Anne Boyer

Anne Boyer is an award-winning American poet, essayist, and cultural critic. Born in Olathe, Kansas, Boyer attended Stanford University and earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Iowa. Her work has been published in The New Yorker, The Nation, Harper's, and The New York Times. She is the author of five books, including the widely lauded A Handbook of Disappointed Fate, which has been described by reviewers as “stunning”, “inspiring” and “a generous, illuminating essay collection”.

Boyer's first book, Garments Against Women, was published in 2018 and was widely praised for its exploration of care and justice. In the book, Boyer explores the various forms of resistance that women face in the workplace, at home and in their everyday lives. Through the exploration of women's experiences of oppression, Boyer offers a call to action for both men and women to acknowledge and address the need for change.

Boyer's second book, The Undying, was launched in 2019 and tells the story of illness and mortality through the patient's voice. The book offers readers an intimate exploration of how illness shapes and defines daily life, while examining big questions of what it means to die and what it means to live. Boyer's writing has been described as “told with unflinching courage, stirring insight and intellectual rigor”.

Boyer's third book, A Handbook of Disappointed Fate, was published in 2020. In this work, Boyer offers a manifesto of female rage and resilience, exploring the systems of oppression that have contributed to the current state of the world. The book has been praised for its thought-provoking examination of the myriad forms of injustices suffered by women and marginalized communities.

Boyer's fourth book, Shadowbahn, is described as a novel in verse, combining science fiction with lyrical language to tell the story of two interrelated journeys. The book was released in 2020 and explores issues surrounding identity, family, and grief. Shadowbahn was described by the New York Times as “an urgent, poetic tale of loss and longing”.

The fifth book from Boyer - 2020's The Undying Creature and Its Kin - explores the disruption of cultural memory, with a focus on the long-term impacts of colonialism, famine and migration. The Undying Creature and Its Kin was nominated for the 2020 National Book Award.

In addition to the books mentioned above, Boyer has also written several essays and essays collections exploring topics ranging from visual culture, feminism and mental health. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including The Paris Review, The New York Times Magazine and The Atlantic.

Boyer continues to write and publish literary works that address the issues faced by both women and the broader society. Her work is respected for its poignancy and intellectual rigor, and is sure to inspire many more conversations about topics of urgent importance in the years to come.