Press
The New Book Review
Review by Carolyn Howard-Johnson on The New Book Review
Midwest Book Review
Sometimes tradition is where the best stuff lies. “A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams” is the second collection of poetry from Joan Gelfand… (read the review on Amazon)
Sacramento Book Review
A review of A Dreamer’s Guide appeared in Sacramento Book Review in June 2009.
Betty’s List Interview with Kit Kennedy
Bay Area poet Kit Kennedy interviewed Joan for Betty’s List in May 2009.
Book Review in Poetica Magazine
A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams is reviewed in the Spring 2009 issue of Poetica Magazine.
Upcoming Reviews
Reviews of A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams will be appearing soon in these publications:
- Caesura
- Web Del Sol
- Beatrice.com
- Bay Area BusinessWoman Online
- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
NBC Bay Area Vista
Joan appeared on Bay Area Vista on Sunday, March 22nd at 4:00 PM.
Joan interviewed on Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour
A conversation with Andy Jones, Poetry Professor at UC Davis, on his KDVS show. Features Joan reading from A Dreamer’s Guide.
An elegant WNBA Award Ceremony
Best-selling author Amy Tan was the featured speaker at the Women’s National Book Association’s 2008 WNBA Award ceremony honoring Kathi Kamen Goldmark, held on November 8 at San Francisco’s Century Club. The biennial WnBA Award recognizes an American woman who has made extraordinary contributions to pro-moting literacy, freedom of expression, a love of reading, or women’s careers in the world of books. Goldmark was honored for founding the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band of literary superstars who belt out “Wild Thing” and other rock staples to raise money for book-related causes. The Remain- ders have raised more than $2 million, and Tan and Goldmark have shared a microphone as “Remainderettes” since the band’s founding. Tan is better known as the author of such much-loved novels as The Joy luck Club and The Bone-setter’s daughter. Other band members include Stephen King, Dave Barry, and Matt Groening. Read More
Author Pens Collection of Poetry That Speaks to Social Concerns
A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams is a passionate book whose topics range from celebration of life with all its contradictions to calls for action to stop violence and environmental destruction.
– Lucille Lang Day, founder, Scarlet Tanager Press, and author: “God of the Jellyfish,” and “Fire in the Garden.”
San Francisco, CA. — Joan Gelfand’s second poetry collection, A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams, is earthy and mystical, leaving readers longing for love, beauty and the natural world. Gelfand’s use of sensual, evocative language opens readers to deep, startling feelings.
Many works in “A Dreamer’s Guide…” are simply about the language and the observation of small, intimate details of daily life while poems such as “Requiem for a Dying Planet,” and “War Rant” open our souls to the urge to be a part of something bigger, and more humane. Joan’s work has been compared with Langston Hughes, Sylvia Plath and Stephen Dunn.
A Dreamer’s Guide to Cities and Streams, which will be published by San Francisco Bay Press on January 6, 2009 (ISBN 978-1-60461-009; Paperback, $14.99, 71 pages) will be available through online booksellers, Baker & Taylor, and Ingram.
Joan Gelfand hosts literary salon at Mills College
Nearly 50 alumnae and friends sat at rapt attention in the Bender Room on Saturday afternoon of Reunion weekend, as six Mills authors read excerpts from their books. From the tale of a young
Egyptian queen who declared herself pharaoh of her land (His Majesty, Queen Hatshepsut, by Dorothy Carter, DFA ’42) to the contemporary poetry of Associate Professor of English Julianna Spahr, this year’s Literary Salon showcased a variety of ?ction and non-fiction works.
Author interview with Meg Clayton
My first guest author this year is award-winning poet Joan Gelfand, whose work has been published in over forty national magazines and literary journals
Soon to come: Betty’s List interview with Kit Kennedy.

