Found about Kevin Kantor via a clip on social media named "People You May Know". I remember listening to it breathlessly because he was able to put into words what I cannot.

So here we are.

I love Kevin Kantor perhaps more than anyone else in this world (sorry mom). Anyone who knows me well is probably well aware of this fact. I have seen all of their slam poetry that exists on youtube so I was unbelievably excited to get to read this through netgalley. Thank you book gods.

For those of you who are unaware of Kevin Kantor’s existence (first off, how is that possible?), here are some of my favourite slam poems of theirs! A Letter From Cancer highlights their recitation skills, Honest Confessions on Letting Go is hilarious and People You May Know is very powerful.

Kevin Kantor’s poetry always feels very emotional and personal. They seem to draw inspiration from their life which leads the poetry to feel very authentic. I, as a self-professed coldhearted cynic who didn’t find The Fault in Our Stars at all sad, have been drawn almost to tears by Kantor’s poetry.

I especially like how the poet uses repetition to create a rhythm in the poems even without having a rhyme scheme. Lots of the poems in this collection were poems that I’ve heard them recite before and it was nice to see how it was laid out on a page to sort of preserve the inflection and cadence of the poetry. There was some creative use of the layout that definitely served more than just an aesthetic purpose. There were also a couple of poems that seemed to really suit the written medium with the use of footnotes and the such. I found the reoccurring metaphors involving theatre really interesting even as someone with very little theatre knowledge.

My one flaw in this collection is that there were poems that felt a lot weaker than some of their other ones. All of their slam poetry has been so consistently amazing (and also a little life changing) so it was surprising reading some poems that just didn’t seem to meet the same standard. Admittedly I did have pretty large expectations for this book, so not sure how much of this feeling results from that.

One of my favourite poems from this collection (that I had not heard before) is The Man Playing My Father.

Final Thoughts: 4.5 stars! A wonderful poetry collection that I recommend!

"& it can be that simple I learn to love without sacrificing myself at the altar of someone else's desire."

I don't normally read a lot of poetry, but this collection really appealed to me for many reasons and I was not disappointed. Kantor's poetry is raw and emotional. As a queer theatre kid, I related to a lot of the issues Kantor wrote about. This collection broke my heart, but it also made me feel so seen and not alone.

Thank you, NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3931783917

This was such a fantastic collection of poems that examine family, relationships, identity, the gender binary, and many other important human experiences through the lens of the theatre world.
As someone who has spent a lot of time in performing arts spaces, I enjoyed the way this collection was structured, which each section of the book as different parts of the play (inciting incident, rising action, climax, denouement, transformation).
I also appreciated the variety in formatting for the different poems throughout the book, which kept things fresh even when revisiting similar themes. Though the content itself was often very heavy with raw emotions it never felt like it was too much or too repetitive.

Trigger warnings: death, rape, misgendering, transphobia, homophobia.

4 stars

Narrative, identity, meaning—this is a creative & touching poetry collection that resonates a lot with me as a queer person & someone who loves art & tells stories. The poems are creative & piercing. The language is rich & thoughtful. The whole collection forms a narrative in itself, the way it’s constructed & stitched together. Really well done.

[What I liked:]

•I love free verse poetry because it gives precedence to the words—the right word at the right time, whether or not it fits a rhyme or meter. This collection uses free verse to explore form & convention beyond that, with creative formats like a course syllabus, a shot list, other drama-inspired ones, & several with their own unique shape. There’s some cool stuff.

•These poems are so full of life, & heartbreak, & the magic of childhood, & what stories are & mean. They touch on gender, race, sexuality, sexual violence, & personal trauma with the strength & hope of survival & self acceptance. There is variety of theme, mood, style, & content, yet the voice & style is cohesive.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•There are maybe 3 or 4 poems I didn’t really understand. It felt like there wasn’t enough context or content for me to really grasp what was going on. It could just be I didn’t read closely enough, & I should go back & read again & just sit with it awhile. But these few poems were the exception, & with the rest of the poems I had something to grab onto & connect with.

CW: r*pe, misgendering, transphobia & homophobia (including some slurs), mentions of substance abuse

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

This was a hard-hitting and deeply personal collection of poetry, that explored all areas of Kantor's identity and family life. I would highly recommend this to trans and trans non-binary students, but there were also key areas covered such as race, family relationships, and grief.

I would recommend this for any inclusive English language programme that wants to explore the writing or experiences of trans non-binary people.

Poetry has always been a genre that I am wary of. But when I came across this one, I was sure I wanted to read this.

The novel is structured in a play format and queers the theatrical culture we all grew up with.

The poem titled, ‘people you may know’ which talks about coming across a rapists Facebook’s profile, that one has to be my favourite. Having been through a similar incident, I could totally relate to the poem. I was so thankful for the author to write it. It felt like I belonged, like I was not alone and there are people out there like me, people who feel the same way I do.

The book made me cry so many times and stirred my soul at some points. There are mentions of queer reimaginations of classics like Peter Pan and Hamlet. Those were one of my favourite parts of the book.

Another part that I really like about the book is that it talks about how the media treats/continues treating the LGBTQIAPD+ Characters in fiction viz. giving straight actors awards for playing queer characters, killing off the only queer characters in the narrative, etc.

The book as a whole is totally worth the read.

Trigger warnings- death, rape, misgendering.

Okay wow.

This has just taken my top spot for my favourite poetry book.

This incredible collection tells stories of family, Hollywood, queerness, representation, mental health, SA and so so so much more.
This is my first time with Kevin Kantor's writing style, and I absolutely adore it. Their words are mostly minimalist, which makes poems far more enjoyable (in my opinion), and the formatting of the book itself is perfect. The structuring of the collection as a play added an incredible flow to the poems, and really pulled me into their story.
I've always loved the things button poetry put out, and this collection has completely taken the cake.

Incredible.

Please please please read this collection.

I wanted to read this after seeing a video of the author reading 'People You May Know'. That particular poem was, powerful, painful and brilliant, and raised my expectations for this collection. Fortunately, 'Please Come Off-Book' doesn't disappoint!
Kevin Kantor's poems are bold and unapologetic. They are also thoughtful, thought-provoking, funny and often beautiful. I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Button Poetry for granting me access to this digital ARC.

"please come off-book" is a raw and beautiful poetry collection that i devoured in a day. i always try to pace myself with poetry so i can savor it and digest each poem better, but this collection was different. the language is very accessible, and the themes, though at times unsettling, were often relatable to me. this is i what i wanted "night sky with exit wounds" by ocean vuong to be when i heard the words "LGBTQ poetry collection." i will definitely be buying a copy of this book and recommending it to my friends who love poetry.

I’m not a big reader of modern poetry, but I decided to give this book a chance because of the topics it portrays. The poems talk mainly about family, grief, gender identity, and rape (for which I would give a huge trigger warning). You can feel the authenticity in every word that the author wrote, and for that, I enjoyed the reading experience. But the formatting wasn’t my cup of tea, and whereas some poems hit hard, others are barely understandable.

All in all, I liked it, and I would recommend this book for fans of modern poetry and theatre.

Please Come Off-Book by Kevin Kantor @kevin_kantor
Thanks to NetGalley @netgalley and Button Poetry @buttonpoetry for giving me a digital ARC of this poetry collection. 🤗✨

I've been trying to read more poetry this year, and, as a former high-school theatre kid, I was excited to get to read Please Come Off-Book - which has been aptly described as both a love letter to and a sharp criticism of American theatre.
Kevin Kantor is a queer, non-binary poet and actor. Kantor's dramaturgical collection of poems is structured inventively and contains thoughtful commentary on gender, identity, and performance, as well as plenty of theatre references and twists on "classics" like Hamlet and R&J.
Kantor's writing is poignant and touching, and - while it is difficult to pick a favourite - the last poem of the collection DRESS REHEARSAL: FINAL DRESS particularly stood out to me (a video of Kevin Kantor reading this one can be found on their instagram page).

Sidenote: I also recommend the interview Kevin Kantor did on the podcast We Did The Reading @wedidthereading It's a delightful conversation! ⭐💖

#pleasecomeoffbook #poetrycollection #readmorepoetry #readpoetry #poetry #theatre #americantheatre #dressrehearsal #netgalley #kevinkantor

Please Come Off Book by Kevin Kantor is a testament to truth and voice in lyrical form.

What I really enjoyed most was the very incredibly personal collection that was rendered in creating and selecting this particular set and gifting them to the world. They’re style is breathtaking and brutal and bleeds from the pages. My favorite selections were: “People You May Know,” “I Am Sure,” “A Poem I Wrote After My Ex Wrote A Song About Me,” and “The Director Gives Me Notes After Our First Run Through.”

It is a modern poetry collection that brings forth concepts of love, queerness, identity, loss, the arts, and so much more. They did a wonderful job weaving a tale with all of these elements. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for graciously gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I felt so seen. It's an open and honest poetry book with an interesting format. Stories surrounding gender identity and sexual trauma are not centered around marginalized identity. The complicated relationship with your loved ones as you come to terms with every identity, it's easy to question if you're gone enough. Poetry is the best form of expression for oppressed and silenced groups. it's a form of storytelling where you can break any rules. This book tells so many different stories that fit together in its own jumbled-up. It's human.

I tend to be very reluctant when it comes to modern poetry that follows unconventional forms and patterns of writing and expression, since it's usually not my cup of tea, but I really appreciated this one. The poems about sexual assault were very sincere, bold and needed, even though they were definitely hard-hitting and I'd say trigger warning for this subject is required. Loved the own voices poems of the author's experiences as non-binary, which made a loud statement to society and I was very impressed about how smart and original the concepts of the poems were (one my favorite examples being "Trigger/"!) Very well-executed collection that I'd highly recommend even to readers reluctant to pick up modern poetry!

please come off-book is an intensely private poetry collection, sometimes to the point of discomfort. kevin kantor explores topics such as grief, gender identity, sexual violence, dysfunctional family dynamics, queerness, loneliness, theatre and more broadly art and how they all converge in the rich tapestry of their life and craft.

Somewhat experimental with form, it not only embellishes but also complements the meaning. I especially liked the use of footnotes in "i am working a nine-month contract..." which reminded me of ocean vuong's "seventh circle of earth"
although I am not familiar with theatre and acting, i liked how it played with tropes and classics, and would highly recommend it for anyone who loves a poetic texts that retells them, subverts expectations and uncovers their queer subtext.
i found the collection was steeped in a kind of americana that i always find endearing, like in "once upon a time in iowa" which had something of clementine von radics (who blurbed this!!) "courtney love prays to oregon"

it's a very self aware, playful, and earnest collection, that slips in tenderness despite the violence of some of the lived experiences that are playing out in the text.

I think this is my new favourite poetry book- it is truly ingenious. Kevin Kantor (they/them) is a master of contemporary poetry and wordplay. Every piece in Please Come Off-Book is done to perfection. The way they are illustrated on the page is mindblowing. Whether you can relate or not, each poem has something to say that you need to hear. This collection is incredibly creative, deep, and true. I don’t know how many times I found myself on the verge of laughter or tears or thinking “you tell ‘em!” “Omfffg helllll yaaaa” “YES YES AND YES”.

Topics touched upon are living as queer/trans, suicidal ideation, racism, romance/heartbreak, family trauma, sexual assault, etc. So while it is an impeccable read, do be warned of possible tough content.
I will definitely be buying a copy when this comes out.

Favourite poems include:
1 PLEASE COME OFF-BOOK
21 STAGE MAKEUP SYLLABUS *favourite*
25 PEOPLE YOU MAY KNOW
29 SUBTEXT
41 TRIGGER
47 THE MAN PLAYING MY FATHER
49 THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SONGS ABOUT EATING ASS (lol)
55 I AM SURE
67 ALL THESE KIDS START EASTING LAUNDRY DETERGENT AND ALL I CAN THINK IS
68 THE DIRECTOR GIVES ME NOTES AFTER OUR FIRST RUN-THROUGH

“So glory to the queers who live to see the credits roll”

Wow. What a stunning poetry collection, full of powerful and emotional writing that resonated with me in ways I didn’t expect.

I have long been a fan of Button Poetry, so I was unknowingly aware of Kevin Kantor’s poetry but I am so glad I picked this up and got to read more from them.

If you loved Please Come Off-Book, I recommend checking out Button Poetry’s YouTube to hear Kevin perform some of their incredible poetry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Button Poetry for providing a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc

I absolutely adore queer poetry. I can never actually sit down and read poetry unless it in some way relates to me.

My favorite stanza was probably on page 88, in A Poem in Which All But One of Those Queer Characters does, in fact, die. Kantor just casually dropped this as if I wasn’t going to start sobbing at 2 am

“& I get it / we’ve all had to play straight & cis before / on stage / on screen / in gas station parking lots / my grandfather’s funeral / nobody paid me / but at least I got to live / so forgive me / Hollywood / if when you say checked box I hear unmarked grave / how brave / to bear the lesson / of someone else’s death”

This collection took me on an insanely wild ride, as I began to understand Kevin Kantor in a way that’s only possible when someone bares their heart on the page. I was surprised to realize how much Kantor and I actually have in common, and I’m excited to see what kind of work they do next.

Please Come Off-Book has everything I need in a poetry collection: it's queer, it feels like it's written by someone who is both very smart and was once or currently is an extra theater person, and at some points it really hurts my heart. Kantor is a strong voice in poetry that I look forward to hearing more from. Definitely recommended!