While it certainly isn’t the first or the last of it’s kind, Erin Vance shines new light on themes of motherhood, misogyny and violence against women in A History of Touch. This vivid and haunting collection of poetry is about the women history would have you forget about - the ones labeled ‘difficult’ or ‘hysterical’. With poems focusing on those women, the ones who have been mistreated simply for existing in a world that holds men above all else, this collection is immersive and thought-provoking.

Although I wasn’t familiar with many of the women mentioned in this collection of poetry, half the fun was in researching their stories and rereading the poems to connect the dots. I didn’t realize there was a reference sheet in the back of the book until I’d already finished but I’m certainly not going to complain about it. I truly enjoyed learning about these women from history that I hadn’t heard of before.

While I wish there had been a bit more warning about the contents of this book, I truly enjoyed this collection of poems and can’t wait to read more of Erin Vance’s work in the future.