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The Bell Jar
 
 
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The Bell Jar (Paperback)

by Frances McCullough (Foreword), Sylvia Plath (Author, Illustrator) "It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York ..." (more)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 18.95
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Product Description

From Amazon.com

Plath was an excellent poet but is known to many for this largely autobiographical novel. The Bell Jar tells the story of a gifted young woman's mental breakdown beginning during a summer internship as a junior editor at a magazine in New York City in the early 1950s. The real Plath committed suicide in 1963 and left behind this scathingly sad, honest and perfectly-written book, which remains one of the best-told tales of a woman's descent into insanity.


From Library Journal

This 25th-anniversary edition of Plath's posthumous autobiographical novel includes a new foreword by the book's original editor, Frances McCullough; biographical notes; and eight previously unpublished drawings by Plath. Bravo to HarperCollins for putting all this together at a reasonable price.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Inside This Book (Learn More)
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First Sentence
It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews

156 Reviews
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 (38)
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 (11)
2 star:
 (1)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (156 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars funny, lyrical, and sometimes painful -- like your own life, Jul 11 2004
By Gogs (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Bell Jar (Paperback)
Don't be put off by the book's reputation as the story of a depressed not-quite-a-woman-not-a-girl protagonist--and certainly don't be put off by the fact that Sylvia Plath died very soon after writing the book. Although she is known primarily for her poetry, I've often thought that Bell Jar captured both her skill as a sharp poetess, but also her lesser-known sense of humor. The Bell Jar involves suicide attempts and mental institutions, but more importantly, it doesn't dwell on tragedy so much as cut through it. Plath's photographic depiction of what it is like to be thrust into adulthood and all the other things that aren't in childhood are equally important and remind the reader that the things that we experience are neither so beautiful nor ugly as they are absurd.

Whether or not you've ever been depressed, the Bell Jar captures not only the fear of nothing ever changing, but also the greater fear of things being different, twin processes which are, to me, at the heart of depression.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Jun 4 2007
This review is from: Bell Jar Large Print Tpb (Paperback)
The Bell Jar deals with many of the political and social issues of the 1950s, such as life within an anti-communist country. However, in my opinion, the most pressing issue is the conflicting view of female sexuality. In the novel, Sylvia Plath presents many different types of stereotypical women ranging from the then strongly encouraged role of a devoted housewife, to the sexually permissive female characters, to the successful career centered type woman. Esther Greenwood, like many girls going through adolescence, has a difficult choice to make: which type of women should she become, while having to keep in mind the sacrifices she will have to make for either paths of her life? What makes this interesting is how each one of these woman represents a different type of female empowerment and has come to influence Esther's perception in one way or another.
Sylvia Plath uses powerful imagery throughout the novel to help the reader gain a better understanding of the intense emotions a young woman goes through while trying to find her identity. I recommend this novel to all women, as it addresses many relatable issues women face when living under the current complex societal values and pressures.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 22 2004
By "kerrys_books" (St. Clair, MO United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Bell Jar (Hardcover)
This was the first book we read in our book club and we gave it five stars! When reading this keep in my the 'semi-autobiographical' nature of the story.

It's a great story, and it's even better if you research Sylvia Plath a little. There are some great discussion questions available on the internet.

I even used this book for a project in my World Literary Types course and was really able to get the whole class interested.

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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A look a depression
A clasic I recomend reading. if you didn't already know plath published this book under a sudo name and two weeks later committed suicide. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Amy Sinclair

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating and Real
Read it through in less than a few days and could not, would not put it down. The Bell Jar allowed me to see into the depth of the character's feelings and mind. Read more
Published on April 6 2004 by bokchoygurl

3.0 out of 5 stars Had to see what all the hype was for myself
Well first, lets cut to the chase, the book is not as bad as a three star, but not worthy of a four star either. I'd give it a passing grade of 72%. Read more
Published on Mar 5 2004 by Huff Daddy

5.0 out of 5 stars bell jar
i thought this book was really good because it showed the world through Ester's eyes. Some poeple say that it is just a depressing book, but they have obivously never been... Read more
Published on Jun 21 2003 by evanescent

5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic Catcher
The story can be compared to Catcher In The Rye in that the main characters of both stories are similarly out of place in society. Read more
Published on Jun 12 2003 by Michael

5.0 out of 5 stars anyone who can fault this work based on entertainment value
Anyone who can fault this work based on entertainment value

Anyone who can fault this work based on entertainment value is a fool. Read more

Published on Dec 15 2002 by Scott

1.0 out of 5 stars Is There a Point Here?
People who claim this is one of the best books they've ever read clearly have not read many books.

Plath's description of her main character's descent into crippling depression... Read more

Published on Jun 7 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars The Bell Jar
I found The Bell Jar to be very interesting and informative. Thought I do not suffer from depression myself, I know many who do. Read more
Published on Jun 6 2002 by Heidi B

3.0 out of 5 stars It Didn't Make Much of an Impact
If you want to read a book about depression read "Prozac Nation."

I was inspired to read this after read "Prozac Nation," when it and Sylvia Plath were mentioned. Read more

Published on Jun 5 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't die, I am forever
Sylvia Plath is a talented poet, but this was the first work of hers I read, when I was 12. It really blew me away. Read more
Published on May 31 2002 by K. P.

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