The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume 1: 1940-1956 – The Comprehensive Collection of an Influential Poet's Intimate Correspondence
Product ID: 47785592
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“ The Letters of Sylvia Plath underscores Plath’s jaw-dropping output, her rapid growth from merely talented to singular voice. . . . The result is a comprehensive portrait of the artist as a young woman, ardently — unnervingly — committed to literature and relationships.” — Hamilton Cain, Minneapolis Star-Tribune The first volume in the definitive, complete collection of the letters of Sylvia Plath—most never before seen. One of the most beloved poets of the modern age, Sylvia Plath continues to inspire and fascinate the literary world. While her renown as one of the twentieth century’s most influential poets is beyond dispute, Plath was also one of its most captivating correspondents. The Letters of Sylvia Plath is the breathtaking compendium of this prolific writer’s correspondence with more than 120 people, including family, friends, contemporaries, and colleagues. The Letters of Sylvia Plath includes her correspondence from her years at Smith, her summer editorial internship in New York City, her time at Cambridge, her experiences touring Europe, and the early days of her marriage to Ted Hughes in 1956. Most of the letters are previously unseen, including sixteen letters written by Plath to Hughes when they were apart after their honeymoon. This magnificent compendium also includes twenty-seven of Plath’s own elegant line drawings taken from the letters she sent to her friends and family, as well as twenty-two previously unpublished photographs. This remarkable, collected edition of Plath’s letters is a work of immense scholarship and care, presenting a comprehensive and historically accurate text of the known and extant letters that she wrote. Intimate and revealing, this masterful compilation offers fans and scholars generous and unprecedented insight into the life of one of our most significant poets. This first volume, covering her life from 1940 to 1956, presents the definitive record of Plath’s early years: Unpublished Letters: Read hundreds of previously unseen letters to family, friends, and lovers, including sixteen revealing letters to Ted Hughes written just after their honeymoon. The Complete Story: For the first time, experience Plath's unabridged correspondence, restoring the full, historically accurate text of letters previously published only in censored form. The Artist at Work: Follow the evolution of a literary genius through her candid correspondence from her years at Smith College, her time at Cambridge on a Fulbright scholarship, and her early creative partnership with Ted Hughes. Plath's Own Artwork: Discover a new side of the poet through twenty-seven of her elegant line drawings and twenty-two unpublished photographs, many taken directly from the original letters. Review: Bueno libro - Bueno libro. Review: Letters as literature - Essential for anyone interested in Sylvia Plath the poet, the novelist, the person. It's a delight just holding this big, beautifully produced (and edited) book in one's hands -- an object whose magnificence reflects its contents.
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,059,958 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #172 in Literary Letters #2,998 in Women's Biographies #3,936 in Author Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 185 Reviews |
J**A
Bueno libro
Bueno libro.
S**R
Letters as literature
Essential for anyone interested in Sylvia Plath the poet, the novelist, the person. It's a delight just holding this big, beautifully produced (and edited) book in one's hands -- an object whose magnificence reflects its contents.
K**N
and provides great insight as to her life
Plath has been much underappreciated. Ironically, she has oft been written about, and her poetry is widely read. But knowledge of her life, the tragedies and her successes is less well-known. This is an incredible volume of letters, and provides great insight as to her life.
A**R
Excellent!!
A lot of detail, well researched!!
L**G
Arrived Slightly Damaged — book is amazing!
For the price, I would have appreciated a book in “New” condition. The shipping package was secure; it appears the book was placed inside it looking like this.
L**R
Makes for a Good Gift
My daughter in law like this author and asked for this book for Christmas. She is happy with the book.
D**I
In love 💕
Before I bought this book I thought the price point was kind of high but when it arrived I realized why! The book is huge. It's1388 pages long and I'm really excited to read it.
P**N
She wasn't all doom and gloom; she can be quite funny and light-hearted too.
So comprehensive, and adds a new twist to her real feelings for her mother Aurelia. I only miss one or two replies to enrich the correspondence.
S**.
A must-read for anyone interested in Sylvia Plath's life
After several months of reading, picking up and putting down the book at a leisurely pace, I'm finally reaching the end of this first volume. I already read "Letters home" and prior to buying this more extensive volume, was wondering if it would be redundant. While it is inevitably the case at times, first it isn't a problem if one's enjoy reading Plath, secondly these letters are complete, there aren't parts of them missing as in the other book. Also compared to "Letters home", the list of Plath's correspondants is much more diverse, she writes a lot to her various friends (although her mother still remains her principal recipient). So overall it's a major occasion to be able to try and immerse oneself into Plath's life or at least her recording of it. One thing that can become kind of boring though is that Plath very often describes the same event to two or three, four different persons. Of course it is a normal thing considering the nature of this book and it may be interesting, but nonetheless... The Faber book is beautiful, the paper is of very good quality (smooth but thick enough). The only drawback for me is the dustjacket because as always, it isn't convenient at all, either it slips, either you have to remove it while reading. Concerning the letters, one thing that struck me is how Plath rapidly changes her mind and opinions about people. They begin by being absolutely magnificent and wonderful and a while after, they're dull and not worthwhile (it won't particularly come as a surprise to Plath readers but in these letters, it is even more noticeable). Apart from that, it is great to know more about what she did practically day to day, her work, her discoveries in terms of books, movies, theatre plays, her trips... Now I'm very impatient and curious to read the second volume!
A**R
Excellent service
Product delivery was quick and efficient (right to my door). The book will provide many valuable insights into this writer and the writing life.
H**O
Perfecto
Sylvia Plath = perfección
M**O
Interessante
Interessante raccolta ma spesso le lettere sono ripetitive.
P**D
Superb
I love Sylvia Plath's writing so it is not surprising that this first volume of her letters to her family and friends has given me such pleasure. They are wonderfully written and self-analytical. It's astonishing no one picked up her talent earlier. This volume is from her late teens to early twenties, but already we see Plath's early signs of bipolar disorder. She swings from dark lows and an early suicide attempt while at college, to exotic highs when she meets Sassoon, her first boyfriend, down again when he appears to reject her, then up to ecstatic heights at Cambridge University where she meets Ted Hughes. More miserable lows follow when they're parted. Given we all know the dreadful ending to this life, dare I read the next volume when it comes out? Freak Out!: My Life With Frank Zappa
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