Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Jeanette Winterson


Technically this one’s head and hands, but the picture, clearly Ms. Winterson’s favorite (check her site), strikes me as the perfect author photo with its implied balance of seriousness and absurdity.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Nicanor Parra


Antipoet, funny face toucher

Dylan Thomas


"I've had eighteen straight whiskies, I think that's the record . . ." the poet said before going less than gently into that good night, after, of course, posing with his hands to his face.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Ciaran Carson



My favorite living poet is also guilty.

Jose Donoso



Author of The Obscene Bird of Night, Chilean face toucher.

T. S. Eliot



Great poet, top-notch critic, "refugee from St. Louis," he changed poetry but couldn't assail the temptation to pose with his chin to his hand.

Albert Camus


Author of The Plague, died in a car accident not before posing finger-to-chin.

Carmen Boullosa


Unclassifiable Mexican storyteller and poet does her smiling version of The Thinker

Samuel Beckett


Absurdist writer rubs his eye.

Anne Sexton



Confessional face touching poet.

George Bernard Shaw


Playwright, wit, bearded face tocuher.

Adrienne Rich



Feminist, author of "Living in Sin" (a great poem), toucher of the face.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Robert Hass



American Poet Laureate from 1995 to 1997, face tocuher.