Author Description

Even tgough one could argue that America has forgotten about the Rust Belt, the region that, as Bruce Springsteen once put it "won this country's wars," its artists have not, nor have they forgotten the people who have not moved on just becaue the way of life for most of them has. The word "decay" came to mind when reading Josh Crummer's debut poetry collection, We are the Raiders. Like the great Philip Levine before him. Crummer succssfully illustrated the deteriorating industrial MidWest, including his beloved Saginaw, and the trials and tribulatins of folk living amongst the rubble. However, saying this alone would be limiting Raider's scope. The book aslo discusses childhood dreams and their fall to a harsh reality. That reality also delivers a blow to the common, romantic narratives about the area's past. Crummer isn't afraid to call out our culture's past struggles with toxic masculinity, racism and more, as well how those struggles unfortunately continue to plague not only today's Rust Belt, but America as a whole. Simply put, this collection is an important wake-up call to those who are naive to the problems that got us here, for if we don't make the right moves to build back better, the nightmare will only continue. Josh Crummer book, We Are The Raiders, and his poetry open your eyes. --Back Cover