Perseus Academic: The Book of Jon by Eleni Sikelianos

With a seamless weave of letters, reminiscences, poems and journal entries, Sikelianos creates a loving portrait—and an unblinking indictment—of her father. Jon, a multitalented, eccentric visionary, emerges as a brilliant, charming, irresponsible, frustrating, and ultimately tragic hero.

This is a saga of the rise and fall of family lines—a tale marked by bohemia, Greek poets, intellectuals, drugs and homelessness. It is the story of eccentrics and survivors, the strength of personal vision and the nature of addiction, and what it does to families. An exquisitely rendered exploration of the harrowing and motivating forces of family, history, and individual choices.

Eleni Sikelianos’ previous books include Earliest Worlds and the National Poetry Series winner The Monster Lives of Boys & Girls. She lives in Boulder, CO.

Eleni Sikelianos is the winner of the 2002 National Poetry Series, a recipient of an NEA Fellowship, two Gertrude Stein Awards, and the James D. Phelan Award. She is the author of various poetry collections and her work has appeared in many magazines and journals. She is currently on the faculty of the Naropa Institute.