Arrangements in Blue
Notes on Loving and Living Alone
by Amy Key
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Pub Date May 09 2023 | Archive Date Apr 30 2023
W. W. Norton & Company | Liveright
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Description
Amy Key—a writer “of rare and strange magic” (Guardian)—probes the art of living without romance in this soul-stirring debut.
Arrangements in Blue elegantly honors the life lived completely by—and for—oneself.
Inspired by Joni Mitchell’s seminal album Blue, celebrated British poet Amy Key sets out to examine the volatile scales of romantic feeling as she has encountered them: from the low notes of loss and unfulfilled desire—punctuated by sharp, discordant feelings of jealousy and regret—to the deep harmony of friendship and the highs defined by sexual attraction and self-realization. Key celebrates the bliss of sleeping in an empty bed, the intimate energy required for cooking solo, and the transformative power of traveling alone—especially to the sea.
Written with the exquisite finesse of a poet, this bold manual for navigating life alone provides an alternative perspective on a shared human experience so rarely explored.
About the Author: Amy Key is a poet and essayist based in London. She is the author of two collections of poetry, Luxe and Isn't Forever. Arrangements in Blue was inspired by her viral Granta essay, "A Bleed of Blue."
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781324091738 |
| PRICE | $28.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 240 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Cindy B, Reviewer
Arrangements in Blue is a lovely, lyrical rumination on the experiences of being a single woman in today's society, all set against the backdrop of Joni Mitchell's classic Blue album. You don't have to be single to relate to Amy Key's words and sentiments - she digs deep into the human heart and speaks eloquently for so many of us. That said, I felt such a kinship with her words, felt that she had peeked into my emotional makeup and laid out a map of its landscape for all to see, down to her love of the water and the sea.. Each essay in this collection is carefully arranged, building on and informing the other, creating a crescendo of longing and desire, heartache and heartful, beautifully capturing our need for connection, for intimacy, for love. Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Norton for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this gorgeous book. #ArrangementsinBlue #NetGalley.
Reviewer 943104
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Amy Key’s Arrangements in Blue is aptly titled after Joni Mitchell’s Blue album, yet Key uses both of these elements as a lens through which to view relationships. In essence, blue and its connotations of calmness, loyalty, and responsibility are what Key seeks in life but the experience of failed after failed relationship invites her to investigate the significance that society places on romantic love and moves beyond this ideal to explore other means to feel fulfilled in life, asking herself questions: What is a home? How can someone create a home of their own? Is parenthood for me? Do material possessions bring joy? Can people impact our lives? Are the expectations of romantic or even true love so essential to our journeys? Is inner peace achievable? In every chapter, Key revisits her younger self with great vulnerability to help the reader get a clearer sense of her mindset and her reasoning behind many of her life choices. This is a memoir that sets off to challenge romantic love’s promises only to conclude that people can proudly live life on one’s own terms in whatever form that may be.
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