Gillian Savigny's Notebook M imagines what scientific creativity might accomplish if given the space to play, free of the burden of empirical proof and the need to control meaning.
Inspired by Charles Darwin's own Notebook M, in which he brought his scientific sensibility to bear on decidedly unscientific notions of metaphysics, morals, and expression, in this collection the poet brings together the techniques and procedures of poetry and science. The result is a remarkably accomplished first collection of poetry.
Praise for Notebook M
"Gillian Savigny's source of inspiration may have been Darwin's words, but the intelligence and imagination here are all her own. Whether illuminating Darwin's subtext, adeptly ventriloquizing his childhood reminiscences, or making her own bold way into the mysteries of M, she is eloquent and utterly surprising. This isn't just a book, it's a feat, and it's a marvellous one."
— Stephanie Bolster, author of White Stone: The Alice Poems and Two Bowls of Milk
"Reading Gillian Savigny's poetry is like discovering Reading poetry a species with a deep, enthralling call. Its origins are ancient, but it’s adapted to a world influx. Notebook M is more than a poetic study of Charles Darwin. Like Darwin's exploits, these poems are worldly and adventurous; they are proof that the language of poetry is still living, thriving, and evolving."
— Paul Vermeersch, author of Between the Walls and The Reinvention of the Human Hand
