Synopses & Reviews
The poet Sylvia Plath has been a cultural icon since 1963 when she took her own life on a cold winter morning at the age of 30. This up-to-date biography explores the nature and sources of the mythology that has surrounded the poet's life by presenting a balanced account of her own life and the many significant people and events that influenced her.
This outstanding biography presents the facts of Plath's life as they are known in the 21st century. The research for this biography uitilizes the latest updated scholarship including new information released in the unabridged journals published in 2000 and the newly accessible Ted Hughes archives. In addition to this primary research, conducted in part at Smith College, Kirk also provides new insights and perspectives from original interview material with a Plath contemporary who personally knew her. Whether read for a school assignment or for personal interest, this highly readable biography offers an accessible alternative to the density of Plath scholarship. Readers who wish to pursue the topic further will find an extensive bibliography of biographical and critical sources, a full list of Plath's writings, an appendix of her own literary holdings, and another appendix of her family tree.
Review
Greenwood's literary biographies are recommended picks for anyone studying a significant author's works, and Connie Ann Kirk's Sylvia Plath is a vivid, complex coverage presenting the facts of her life as they are currently known.Internet Bookwatch
Synopsis
The poet Sylvia Plath has been a cultural icon since 1963 when she took her own life on a cold winter morning at the age of 30. This up-to-date biography explores the nature and sources of the mythology that has surrounded the poet's life by presenting a balanced account of her own life and the many significant people and events that influenced her.
Synopsis
Examines the short but intense life of American poet Sylvia Plath, going beyond the drama surrounding her suicide to explore the complex person behind the icon.
Table of Contents
Preface
Timeline
Who Was Sylvia? Beyond the Icon
Early Life and Family (Pre-1932-1936)
The Golden Schoolgirl (1937-1955)
The Academic Life (1950-1955)
A Poet's Life and a Poet's Wife (1956-1961)
The Bell Jar Cracks (1962-1963)
After Plath: Mysteries and Controversies
Appendix A: Family Tree
Appendix B: Sylvia Plath's Library
Bibliography
Index