Very Bright, Almost Pretty, by Alexander Williamson explores the largely under-represented impact of Cystic Fibrosis, a life-threatening disease affecting over four thousand Canadians, and their families. The poems wander through hopelessness, the fight for health, quiet moments of gratitude in the face of mortality, and dark, urgent prayers, joys, and ideals. At once visceral and contemplative, these poems ask what it takes to live a doomed life, and what it takes to reconcile with death.

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Alexander Williamson is a Canadian living with cystic fibrosis, and he is very lucky to be in Canada while having CF. Mostly Alex only cares about books and fighting people. He writes scary stories and sad poems; he fences and boxes too. He has a BA in English from Mount Royal University, and that made a big difference, but most of what he learned came from falling off of things, getting lost, or being punched in the face. Very Bright, Almost Pretty is his first book.