Review, Kansas Libraries, July 2004 Customer reviews, Amazon.com Review, Topeka Capital-Journal, 6-6-2004 Review, Wichita Eagle, 8-22-2004 "Felicia, These Fish Are Delicious: Poems, Essays & Short Stories" by Max Yoho, Dancing Goat Press, $10.95, paperback, fiction) Topeka resident Max Yoho faced a great vacuum in his life after the death of his wife. writing a few poems and songs for his cat helped to fill the time. his work eventually ended up in the hands of a published author who was impress by what she read. "Someone decided that I was a writer so I decided to try to be one," he says. The outcome has been gratifying. In fact, Yoho has developed quite a following. i asked him if he was surprised by his success? "Not really. Now that seems immodest, doesn't it? But most people have a sense of humor." and what does his late-found career mean to him? "To me the most satisfying thing about writing is knowing that i have connected with someone in a way that made them feel better." "Felicia, These Fish Are Delicious" is not so much a book as it is an experience. Yoho's wit is sublime, his insights profound. Through his poems, essays and short stories, we take a wild ride through the mind of Max Yoho. It is a strange, hilarious and deeply moving journey. And it is a trip I am willing to take again and again." Nancy Mehlis the author of "Graven Images," a mystery novel set in wichita. her Web site is www.nancymehlbooks.com. E-mail her at; kseagleauthors@yahoo.com. Max was proud to have Felicia included on Wichita Eagle book reviewer Nancy Mehl's 2004 "Top Ten Best Reads." Midwest Book Review: 9-14-2004 Max Yoho is a renowned writer and poet from Kansas. This is my first experience with Yoho's work and I hope it won't be my last. Don't let the whimsical title lull you to a chuckling complacency. What you will find in this work is not all fun and frolic.
Yes, Max Yoho uses humor quite effectively in verse. I laughed out loud at his droll rendering of "Secret Underpants" and "Cornbread Poem", for example, and the brevity of "Failed Haiku" was a standout. Nothing is safe from his humor, not even the family cat. His rhymes deliver a pleasing cadence and are filled with irony and humor. He sets his readers up with such folksy humor, then strikes a stunning coup de grace with emotionally intense free verse.
One such example is "1942", which I feel compelled to quote in its entirety:
In "Birthday Greetings" a son visits his mother in the nursing home, a place she didn't want to be. I quote the last poignant verse:
I hand her roses..."so proud of you! You are ninety-one In the Thoughts and Essays portion of his book are priceless tasty tidbits, once again, of humor. And Yoho shares with us his darker secrets: His penchant for committing weenie-cide; What wisdom might be found in Playboy; The root cause of his ineptitude with women; His version of a cure for yeast infections. After that chuckle break, the author segues to the Short Stories section. His stories feature heroes with imaginative names and heroines who face life with courage or staunch pragmatism. I found mysterious coincidences in his stories, and soul chilling renderings of wars won or loves lost. Occasional macabre undertones and often touching understatement bring magic to his stories.
Whether writing poetry or prose, Max Yoho is a gifted wordsmith. A master at humor and irony, touching tributes to past times and lost friends, or any other topic imaginable, his work is well worth savoring. —Laurel Johnson BILL SHAFFER'S REVIEW
This is just one tantalizing line from the new book, Felicia, These Fish Are Delicious by Max Yoho, It doesn't really describe the book and, while it may be unfair to use it out of context just to lure you into this review, it is just one of countless incredibly funny stanzas throughout the work which is Mr. Yoho's third release. Having two previous epics to his credit (The Revival and Tales of Comanche County by name and both of which are among this reviewer's favorite reading material), this new slender volume looked to be something of an anti-climax. I had been hoping Mr. Yoho would compile a collection of his poems, essays and short stories and that's just what he's done. The good news is... they're just great! This one can easily stand proudly with the other tomes AND in some cases, it even tops some of the previous prose. Oh well, instead of saying something more highfalutin, let me just say that sometimes it's even funnier than the other two!
Most of my friends can tell if I'm enjoying a book by the number of lines I have underlined or sections I have circled (and this goes beyond text books and instruction manuals). With this one, I found the pieces so brisk -most of them are one-pagers- that I just circled the title at the top of the page. The problem is I've circled darn near every one. I do have my favorites - 'Secret Underpants', 'Pissin' Out of Doors', 'Thoughts on the Unfairness of Life', 'Royalty', 'The Ballad of Double Ugly' and 'Jim Owens' are among the poems. 'Paean' and 'The Closest I Ever Came to Divorce' are among the essays and 'The Apricot Necktie', 'Weechel' and 'The Soup Strainer' are among the short stories. I imagine after re-reading many of these that I will go back and circle some more. What emerges from all of these short pieces is Max's overwhelming good humor. I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occasions, but more surprising were the serious pieces, particularly 'Weechel' about Mexican railroad workers in the 1940's. These have a stinging, lasting effect long after you read them...a little like Mark Twain's subtle reflections on prejudice in Huck Finn.
I have decided that this is ideal pocket Yoho! You can take it anywhere, read a few pieces and be very satisfied. I plan to read it all over again...and again, just like I did with The Revival and Comanche County. Yes, Felicia is right up there with the best. So hear me, Christine, Becky and Juddro, this time go buy your own darn copy! Bill Shaffer |
Max was proud to have Felicia included on Wichita Eagle book reviewer Nancy Mehl's 2004 "Top Ten Best Reads."
Felicia was at nominee for the 2005 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Award of the Kansas Authors Club. His novel The Revival won the 2002 Coffin Award and his novel The Moon Butter Route won the 2007 Coffin Award.
Felicia and an interview with Max were featured on-line in the New Works Review, July-Sept. 2005.
