Emily Dickinson, probably the most loved and certainly the greatest of American poets, continues to be seen as the most elusive. One reason she ha...
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Sep 03, 2010
Andy
rated it: 
Having read discouraging reviews about two recent books about
Dickinson, and having heard that this was highly recommended, I
decided that (as a busy person) I would just sample it, but I ended up
reading all 620 pages straight through. Habegger does an impressive
job weighing evidence and avoiding the speculations of earlier
biographers and critics. Yet in the end, Dickinson proves elusive. I
feel I know a lot more about her life, but I realize Habegger had to
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Dickinson, and having heard that this was highly recommended, I
decided that (as a busy person) I would just sample it, but I ended up
reading all 620 pages straight through. Habegger does an impressive
job weighing evidence and avoiding the speculations of earlier
biographers and critics. Yet in the end, Dickinson proves elusive. I
feel I know a lot more about her life, but I realize Habegger had to
More...
Mar 31, 2010
Terry
rated it: 
This book is maddening. At some point biographers (and scholars/academics) have GOT to get together and realize that there is just not enough material to write a decent biography of Dickinson! GIVE IT UP. Habegger writes an exhaustive biography of everyone ELSE in Dickinson's life and tries to connect that to her, but even he frequently admits that "we just don't know" what she was thinking or even DOING most of the time. Knowing what everyone else around me is doing isn't going to tel
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Oct 06, 2009
Heather
rated it:
When I realized how exhaustively complete this biography was, I nearly put it aside. Do I really, I asked myself, need to know about Dickinson's parents' courtship, or about her elementary school teachers? But I kept going, and I'm glad I did. This book is the best biography of Emily Dickinson I've encountered, exploring what we know about her life, her relationships, her ideas, and the ways that her poetry was woven with all of it.
Aug 01, 2011
The aptly titled new biography, by former University of Kansas professor Alfred Habegger, respects the personal and aesthetic fury of many of Dickinson’s best poems—”My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun,” for example—without falling into the trap of reducing them solely to political documents, as is too often the case with contemporary criticism written by academics.
from the NASHVILLE SCENE
from the NASHVILLE SCENE
Mar 27, 2010
Although this is on my 'abandoned' shelf, it doesn't really belong there and -- God willing -- won't stay there forever. I read a good portion of this book before getting side-tracked by other books I needed to read at the time. This was back when I was still homeschooling and (much like now) I bought books to read--meaning to finish them--but didn't always succeed. What I did read, was excellent!
May 07, 2008
Ellee
rated it: 
This book is a biography of Emily Dickinson. A very thorough biography. That being said, if you're interested in the growth of prominent literary figures, this would be a great biography to pick up. It is a slow read. I began this book for a free Barnes & Noble University course about Emily Dickinson and her poetry last October, read ax. 250 pages during the month-long course, and set the book down. Determined to finish during this course's July session, though! Despite being slow to read, the a
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May 26, 2008
Melissa
rated it:
Notes when I started this book MONTHS AGO: I'm not generally an avid reader of biographies, but I do love Emily Dickinson, and this particular biography, while of epic length, comes highly recommended.
Notes now that I'm finally %&!(@%^ done with it: DEAR SWEET LORD, this felt like the longest book I have ever read. Perhaps it suffered from my bright idea three chapters in to read the collected poems along with it. Perhaps it suffered from the painfully dry prose and eye-crossing foot More...
Notes now that I'm finally %&!(@%^ done with it: DEAR SWEET LORD, this felt like the longest book I have ever read. Perhaps it suffered from my bright idea three chapters in to read the collected poems along with it. Perhaps it suffered from the painfully dry prose and eye-crossing foot More...
May 27, 2010
Lizzie
rated it:
I am not a poetry person, though I like some of Dickenson's poems. Her self aggrandizing suffering fits with mental stance for most of my life of bearing a secret sorrow (usually because of some romantic disappointment.) Her secret sorrows seem to be about a minister with whom she had a spiritual relationship & meeting of minds that made her call herself his wife. But much is shrouded in mystery, which makes her story so interesting.
Although I'd read another biography of her 30 years More...
Although I'd read another biography of her 30 years More...
Jun 16, 2011
Jenny
rated it: 
Loved it & refer back to it on a monthly basis. Read this a few years ago for a class & rediscovered Emily. Our love affair continues to grow...
Dec 16, 2009
Richard
rated it:
I've read and re-read this book a couple of times! Its THE best biography of Emily Dickenson, who is the love of my life (yeah yeah, I know she's been dead for 130 years...)
It gives you a really good picture of her family life, her loves and the things that influenced her poetry (almost all of which went undiscovered until after her death). Its a biography, yes, but its also a culteral history of Emily's life and times.
Emily and Walt Whitman are, in my mind, THE 2 most important Ame More...
It gives you a really good picture of her family life, her loves and the things that influenced her poetry (almost all of which went undiscovered until after her death). Its a biography, yes, but its also a culteral history of Emily's life and times.
Emily and Walt Whitman are, in my mind, THE 2 most important Ame More...
Dec 07, 2009
Judy
rated it:
I found this was just too detailed for me - I do love Emily Dickinson's poetry, but I'm not ready to assimilate quite this much information about her family background, home town, school, etc, etc. I am impressed by how much research the author has done and his love of his subject, but I'd have done better to start with a shorter overview.
Sep 17, 2011
stevenallenmay
rated it: 
This is a vast book about the family and region and times of Emily Dickinson. That's entirely way more than I was interested in reading about, nor do I have to time to read about the ancestors of the poet. There are many who I am certain will love this book, minus one.
Mar 09, 2011
Mitzi
rated it:
Very interesting read - the level of research is obviously extremely high and carefully done. I might have edited down slightly, but other than that I couldn't have asked for a better or more in depth look at ED's life and work.
Mar 24, 2008
Shellian731
rated it:
Ironic that a biography of a creative poetic genius would be written in prose so clunky and inflexible that it could be carved into several pairs of wooden shoes.
Well-researched, but not exactly a riveting page turner.
Well-researched, but not exactly a riveting page turner.
May 16, 2008
Carol
rated it:
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was a remarkable poet. She wrote many letters, often including poems, but didn't seek publication. This is a book to read with a dictionary at hand. I found it fascinating.
Feb 05, 2008
Kelli
rated it:
Read it with a dictionary handy, but, oh, my gosh, SOOOOOO good. I learned so much about her, and felt like I knew her after I read it. Very, very highly recommended.
Jan 22, 2008
Tina
rated it:
Still slogging thru this one, interesting but detailed and a little much at times- I STILL don't know why she won't come out of the house!
Dec 16, 2009
Jen
rated it:
An awesome book from an awesome class! Anything you'd want to know about Emily Dickinson and her life in Amherst, MA.
Aug 09, 2010
87 pages in and Em-dawg hasn't even been born yet. Chop chop, Habegger.
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