of to have such a fine work of art your first go around!
Do yourself a big favour and pick up a copy today!
- Ryan Quinn Flanagan
