"I found Dealing with Men to be filled with some of the most outstanding, honest and original writing I have encountered in a while. And I am one of those rarities—someone who both writes poetry and loves to read it too. 'He Might Be Right' and 'My Boyfriend Wasn't from Here' are probably my favorites, but there is not a weak link in the entire chapbook. Stratton writes well with a voice that is strong and hers alone."
Harry Calhoun, The Black Road and the Dog

“It's hard enough to know the self, let alone your partner or some guy you're dating. Despite such an impossible task, Robin Stratton gives it her heartfelt best. She puts feeling and emotion into words and succeeds with each piece included in Dealing With Men. 'Nice Talking to You' is a great example, displaying the two sexes, their insecurities, and a 'hey, that's the way it is' acceptance. In 'My Boyfriend Wasn't From Here,' she laments her own mistakes and disconnect. Loneliness too, makes its way into the collection, with 'Again Last Night.' Sure, it's okay to be an independent gal, but sometimes you just want to wake up next to somebody. Not all of it is sorrowful though, for the short 'Dealing with Men' offers a solution to the quite common female flaw of devoting herself to the quest for external validation. The truth is no man is going to respect you unless you do. There is comedy within the pages too. I found myself laughing while reading 'Awaiting Clarity,' a story about trying to cope with the early arrival of the boyfriend's angst-filled daughter. Finally, through weed-laced ice cream, they are able to break through the wall and talk. Quick, short, and touching, this collection provides validation and clarity for other insecure souls struggling with relationships. No sides (or causalities) are taken; there's no sense to fighting when both sides are right.”
Neon Magazine

“Robin Stratton is one of those rare writers who has the ability to articulate the inner female conversation, a conversation of wit, heartbreak, and self-assessment that most women, and men for that matter, would never feel comfortable committing to the page. Like finding a glistening river in the middle of the woods, no one who picks up one of Stratton’s books will ever be able to forget about it or put it down. She definitely will be a tour-de-force in the years to come.”
~ Jéanpaul Ferro, You Know Too Much About Flying Saucers and Being Dead : Essendo Morti

“Robin Stratton’s book Dealing with Men is an enthralling collection. A perfect blend of wit, humor and truth, beautifully written, the ideal book for anyone who’s ever been in love.”
~ Carol Lynn Grellas, author of Litany of Finger Prayers and Object of Desire

“The title poem, "Dealing with Men," is a philosophical comment on how women find themselves through their relationships with men. This notion will startle and disturb many feminists. It's a brave foray into the realm of perception. Robin Stratton asks questions like: Who were you when he cried over his mother's death? Dealing with a man is like dealing with yourself, she says confidently. Not all will agree but some will, and the idea will be discussed. Men do change women, no doubt about that. They turn them into mothers, for one thing. The poems and stories are good reading, especially if you're a woman who likes men.”
~ Nadine Gallo, thenextbigwriter.com

“Dealing with Men is a witty, smart and realistic look at a subject that has gotten the best of me a few times – relationships. It's an honest look into the mind of women which gives us a better perspective on men. Robin uses her elegant writing style like an artist's brush to paint clean, sharp and always colorful images of life and love and dealing with all of it with humor. A wonderful book from cover to cover—once I started it, I couldn't put it down!”
~ Lucy S.

“The most endearing part of Dealing With Men is the love and respect you show every character. They are presented with all their faults and quirks in a manor both kind and knowing.”
~ Doug M.

“I've now had a chance to read your collection, cover to cover, and found it thoroughly engaging. A strong, yet vulnerable voice throughout—a great combination. Stick-to-your-ribs stories and poems. So happy to have it!”
~ Robert S.

“Your voice is strong, immediate, evocative, compelling, honest, complex. The pieces are full of surprises and the titles are brilliant!”
~ Rebecca L.

“I just got done reading your book Dealing with Men. I love it! "What I Think Men Like" was like reading about myself. Everything you write is dead on. And I love your clean and precise style. I actually had to read the entire chapbook once I got started.”
~ J.P.F.

“I read your book at work and had to hide my laughter or I would have been fired! My favorites were "He Might Be Right" and "Awaiting Clarity." Amazing!”
~ Nancy A.

“I just finished your chapbook Dealing With Men and was mightily impressed... You have a straightforward style that allows accessibility without dumbing down.”
~ Steve Y.

Robin Stratton puts into words what we, women, have been thinking since the beginning of time. We love men, and think we understand them, but really, this is all about us.

From Same Slave, Different Master:

He left me, she says. Just walked out.
I ask what happened, but I already know.
Something incredibly petty set him off
and he got mad and said they were through.
She’s beautiful with large brown eyes
now sad and wet.
He didn’t love me enough, she says.
None of them did.
I say it’s not her, it’s them, they’re just jerks.
But the truth is, it is her.

Time and time again in Dealing with Men Robin exposes what we feel but are afraid to say: there’s the woman in our lives who has always had her pick of men but settles for dirt cheap misery; how we call back our men after fight just to hear their voices; forced bonding with the faux wicked teenage daughter of a favorite boyfriend.

From We Lie Together:

We’re in bed
sweaty from the sex
which to be honest
wasn’t that good

You’re not like my ex
who was so wonderful and
who left me for someone else
I’m not over it yet

Robin encourages readers to be comfortable with whom they are, because we are much more alike than we like to admit. She’s clever, funny, and downright sexy when she needs to be.
~ Crystal Folz, editor, Shoots and Vines Magazine

“Every man needs to read Dealing With Men, a warm and fun collection that helps explain women.”
~ Steve Meador Pack Your Bags, A Good Sharp Knife, and Throwing Percy from the Cherry Tree

“Robin Stratton’s women see their men through multi-colored lenses, asking their Universe what it knows, what they want to know, and so doing find the answers all the while sitting atop their heads. This collection is at once sexy, sad, funny, and true; a looking glass past the masculine other, past the feminine self, to clarify the universal in us all.”
~ Charles Cote, Flying for the Window