Alan Berecka’s Remembering the Body is one of the few poetry books I couldn’t put down. These poems are high-energy, driving narratives that range from hilarious vignettes to poignant episodes of loss and injustice—and now and then one of these small, complete stories manages to be both. Berecka’s special gift is a twisty irony that hauls your eyelids up. Try reading the first poem, 'The Evolving Case for De-evolution,' with a straight face. Peopled with characters you would love to meet or avoid, the poems are mocking and meta-physical, quizzical, sometimes angry, sometimes shoulder-shruggingly acceptant, sometimes romantic and sometimes cynical—but always intriguing.
—Janet McCann, Poet & Professor of English Texas A&M
