Anxious in a Sweet Store (Anna Jacobson, Upswell)

4 July 2023    Books+Publishing

Anxious in a Sweet Store is the playful and nostalgic second full-length poetry collection from writer and artist Anna Jacobson. Divided into four parts, each named after a classic sweet treat, Jacobson’s collection explores themes of family, food, culture and mental illness, creating an intimate space for the reader to move through specific memories and moments. From memories of her childhood browsing sweet stores with her brother in the titular poem, to making challah and attending shul, to life during the pandemic, to battling a system that erases the complexity of mental illnesses, Jacobson skilfully and with precision balances the ‘sweet’ with the ‘anxious’. The poet’s candid insights about her personal experiences breathes clarity and freshness into each poem. With illustrations dispersed throughout the collection and whimsical experimentations of form that have become synonymous with her poetic style, Anxious in a Sweet Store is a satisfying result of poetry and art converging that sees Jacobson’s background as an artist come into play.A delightful and accessible collection of poems, not just for those with a sweet tooth, Anxious in a Sweet Store will appeal to fans of Ellen van Neerven, Andy Jackson and Madison Godfrey.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Anthea Yang is a writer and editor living in Naarm/Melbourne. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Anxious in a Sweet Store
Anna Jacobson
Upswell
Reviewed by Anthea Yang
Released September 2023
Paperback
ISBN 9780645536843
RRP $24.99
Category: Poetry