Review: I Wrote This For You 2007-2017 by Ian S. Thomas

I Wrote This For You: 2007-2017 (I Wrote This For You) by pleasefindthis/Iain S. Thomas (Author), Jon Ellis (Photographer)

Published: November 1st 2017 by Central Avenue Publishing

Genre: Poetry | Prose

Recommended to: people who like melancholic prose and poetry

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About I Wrote This For You 2007-2017

I need you to understand something. Ten years ago, I started writing this for you. I wrote it for you and only you. Since then, millions of other people have read it, but none have understood it the way you understand it. I set out to find you a long time ago and today, I’m so glad I finally have. Thank you for reading these words.

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I Wrote This For You is a collaborative photography and prose project. (Almost) every day, the photographer sends the writer a new photograph from wherever he is in the world. The writer creates a poem or short piece of prose inspired by the photograph and focused on whoever might be reading the work, or “you.” The writer and the photographer have never met.

I Wrote This For You: 2007-2017 is a collection of the best poetry and photography from the first 10 years of the best-selling project. It contains new work, old work, work that’s never been seen before and a selection of fan-made work inspired by the project. With hundreds of thousands of copies sold, millions of interactions and spanning three existing books, I Wrote This For You has forged a remarkable relationship to its readers over the first 10 years.

RATING: ★★★★☆

If anyone asks me what the most beautiful book I own is, it’s this.

I don’t know about you but I like my poetry books pretty. And this book is exactly how I want them to be. I believe this edition can be considered as a coffee table book. It has the glossy paper, the beautiful pictures, and the excellent writing.

I have a confession to make. When I can’t sleep at night, I read poetry. And more often than not, I go to this author’s blog.

This book is a collection of the author’s works for over a decade. Since I’m a frequent visitor of his website and I read his previous work, I Wrote This For You, I am familiar with some of the entries. But most of them were new to me.

If you want to read this book, I have an advice for you: Do not read this in one sitting. Normally, I would finish a poetry or prose collection in a matter of hours. But this book is not meant for it. For one, it has soooo many entries and for another, it is meant to be devoured bit by bit. The entries have an overall feel and reading them in succession will feel like reading the same thing over and over again.

I admit that this collection is not perfect. There were entries — especially the short ones — which I felt were nothing special.

The Excuse for Your Company 

I was wondering if you had a second. To talk about anything at all.

But there were also some that packed a punch in just a few lines.

The Person You Are Is Better Than The Ghost You Were

If the person you wished existed doesn’t, then that is who you must become.

The Shop That Lets You Rent Happiness 

“This is the one,” the universe assures me from behind the counter.

“But I thought you said the last one was the one,” I reply.

“No,” says the universe. “I sold you that one so you would know that this, this is the one.”

“Is there another one?” I ask the universe.

“I can’t tell you,” they reply. “It’d ruin the surprise.”

The Tour Of The Impenetrable Fortress 

“What type of building is this? Why would you hide all the beautiful things inside where no one can see them? From the outside, all I see is pipes and bricks, broken and rusted scaffolding, dirt and grime. No one would want to enter this place.”

“Because I live inside. And other people, live outside.”

Here are some of the other entries that I loved.

The Gentlest Reminders Dropped From Passing Planes

The Fearful Planet

The Day You Read This

The Life And Death Of Most Of Us

I believe this book is not for everyone and will only appeal to those who can relate to this kind of writing.

If you are wondering whether you should buy this or not, I suggest that you read the author’s blog first and decide on whether the “you” they were talking about is really you.

What about you? What qualities do you look for in poetry?