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Winner of the Ambroggio Prize of the Academy of American PoetsIn this highly imaginative work, the lives of the northern Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch (1450–1516) and an imagined contemporary migrant worker named Juan Coyoc, later known as Juan Domínguez, run in parallel as they mirror each other across languages, time, and continents.
Written in simple, sharp language, the book employs surprising imagery and a novel structure to blur the boundaries between reality and fiction, while examining the intricacies of the human condition—from the life of Saint Anthony to the violent acts of narcos across Central America and the U.S.-Mexico border. With formal sophistication and philosophical depth, this work enriches the tradition of poetry about both migration and art, contributing to the literary heritage of Mexico and the United States over the past several decades.
Copies of "The Whole Earth Is a Garden of Monsters" will be available for sale & signing.
6 pm reception/6:30 pm program
Free & open to the public. Registration required.
https://www.mercantilelibrary.com/events/calendar/2026/03/11/the-whole-earth-is-a-garden-of-monsters-an-evening-with-manuel-iris
About Manuel Iris
Manuel Iris (Mexico, 1983). Mexican-born American Poet. Author of six collections of poetry. Poet Laureate Emeritus of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio (2018-2020), Writer-in-Residence of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County public library and library foundation (2023), Writer in residence of Thomas More University (2023-2024), and member of the National System of Art Creators of Mexico (2022-2024). His poetic work has received national and international recognition. Recently, Iris was awarded the 2025 Ambroggio Poetry Prize given by the Academy of American Poets for his book The Whole Earth is a Garden of Monsters.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Mercantile Library, 414 Walnut St, Cincinnati, OH 45202-3906, United States
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