My Emily Dickinson

Rating:
Summary: Tremendously overrated book
Review: I was tempted to give it a lower score, but that wouldn't be due to its merits; it wouldn't be fair. See, this book is pretty much average. There are dozens of books on Dickinson that are more insightful, balanced, and intelligent--but wherever you meet the adepts of certain poetry schools, you hear things like "This is the best book on Dickinson ever." It's truly remarkable to hear this, since none of these people have ever actually read any other books on Dickinson; they're acolytes of the witless schools of poetry called L=a=n=g=u=a=g=e, which means they exalt their own. Be assured, anyone who gives high praise to this fiercely unexceptional book just doesn't know all the other Dickinson books that are so much more stimulating.

Rating:
Summary: Tremendously overrated book
Review: I was tempted to give it a lower score, but that wouldn't be due to its merits; it wouldn't be fair. See, this book is pretty much average. There are dozens of books on Dickinson that are more insightful, balanced, and intelligent--but wherever you meet the adepts of certain poetry schools, you hear things like "This is the best book on Dickinson ever." It's truly remarkable to hear this, since none of these people have ever actually read any other books on Dickinson; they're acolytes of the witless schools of poetry called L=a=n=g=u=a=g=e, which means they exalt their own. Be assured, anyone who gives high praise to this fiercely unexceptional book just doesn't know all the other Dickinson books that are so much more stimulating.

Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting Take
Review: This book does more than just explore Dickinson's life and poetics, although it does that expertly. It falls in line with a tradition of books of poets writing about poets who have intensely figured in their conception of poetry. This is more personal than a biography in that it is a writer's concern with Dickinson's place in history and what she was trying to do with her poetry. Howe does a wonderful job of trying to get into the poems through playing with language. It's a place to meet Dickinson at as she was a lover of games and words.

Rating:
Summary: If you think you know Emily...
Review: This is a serious and personal literary study of Dickinson's work by a scholar and fellow poet who appreciates both the art and the attitude of one of her American literary forebears.

Howe points out how Dickinson's poetry has been overlooked in light of her character and biography. It seems that in the 19th century, it was remarkable for a woman to be a poet at all, let alone write original, rebellious, and quite modern poetry. Hence, the work itself, though enjoyed by schoolchildren all over America, has been little understood.

Delving into Dickinson's reading lists, her notes and letters, and analyzing a few poems, Howe explores the workings of an intricate mind. She uncovers connections between Dickinson and the Brownings, the Brontes, and James Fenimore Cooper, and she shows how seemingly submissive, soft spoken poetic lines are actually rebellious and even at times angry. What Howe does not do is confuse the image of "The Belle of Amhearst" with the vital workings of the mind of this remarkable woman.

This book is an enjoyable read filled with Howe's admiration for her artistic predecessor and written in straightforward language, not literary jargon--a tribute from one poet to another. For anyone who enjoys Emily Dickinson's poetry, it is not to be missed.