‘Blurt-your-beer funny and rip-your-gut raw. Where other poets may blink or flinch, Whitelock holds her gaze and brings words to heel.’ David Astle, Radio/TV presenter & author

Westerly Magazine: ‘This collection by Ali Whitelock poses love as a kind of injury that we never quite recover from.’ Click to read the review: https://westerlymag.com.au/the-lactic-acid-in-the-calves-of-your-despair/

‘As far as I can tell, Ali Whitelock’s work stands at the summit of the most intimate, original, and vital of contemporary poetry in the English language.’ Dr Brentley Frazer, Riding Sharks, Aboriginal to Nowhere, Scoundrel Days

‘Ali is devastating, funny and cruel and wise, and life – hers and ours – is devastating and funny and cruel, so her wisdom is a tonic.’ Simon Sweetman, ‘off the tracks’ NZ. For full review click here: https://offthetracks.co.nz/ali-whitelock-the-lactic-acid-in-the-calves-of-your-despair/

‘How does her work break ground? Well, look at the titles—the great fucking wall of china, or, ‘a poem walked into a bar’ or, ‘the dandruff in the dry scalp of your longing.’ Rochelle J Shapiro, author, poet & teacher at UCLA. https://rochellejshapiro.com/review-of-ali-whitelocks-the-lactic-acid-in-the-calves-of-your-despair/

”the lactic acid in the claves of your despair’ has so much life, which is to say it’s so dynamic and vibrant—in its beautiful mix of vulnerability and edginess, its ever-surprising and impactful imagery, its openness to the reader and to the world—that it’s impossible not to want to keep reading.’  Maria Takolander, Associate Professor Creative Writing, writer & poet: The End of the World (Giramondo 2014) & Ghostly Subjects (Salt 2009)

‘The humanity in these poems takes your breath away, makes you want to cartwheel and shout ‘yes yes yes, that’s JUST how it is!’ Ali Whitelock captures the flawed beauty of life with an exuberance and courage that is gorgeous indeed, an invitation to live more fully. This collection is always close to hand, I open it whenever the edges of life are feeling dulled, when I need a dose of derring do. Her poems are sheer brilliance.’ Leonie Charlton, Marram.

‘Fans of Ali Whitelock’s distinctive blend of sharp, insightful, prosaic, no bs humour blended with the intimacy of confession won’t be disappointed by this latest collection. This is tremendous, witty and deeply moving poetry.’ Magdalena Ball, Compulsive Reader

‘So many poems I read are pretty… ‘meh’. I think, what am I not getting? But when I read Ali Whitelock’s ‘the lactic acid in the calves of your despair’ – whoosh! The top of my head blows off. Every time.’ Magi Gibson, Wild Women of a Certain Age.

‘In this her second collection, Ali Whitelock weaves unique personal experiences into universal messages about love, grief, regret and ultimately from that, the hope that comes from acknowledging the honest, damned, helluva thing that is living. What a poet. What a voice.’ Jenny Lindsay, Flint & Pitch

‘The poems in Ali Whitelock’s the lactic acid in the calves of your despair are packed with hilarity and gut-wrenching and everything in between. For anyone who ever made up their mind that poetry is boring or pointless, there is a sure antidote and it is Ali Whitelock.’ Edward O’Dwyer, Bad News, Good News, Bad News, The Rain on Cruise’s Street, Cheat Sheets

‘A unique voice in the Australian poetry scene, Ali Whitelock sparks and sparkles in her latest kick-ass collection.’ Anne Casey, out of emptied cups and where the lost things go.

‘It will come as no surprise that Ali Whitelock’s follow up to And My Heart Crumples Like a Coke Can is every bit as glorious, gory, witty, and wonderful as you hoped it would be (and then some). I never cease to be amazed by this poet’s incredible talent to tickle, tantalise, delight, and devastate. Personal favourite from this collection has to be NOTES from the six week course entitled: ‘a beginner’s guide to writing poetry’, but an honourable mention must go to if you have no eyes where do the tears go?, and (of course) the poem that became a viral sensation during the Australian bush fires earlier this year, this is coal don’t be afraid. Ali Whitelock continues to give ’em hell, and it’s an honour to watch her do it.’ Sheree Strange, Keeping Up With The Penguins