Today we celebrate Emily Dickinson since its her birthday!
Emily was born on December 10, 1830 in Massachusetts. She spent much of her life in her home, rarely venturing out. "Dickinson's poems are unique for the era in which she wrote; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality, two recurring topics in letters to her friends.
Although most of her acquaintances were probably aware of Dickinson's writing, it was not until after her death in 1886—when Lavinia, Emily's younger sister, discovered her cache of poems—that the breadth of Dickinson's work became apparent" (according to Emily Dickinson Wiki) Sadly, Emily passed away in 1886, seeing very few of her own poems published.
"My Uncle Emily" by Jane Yolen (2009)
Summary: In 1881 Amherst, Massachusetts, six-year-old Gilbert finds it both challenging and wonderful to spend time with his aunt, the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson, who lives next door.
"My Wars are Laid Away in Books" by Alfred Habegger (2001) |
Summary: Emily Dickinson, probably the most loved and certainly the greatest of American poets, continues to be seen as the most elusive. One reason she has become a timeless icon of mystery for many readers is that her developmental phases have not been clarified. In this exhaustively researched biography, Alfred Habegger presents the first thorough account of Dickinson’s growth–a richly contextualized story of genius in the process of formation and then in the act of overwhelming production
"Secret Life of Emily Dickinson" by Jerome Charyn (2010)
Summary:What if the old maid of Amherst wasn't an old maid at all? The poet dons a hundred veils, alternately playing wounded lover, penitent, and female devil in this extraordinary adventure that will disturb and delight.
