Overview

""An homage to the life of poet, writer, and teaching artist Judith Tannenbaum (b. 1947-d. 2019) and her impact on incarcerated and marginalized students. The book presents different aspects of Judith through a collection of original poetry, prose, essay, illustration, and fiction from 33 contributors who knew her""--

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9781613321744

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"""The ecosystem left in Judith Tannenbaum's wake is a colorful network of creative minds, burning hearts, and artists who walk through walls, literally and metaphorically. Judith set the path for many of us working in prisons—her legacy is a gift, inspiration, and teacher."" -- Caits Meissner * writer and Director of Prison and Justice Writing, PEN America * ""Closing love's circuits and facilitating its flow was truly Judith's thing. All too often, women who nurture and bring forth the beauty in the world go unsung. Thank goddess, in this book, that is not the case."" -- Ani DiFranco * singer, songwriter, founder of Righteous Babe Records and author of No Walls and The Recurring Dream * “The Book of Judith contains remembrances of someone who gave so much to so many. And it is more— a call to action, a call to community, and a call, in so many ways, to our soul-making. The people who were touched by Judith Tannenbaum give testimony to what one person can do — with persistence, patience, and passion. It is a diverse record with poetry, memoir, storytelling, and love letters. As Spoon Jackson said, Judith waited and ‘found wisdom in silence’ and then ‘she ignited our fire.’ The giant of California literature, Luis Rodriguez, was enlisted by Judith, in the work of prison arts and finally knew ‘I am in her revolution, a rhyme warrior, who also teaches the forgotten ...’ This book is in many ways a map to our own change as well as to transforming a brutal world.” -- Laurie Brooks * Executive Director and Arts Administrator, William James Association * The Book of Judith is a series of prose and poetic remembrances of Judith Tannenbaum, a California-based poet who taught poetry to prisoners—to much acclaim—at San Quentin, just north of her Bay Area home. Importantly, Tannenbaum was also a national voice on the methods and values of her teaching, and a mentor, often from a distance, for many men and women who were also teaching at prisons across the country. The Book of Judith enticingly sketches aspects of her holistic (“larger picture”) approach. * Journal of Community Justice *"

The ecosystem left in Judith Tannenbaum's wake is a colorful network of creative minds, burning hearts and artists who walk through walls: literally, and metaphorically. To be dropped into The Book of Judith is to understand what it means to be an artist-in-motion: oozing with creativity, taking risks, and crossing lines of difference to kindle the flame of connection. Judith set the path for many of us working in prisons: her legacy is a gift, inspiration, and teacher. Bless this book, and Judith's comrade Spoon for compiling it. May we all become richer teachers and learners, mentors, and friends. May we become more like Judith. -- Caits Meissner, writer and Director of Prison and Justice Writing, PEN America Closing love's circuits and facilitating its flow was truly Judith's thing. All too often, women who nurture and bring forth the beauty in the world go unsung. Thank goddess, in this book, that is not the case. -- Ani DiFranco, singer, songwriter, founder of Righteous Babe Records and author of No Walls and the Recurring Dream The Book of Judith contains remembrances of someone who gave so much to so many. And it is more-a call to action, a call to community, and a call, in so many ways, to our soul-making. The people who were touched by Judith Tannenbaum give testimony to what one person can do -with persistence, patience, and passion. It is a diverse record with poetry, memoir, storytelling, and love letters. As Spoon Jackson said, Judith waited and 'found wisdom in silence' and then 'she ignited our fire.' The giant of California literature, Luis Rodriguez, was enlisted by Judith, in the work of prison arts and finally knew 'I am in her revolution, a rhyme warrior, who also teaches the forgotten ...' This book is in many ways a map to our own change as well as to transforming a brutal world. -- Laurie Brooks, Executive Director and Arts Administrator, William James Association

Author Information

Spoon Jackson (Editor) Spoon Jackson is a poet serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in California state prisons. It was through Judith Tannenbalum’s poetry classes in San Quentin State Prison that Spoon discovered the power of words. In addition to his own extensive list of published work, Spoon co-authored a double memoir with Judith, By Heart: Poetry, Prison, and Two Lives. Mark Foss (Editor) Mark Foss is a Montreal-based author whose works include the novels Molly O and Spoilers, as well as essays and creative non-fiction. He became friends with Spoon Jackson following work on the production of Spoon, a film by Michka Saäl completed in 2015. The film is a poetic and political dialogue between Spoon and Michka. Sara Press (Editor) Sara Press is Judith Tannenbaum’s daughter, who grew up listening to her mother’s raw stories about teaching poetry in San Quentin. Sara witnessed how her mother shared her convictions about teaching, writing, and social justice. Continuing her mother’s love of the natural world, Sara is now a professional conservationist for a land trust in Sonoma County, California.

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