Books by David Kitzmiller
Books by David Kitzmiller
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David Kitzmiller writes without looking away from the hard truths of life. His memoirs and poetry confront trauma, addiction, loss, and survival, blending honesty with moments of humor and unexpected tenderness. Drawing on lived experience, he crafts work that moves beyond confession to an invitation for readers to see themselves in the fractures, the absurdity, and the sparks of fragile hope that exist in every life.
At the heart of his writing is the “Toaster,” a recurring metaphor for pain, endurance, and the persistence to survive. Through his memoirs and poetry collections, Kitzmiller maps the jagged emotional landscape of a life lived with struggle and determination, producing work that is unvarnished, intimate, and unforgettable.
The Dealing with the Toaster Series
The Dealing with the Toaster Series
Kitzmiller’s primary body of work unfolds across the Dealing with the Toaster series, blending memoir and poetry to trace the making of trauma, the reckoning with it, and the ongoing pursuit of survival.
If the prequel explores how pain was forged, this volume examines what it means to live with it. Structured around Kitzmiller’s first trip to Australia and a nine-day cruise, the memoir mixes his external adventure with his internal reckoning. Memories of addiction, family loss, failed relationships, and depression collide with moments of joy, fleeting romance, and humor, showing that even in the heaviest moments, life still contains absurdity and light.
A prequel that begins at the beginning, this book dissects Kitzmiller’s early life, exposing the origins of his deepest wounds. Childhood trauma, including physical and sexual abuse, the silence of religion, and the lure of addiction as coping mechanisms form the spine of the story. Despite darkness, moments of survival, writing, and hope shine through, revealing where the “Toaster” first took root.
This companion collection delivers emotionally unfiltered poetry that captures the immediacy of Kitzmiller’s inner world. Love, grief, lust, rage, and the absurdity of being human pulse through these pages. Some poems strike like a jolt; others surprise with tenderness or irony.
Volume II continues the series with poetry that blends intensity, reflection, and humor. The collection examines the endurance of the human spirit and the sparks of hope that survive even amidst life’s hardships.
Themes & Style
Themes & Style
Trauma and survival: Abuse, addiction, depression, and coping with life’s challenges.
The absurdity of being human: Humor and irony that emerge even in dark times.
Love and loss: Jagged, complicated, and deeply human.
Writing as survival: Memoir and poetry as tools for understanding, processing, and connecting.
Kitzmiller’s style is unapologetically honest. His memoirs blend narrative with poetic fragments, reflection, and dark humor. His poetry favors free verse and emotional immediacy. Together, his books offer no tidy arc — only the ongoing effort to make sense of pain and claim the sparks of beauty that exist within it.
Why Read David Kitzmiller
Why Read David Kitzmiller
Readers of Kitzmiller’s work find more than memoirs or poetry — they encounter an author willing to shine light on life’s hardest truths without flinching. His writing resonates with anyone who has struggled with grief, addiction, depression, or the absurdities of being human.
For some, his work becomes a mirror; for others, a lifeline. For all, it is a reminder that survival is rarely easy, but sharing the story is always essential.
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