I’m deep into reading Edith Wharton (Vintage)
Hermione Lee’s biography of Edith Wharton, and I’m really enjoying it. I really love reading biographies, especially well-written ones that really delve into a person’s life and character without seeming prurient– another great example is Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov)
Stacy Schiff’s biography of Vera Nabokov, which I have read several times also. I’m not into tell-alls, but I’m fascinated by individual lives and what they can tell us about periods in history, politics, and literature.
Lee does an amazing reconstruction of Wharton’s life and feelings, considering that Wharton was extremely private– she burned much of her correspondence and implored her friends to do the same, which is not too surprising since privacy, surveillance and betrayal are major themes in a lot of her work. Edith Wharton has always been one of my favorite writers, but I feel like I’m gaining new insight into her work through Lee’s lens, which is truly a testament to her abilities as a biographer. If you’re a Wharton fan, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
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About Jackie
Music, recipes, poems, books, writing, reading: a few of my favorite things!
