Postcards is an anthology of poems and short stories by Jo Taylor. The book opens with poems and poetic stories where Taylor draws from her experiences to offer some keen insights and observations on life. These poems touch upon various topics, including her time as an ER nurse, the nostalgic remembrance of one's youth, the ups and downs of relationships, the toll on the body and mind by the passage of time, and more. During a vacation to Jamaica, a man discovers his love and understanding for his wife with the help of a blind local artist. On a trip to Tanzania, a mother shares her experiences through a letter to her beloved daughter in New York City. Laden with grief, a man looks for places to scatter his deceased lover's ashes.

Immerse yourself in a captivating collection of observational poetry and slice-of-life stories with Postcards. Jo Taylor paints a lively portrait of life with this absorbing anthology that is tailor-made for anyone who loves a quiet evening read. The author uses free verse to enrapture readers with poetic stories and anecdotes from her own life and provides seven short stories to keep them engaged all the way through. Much like the poems, the short stories also focus on the different facets of the human experience and behavior. I enjoyed them all but found "Angel Coin" particularly inspirational. This is one of those rare collections that will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers from pretty much any background. In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, and if you love reading poetry or short stories, I recommend you not miss out on this one!

Postcards, scattered fragments of a life, snapshots of events, feelings, and emotions, of people – all this is written and encapsulated in verse and compelling short stories. This is Jo Taylor’s Postcards, beginning with her profound reflection on the nun who “sat in the front pew like a first-chair violin./ Ready, waiting, ever waiting/ for a sign from the Conductor.” The author/ poet shares her visions of faith, her reflections on love, and her ideas of arts and crafts, of stitching together ideas and memories like in a quilt, of creating a visual metaphor of all that she is: “Stitch together/ a plan that has the weight/ of warp and weft,/ of tactile probability in the/ face of absolute uncertainty.” Her needle-art reflections mirror her thoughts on life, her perspective of all that matters, and thoughtful inspirational interpretation of everything that was, is, and perhaps will be.

Jo Taylor’s Postcards: Collected Poems and Short Stories is a literary collage of thoughts and memories that will have readers thinking more deeply about their own postcard moments. Her poems are a collection of free verse, narrative poems, a few rhyming verses, and traditionally metered verses. She gently presents multiple perspectives on her memories and profound thoughts on life itself: “The belief that anything/ leads to freedom/ of the heart,/ or mind,/ or broken body left to climb its/ way up from the depths of oblivion/ is only that, a belief.” It’s imperative, she writes, that we don’t forget “that we were born to create and/ not destroy.” The short stories in the last section of the book present similar pockets of thoughts, from the blind artist touched by an angel to an elderly woman embracing her mortality. The sentiments are sincere and thought-provoking, intense and yet simple. Everything about us, from our childhood memories to our on-the-job interactions with others affect who we are and who we are meant to be. This is a book that needs to be savored over time.

Drawing on an appreciation of nature's gifts, a childhood filled with unique memories, and her time as a nurse caring for patients whose needs went beyond essential medical attention to something far more personal, Jo Taylor reflects on the lessons learned and decisions made in a heartwarming compilation. This poetry and short story collection will leave you impressed by her beautiful words. Read along and be enthralled by the transformative power an object as small as an angel coin can have on an individual. Admire the skills of a painter whose blindness does not stop him from producing a one-of-a-kind piece of art. These unique episodes provide a glimpse into the fantastic world that Jo Taylor creates in Postcards: Collected Poems & Short Stories.

Jo Taylor's Postcards has a melodic ring as she lets us into her world. Her poems cover everything from random topics like early childhood memories to complex subjects that many avoid thinking about, even though we must accept the inevitable end at some point in our lives. Appreciating the beautiful things around us that we take for granted is one theme that runs through the entire anthology. She blends exquisitely worded poetry with short stories involving medical issues, so masterfully written that one cannot tell if she is recounting actual events or simply trying to help readers understand what a day in her life looks like. Whatever their preference, all lovers of poetry can relate to Taylor's style and arrangement, which showcases a lovely harmony between poetry and prose.

Postcards is a collection of thought-provoking poems and short stories by Jo Taylor. The poems cover themes such as love, life, death, aging, and various societal issues from different perspectives and generations. The collection also delves into topics like war, peace, faith, hope, and memories. The stories at the end of the book take readers on emotional journeys about life, relationships, and grief. They feature characters like a woman who wants to become a tree, a man who wishes to scatter his late wife's ashes, and an old lady on her deathbed. The book also includes tales from Africa's Serengeti and about a blind painter from Jamaica. This is an amazing read that offers valuable life lessons and a deeper understanding of the human experience.

Postcards is a beautifully written book that will touch readers' hearts and minds. The author's gentle and skilled writing style weaves together themes of love, loss, faith, and mortality, inviting readers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. Jo Taylor uses simple words that make her writing style accessible and engaging, making it easy for readers to follow her poems and stories. Her ability to craft a narrative that draws the reader in and keeps them captivated is a testament to her skill as a writer. The well-structured and organized design, complete with eye-catching fonts and pictures, adds to its overall appeal, making it a must-read for anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant literary experience. I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who loves emotionally engrossing poems and stories.