Previous collections include The Orpheus Complex, Braids & Other Sestinas, Thirteens, and Walk Like Bo Diddley. He has also completed a verse translation of the 19th century, Polish Romantic epic, Pan Tadeusz by Adam Mickiewicz. Kress teaches Humanities at Owens Community College in Ohio.
Praise for Living in the Candy Store:
From the early interweave of working-class life and intellectual and cultural erudition in poems such as “Letter from Bernard Malamud,” “Surplus Jeep,” and “Elmo,” through a glimpse of Polish women tending the graves in Gryzantyny, all the way to the hypnotic and heart-breaking “Ginsburg’s Harmonium,” Leonard Kress provides a feast of compressed, intelligent writing presented with highly polished craft — personal narratives full of colorful observations and surprising insights as well as touches of humor. The past is not even the past; whether it’s the Cold War or the Iliad, Kress makes it provocatively modern and alive —Oriana Ivy, author of April Snow (2011 New Women’s Voices Prize Winner), and From the New World
An army surplus jeep whose ride is as “choppy” as the final movement of Shostakovich’s 6th symphony? A memory of driving deep in Pennsylvania coal country to woo a girl whose miner father groaned “black piss” at the urinal, while the polka-dancing daughter would “sweat herself slippery, too slick to hold on to, changing her outfit, her partner with each set”? Getting a letter from Bernard Malamud, or reading Isaac Babel’s The Red Calvary alongside a co-worker perpetually hung-over from Mad Dog 20/20? Or, how about a poem titled “Notes for a Poem: The Liquidation of History,” one of the best long-poems I have ever encountered, tracing a forced march through the kaleidoscopic landscape of 20th century Poland, equal parts intelligentsia, alcohol, and ethnic complexity?—Daniel Bourne, author of Where No One Spoke the Language and The Household Gods, editor of Artful Dodge
Rating
Book two in this series, The Power of Poison, which launches from The Queen of all Poisons, is even more intriguing and suspenseful than the first. It is another great read with frightening twists and turns of the plot lines, profound challenges in professional, parenting, romantic, and coming of age relationships, and fascinating development of key continuing and new characters. The intricacies of the plot in book two are even more dramatic and engaging. While the plot lines woven around poisons carry over, the central theme is fresh, surprising, and all too realistic or possible in today’s world. The mother-daughter, or more general parenting/adult children relationships might be the most engaging for some readers. How painful can it be to do the right thing for an adult child? Do most adult children these days have this extent of true love, dedication, and commitment for a badly injured parent? Family roots connect deeply, in surprising ways, across the main characters. At the same time, professional, romantic, and extended family relationships are all crucial to the suspense and mystery. Some readers will be drawn more to Lily and JP’s romantic-professional relationship that takes on new meanings in book two. Others may find Lily’s or Rose’s relationship with Dr. Kelley, Lily’s academic colleague, to be the most intriguing and engaging. My favorite to follow, Dr. Leigh, comes alive onto center stage from his lab in Hong Kong in clever and novel ways, especially in his multifaceted relationships with Lily. JP’s origins, connections, and love life with Lily all take on new dimensions, as Lily is drawn ever more away from the academic life and into an even high powered assassin for the CIA. The interconnections between highly skilled Russian operatives, a brilliant Chinese scientist, a defecting US doctor, and North Korea’s insidious drives all help make this a great read. Just like Lily’s self-challenge to “solve” the most complex puzzles, readers will want to read this thriller in the same week or two in order to help “solve the puzzles” of these brilliantly woven relationships, plot lines, and outcomes.
A strong female protagonist in an exciting international thriller that will keep you turning the pages with a dash of romance, lots of intrigue and a dynamite ending.
I’m a fan of the series of Dr. Lily Robinson. A great escape into the secret world of political assassination. The author gives great details about the power of poisons.. Great fun read!
After reading about Lily Robinson in The Queen of all Poisons I couldn’t wait for more. Well the wait was well worth it and after spending a rainy weekend with Lily in The Power of Poison, I was not disappointed. If you enjoy reading crime thrillers, as well as learning about different poisons and their effects, this is a book for you. Looking forward to the next book and seeing what Lilly gets up to next.
The book was much like a winding country road in a fast car. Never knowing what’s around the next bend. Even though I am a guy, regular guy, that is; the ending had me in tears, and with feelings of hope. Brilliant!!
i can’t wait for the movie. BJ Magnani has created a truly memorable title character in Dr Lily Robinson, a doctor by day dedicated to saving lives at her hospital, yet an assassin by night in her stilettos taking lives – of the truly bad people in the world. BJ Magnani’s first book was a page-turner and so is this one, with an expansion of the love interest in this one, which is good. Magnani’s writing is as “smart” and intelligent as Lily Robinson is herself. I love the way Magnani goes into such rich detail to provide the “how” the poisons that Lily creates get blended together from natural ingredients in her garden – a mix that puts the means for carrying out the assassinations beyond detection once the deed is done. I come back to the point about the movies, though, because the cast of characters fit right into the same cinematic mode with Lily. I’m going to place myself at the head of the line when Hollywood discovers Lily and we can all find her at the cineplex plying her craft to rid the world of heinous figures who would do us all harm.
Another engrossing & fascinating novel about Dr Lily Robinson -you won’t be able to put it down!
It was a great read. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. The plot was well crafted to showcase Lily Robinson, not only of her intriguing character and past history, but also her knowledge of poison. The author’s expertise in the exotic poisons adds so much to the intrigues. Highly recommended.
The Power of Poison picks up where The Queen of All Poisons ends. We learn more about Lily, her daughter, and her struggle to balance her two disparate worlds. Both novels derive from the original short story collection, Lily Robinson and The Art of Secret Poisoning. There are ample opportunities for the storyline to interface with the realities of today’s political threats and the values of science as a discipline. I enjoyed this book enormously, as I have all the Lily Robinson stories—tossing me about, lost in a different reality. I find the writing captivating, emotional, absorbing. And when all of the pieces of the story finally fit in place, as in a picture puzzle, what remains is simply beautiful. All of it brought me to tears.
The Power of Poison picks up where The Queen of All Poisons ends. We learn more about Lily, her daughter, and her struggle to balance her two disparate worlds. Both novels derive from the original short story collection, Lily Robinson and The Art of Secret Poisoning. There are ample opportunities for the storyline to interface with the realities of today’s political threats and the values of science as a discipline. I enjoyed this book enormously, as I have all the Lily Robinson stories—tossing me about, lost in a different reality. I find the writing captivating, emotional, absorbing. And when all of the pieces of the story finally fit in place, as in a picture puzzle, what remains is simply beautiful. All of it brought me to tears.
I loved how at the end of each chapter, it kept you hanging on to see what was going to happen next. I also liked learning more about the characters that I fell in love with from her first book to the second book. There are many surprises in this book. You finally learn more about Rose. You will need to see what happens with the relationship between JP and Dr. Robinson. It is well written, great story, and awesome characters. The end leaves you wanting more!!!
