Life of Kenneth Rexroth

by Linda Hamalian

A biography of the American poet traces his life and follows his transformation from high school dropout into a successful newspaper columnist, activist, and poet

Genres: Biography

464 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Jay Callahan · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the great literary crimes of the 20th century.

A hatchet job by a person who was really creating an fawning autobiography of themselves through building a very negative picture of a public figure. Hamalian the narrator and commentator is wise, mature, reasonable, enlightened and liberal....all the things she sadly concludes that poor Rexroth was not.

Try his own Autobiographical Novel for his early life.

[David Rullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great bio that explores the personal and public life of Kenneth Rexroth. A solid primer, perhaps slightly light on poetry analysis, but a good book.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll pretty much go with the top Goodreads review: 'A hatchet job by a person who was really creating a fawning autobiography'. Sadly it's the fullest account of KR's life, nonetheless, with basic biodata, some interesting details, and some scholarship intact. I don't remember exactly what Robert Bly said and can't be bothered to track it down but it was something about feeling sorry for a man whose biography was written by a woman whose infatuation and spurned sexuality had turned to hatred. Sometimes Hamalian's animosity toward her subject leads to funny anecdotes and the odd repeatable line, but mainly it ruins what could have been and I wish were a sound biography.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography of a character who had the capacity to re-invent and self-justify his excesses and wide-ranging interests. The biographer was clearly admired him yet by the time she was done she was holding her nose, yet kept her anger about R.'s mysogyny in check, providing a rather unbiased portrait.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the troubled life of a poet who was not always a nice man. Although I enjoyed reading it, I don't remember one thing from it anymore.