Blast Radius
Blast Radius is the first published volume of poetry by Iraq veteran Douglas E. Self. This book is a powerful examination of the devastating effects of PTSD on every aspect of a veteran's life.
"Doug Self's inaugural chapbook of poetry, Blast Radius, indeed creates wildly imaginative collateral waves of unforgettable language that continue to thunder and reverberate long after you close the volume. Self employs a deft matter-of-fact, often tongue-in-cheek, documentary delivery that makes its subject matter percussive and absolutely inimitable."—Joseph Bathanti, North Carolina Poet Laureate (2012–14)
From the Book
Explosions Are My Dreams
What Others Say
Doug Self's inaugural chapbook of poetry, Blast Radius, indeed creates wildly imaginative collateral waves of unforgettable language that continue to thunder and reverberate long after you close the volume. Self employs a deft matter-of-fact, often tongue-in-cheek, documentary delivery that makes its subject matter—the aftermath of unimaginable combat—percussive and absolutely inimitable. This is a fine debut from a fine poet.
Blast Radius is an honest, unflinching, and soulful portrait of the impact of warfare and its aftermath. Douglas Self leaves no stone unturned, elucidating these grim realities by employing precise, powerful language that is sure to engage his readers' attention and empathy.
A poetry collection that is both visceral and vulnerable, Blast Radius tackles the complexity of serving in the military and questions whether anyone can return "… home / safe and sound." Douglas E. Self employs psychological twists and raw physicality to shed light on the battlefields we carry within. A surprise at every turn, these musical lines will knock the wind out of you, in the way only a skilled poet can.
About the Author
