Shellback is ranked #940 on Amazon two years after its release! It was ranked #450 on February 19, 2021.
Top reviews:
“5 stars, Reads like a novel. A remarkable poetic achievement. Jeanne-Marie Osterman’s “Shellback” reads like a novel, or a grand symphonic work. It flows from the tomboy innocence of childhood through a complex relationship with her father, taking the reader through a memorable world war event, the sea, combat violence, survival and then a long and loving coda at the end of a life. All of this is achieved with a discerning eye for detail, and most importantly, an ironic wit. Osterman has a great sense of the dramatic. She can depict the immediacy of an enemy suicide attack, and brings characters to life with a combination of delicacy and great strength. Anyone with a sense of the contradictions of life can only love this beautiful elegy of survival and love.” ~JK
“5 stars, Fresh, new voice. It’s rare that a fresh new voice arrives on the scene with such wisdom and flow. “His Third Girl” and “Horny Goat Weed” bookend Osterman’s yearning to be accepted by her father when she was a child; and her need to care for her him near his life’s end.. And “On the USS Nevada” and “The String” are just two of the extraordinary portraits of war at sea and of a man who silently absorbed but never talked about the horrors he saw. These are big, universal themes. But Osterman’s personal experience and exquisite narration makes them uniquely hers.” ~harold pearson
“5 stars, Powerful, An emotional Juggernaut. Family relationships can be very complicated. Here, Ms. Osterman captures the changing relationship between her war-torn dad and his young daughter. Written in free-verse, the poet brings us along as she describes her dad’s character, the enigmas of his changing conduct, all the while indicating that she is beginning to understand what made him the way he was. I read the book in one sitting, going from poem to poem. I really wanted it to end “happily”. I won’t tell you whether it does. You must read it for yourself.” ~Eleanor Vale
“4 stars, good poetry in a short book.. Most people may love this. I was disappointed because I expected more of a story. It’s all poetry and a very short book. Well done though.” ~Geno the Viking
“5 stars, Stunning poetic portrait Father by his daughter. Shellback is Jeanne Marie Osterman’s portrait of her father in poetry. It is moving and terrifying. From her efforts to care for him in his dotage to his service throughout WWII, it is a brilliantly evoked vision of her relationship with him. The beautifully sequenced poems evoke a tough tribute to a man who was clearly difficult to live with and yet it remains a description of a daughter’s endless love. I cannot recommend it too highly.” ~nicholas m. ullett
“5 stars, It’s so REAL! You can just see each scenario in these wonderful poems. Jeanne-Marie is a gifted poet & writer & I’ll be looking for more of her work in the future. Treat yourself! This is a good one!” ~Mavis Valliant
PALOMA PRESS 