and "Ai is a truthteller picking her way through the burning rocks of racial and sexual lies. and "-Joy Harjo Before her untimely death in 2010, Ai, known for her searing dramatic monologues, was hailed as and "one of the most singular voices of her generation and " (New York Times Book Review). Now for the first time, all eight books by this essential and uniquely American poet have been gathered in one volume. from and "The Cockfighter's Daughter and " I found my father, face down, in his homemade chiliand had to hit the bowlwith a hammer to get it off,then scrape the pinto beansand chunks of ground beefoff his face with a knife.