English’s Cori Winrock publishes ‘Alterations,’ a book-length lyrical essay

From the first space suits to Emily Dickinson’s famous white dress, WWU Assistant Professor of English Cori Winrock’s third book, “Alterations,” explores the significance of garments as fabric that is torn, reassembled, and stitched as a metaphor for grief and recovery.

“The book threads together different aspects of making and unmaking — garments, stories, art, and mourning rituals — to explore how one might come to terms with a grief rarely approached in public spaces,” Winrock said.

“Alterations” is part of the Undelivered Lectures series from Transit Books and centers around the image of women taking apart wedding dresses to create burial garments . A deeply personal book about her own experience, “Alterations” is a meditation on grief and the power of the collective to “reassemble” grief.

In June, an excerpt from the book called “Dickinson’s Dresses on the Moon” was published in The Paris Review.

Winrock is a poet and multimedia artist who has published three books, including two books of poetry, Little Envelope of Earth Conditions (Alice James Books) and The Coalition of Bones (Kore Press).

“Publisher’s Weekly” calls the book “Dizzying and deeply felt,” and “a memorable account of mourning.”

“Kirkus Review” calls it "A radiant evocation of longing ... Winrock creates a haunting meditation on grief, on being caught in an obsessive circularity of thinking and feeling, and on wishing, achingly, to undo a painful narrative.”

Winrock will give a reading at Village Books on Jan. 9, 2026. “Alterations” is available through Transit Books.

Learn more about the WWU English Department here.

Frances Badgett covers the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Fine and Performing Arts Communications. Reach out to her with story ideas at badgetf@wwu.edu.