"Jordan brings to life people, places, things, and books that nourished her mind and character."--Los Angeles Times

"Though best known as a poet, she wore many other hats. All of her identities were rooted in a passion for social justice--accompanied by the belief that the powerless could eventually prevail... In the words of this volume's title, her activities were 'directed by desire'--in defense of truth and justice." --The Washington Post

"Skeptical, angry, and sick of unexamined beliefs and hypocrisy, Jordan writes warrior poems: muscled, coiled, and unerringly accurate."-- Booklist

"[Jordan's poems are] so immediate and vibrant in their effect that they seem to be happening right there on the page."-- Kenyon Review

"The energy and seriousness of these poems are impressive and, like the essays, they are the work of a writer of integrity and will."--The New York Times

"She has comforted, explained, described, wrestled with, taught and made us laugh out loud before we wept... I am talking about a span of forty years of tireless activism coupled with and fueled by flawless art."--Toni Morrison