In Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire Jason Schneiderman confronts the rise of extremism and antisemitism in the United States while grappling with the end of his marriage and finding his feet as a newly single gay man. Following up on his landmark collection Hold Me Tight Jason Schneiderman extends his personal and historical explorations in Self Portrait of Icarus as a Country on Fire. Schneidermanamprsquos signature sense of humor works as a connective tissue across the book even as the juxtapositions become more unlikely Kafka and Hillary Clinton the historical scope becomes wider and the personal revelations cut deeper than ever before. These poems represent Schneidermanamprsquos most direct and explicit exploration of Jewish heritage and history bringing to the surface a theme that has often been missed in his work. The strength of these poems is in their power to trace the wound as a form of healing to confront the agonizing in order to make way for joy and yes love.