- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: WW Norton; 1 edition (Jan 26 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0393068560
- ISBN-13: 978-0393068566
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.9 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 635 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #111,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
Review
In his breathtaking high-wire act of ventriloquism, Jerome Charyn pulls off the nearly impossible: in The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson he imagines an Emily Dickinson of mischievousness, brilliance, desire, and wit (all which she possessed) and then boldly sets her amidst a throng of historical, fictional, and surprising characters just as hard to forget as she is. This is a bold book, but we'd expect no less of this amazing novelist.--Brenda Wineapple, author of White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Product Description
An astonishing novel that removes Emily Dickinson's own mysterious mask and reveals the passions and heartbreak of America's greatest poet.
What if the old maid of Amherst wasn't an old maid at all? Her older brother, Austin, spoke of Emily as his “wild sister.” Jerome Charyn, continuing his exploration of American history through fiction, has written a startling novel about Emily Dickinson in her own voice, with all its characteristic modulations that he learned from her letters and poems. The poet dons a hundred veils, alternately playing wounded lover, penitent, and female devil. We meet the significant characters of her life, including her tempestuous sister-in-law, Susan Gilbert; her brooding father, Edward; and the Reverend Charles Wadsworth, who may have inspired some of her greatest letters and poems. Charyn has also invented characters, including an impoverished fellow student at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, who will betray her; and a handyman named Tom, who will obsess Emily throughout her life. Charyn has written an extraordinary adventure that will disturb and delight.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Emily Dickinson comes alive,
By bette_stern (NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Secret Life Of Emily Dickinson (Hardcover)
Emily Dickinson lived once more for me as I read Jerome Charyn's new novel. I held my breath, hoping the feeling would last - and it did, throughout the whole book, and even beyond, as I read her poetry with new eyes.
Like legions of readers worldwide, I always loved Emily Dickinson, but reading biographies like Brenda Wineapple's excellent "White Heat" showed me that the familiar picture of the poet - as a recluse, cloistered in her room, her emotions tethered to her imagination - is incomplete. The truth is much more complex. Emily Dickinson lived in a time where women were repressed, but a review of her letters show that she was able to used her wits shrewdly, even flirtatiously, to live fully and, as much as possible, on her own terms. In The Secret LIfe of Emily Dickinson, Charyn uses his own considerable gifts to create a complete portrait of Emily, giving her a voice and a woman's rich emotional life. It's only a novel, but real to me.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Emily Dickinson as You've Never Seen Her,
By Lee Regal (New York City) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Secret Life Of Emily Dickinson (Hardcover)
I loved THE SECRET LIFE OF EMILY DICKINSON from its first page. I was immediately pulled into Emily Dickinson's world, and there I could see, think and feel as she did. For someone like me - who always loved her poetry - it was a heady experience.
I read this novel twice through, once at breakneck speed, holding my breath as each chapter opened a new window into Dickinson's heart. The second time I kept a more leisurely pace, with a collection of her poetry close at hand. As I read, I grew up and old with Dickinson. I understood what drove her to write, but so rarely share, her poems. Before reading this book, I never would have believed it was possible to identify with Emily Dickinson so powerfully. It was an unexpected gift, like opening a time capsule. Even putting to one side Dickinson's poetry, the book makes a really good read. It's great story, beautifully written, with astonishing plot twists and turns. THE SECRET LIFE OF EMILY DICKINSON is also sensual and romantic, with a cast of characters who stays with you. But the story always brings you back to Dickinson's words. If you love poetry, if you love Emily Dickinson, if you love passionate women's novels or romantic historical fiction, you must read THE SECRET LIFE OF EMILY DICKINSON.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Lost for Words,
By
This review is from: The Secret Life Of Emily Dickinson (Hardcover)
Source: Received from publicist as part of the Tribute Books blog tour for The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson. Many thanks goes to Nicole from Tribute Books for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
My rating: 4/5 The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson takes on the task of deciphering just what makes Emily tick, and gives us a glimpse of the reclusive life that she led. Although this is a work of fiction, it is a plausible interpretation of her life. Though I don't know much about Emily Dickinson, I do recall learning various facts about her from school, and while reading the book, I also did some research to refresh my memory. I enjoyed reading about Emily in this volume. I found The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson surprised me actually with how vivid it was, especially knowing that some works can be written with a voice that is too dry. This is not one of those books. Emily is a girl who wants to get married, and she is emboldened by her sharp wit. Her humorous and albeit dark lookout on life had me reading voraciously to see what knowledge I could glean from her. It was interesting to see where history and fiction collides in The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, and though I may not necessarily agree with some of the liberties taken, I do realize that this is fictional recreation of her life. As such, I applaud Charyn for creating such a vivid backdrop, and making history so real for those who may not enjoy reading about historical figures due to the fear of 'textbook syndrome'. It really was a captivating read, especially when you see how she was influenced by the writers of her era; to us, they are prestigious and influential, but back then, they were just evolving, and coming into their own. I wished more of Emily's work could have been captured in the book though, as it would have added more to the read. However it was neat to see how Currer Bell was brought to life, and how that affected women in writing, especially Emily. All in all, a historical and fictionalized recounting of the life and times of the reclusive Emily Dickinson. I think many will either love or hate this read, based on their views of Emily in history, and the version of Emily detailed in this story. History is detailed fluidly in this book, and the voice, set in the 1800's, just adds to the descriptive quality. History comes to life, and will leave the readers questioning whether or not how true to reality this actually is. I'm glad I picked it up as it challenged my views and gave me an appreciation for life as a female authoress in those times.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
