Mary V. Dearborn

In this literary biography, author Mary V. Dearborn examines the short, and in some ways tragic, life of Southern gothic writer Carson McCullers. It is a sad tale, filled with alcoholism, writer’s block, and unrequited love. To her credit, Dearborn does not depict the rather off-putting McCullers as any more appealing than she actually was. She also does not try to pigeonhole McCullers’s elusive sexuality.

Although the prose is unremarkable and the many characters in the narrative don’t really come to life, Dearborn does a thorough job of documenting McCullers’ life and works. Recommended for those interested in McCullers.

I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.… (altro)

Carson McCullers: A Life by Mary V Dearborn is the type of biography I love, well-written, well-researched, and including both the positives and the negatives of the subject. It certainly helps that I've long admired McCullers' work.

Reading this made me reflect on my introduction to McCullers when I was very young. I have no doubt I didn't fully grasp the nuance of the film version of The Member of the Wedding, but it had to have been in the mid-60s when I saw it, which puts me just a few years younger than Frankie. Maybe I could relate to her, but whatever it was I loved it and as I grew up I read the rest of her work. When I watch that movie now, I always wish I could go back and find out exactly what touched me so profoundly.

Dearborn gives both a more detailed account of McCullers' life as well as a compassionately critical view of her life and career. I not only feel like I understand the writer better, I am anxious to reread the works with this new appreciation of her life. Though, admittedly, the key to her work has always been my feelings for her characters, so I don't expect any great epiphanies. I do think I will gain some insight into the characters by having this new view of McCullers.

This will certainly appeal to those who like reading about literary figures, but it is so engaging I think anyone who simply likes biographies in general will find a great deal to enjoy.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (altro)

Mary Dearborn does great work to separate the Hemingway myth of his later years from the complicated and frustrating artist who won such acclaim. I was struck again and again by how fleeting the age of the novel was, and struggle to imagine an author ever capturing the public imagination again. The final chapters ran long in their focus on Hemingway's decline, and circumspect review of how his treatments (pharmaceutical, therapeutic, diagnostic) could have been improved just a few years later. The book does not hang well together in a short reading, with many anecdotes and observations re-hashed and reframed, as though the editors anticipated the book being serialized or excerpted; over explaining small details to ensure that a reader of a single chapter doesn't lack context left me constantly pulled out of the flow of the book thinking, "yes, didn't we just go over that?"… (altro)

My sister gave me a gift card to half price books. I wanted Doris Kearns Godwin latest, but having never darkened 1/2 price before, I soon realized new books are not their thing. I bought 3 history books. Guess I'm on a history jag after all those romance books.
Once I got into the book, I could not put it down and read it in three sittings, one advancing well into the wee hours.

Louise is a GREAT character and I will search out more about her. Though I doubt much can be added to this tale of triumph and woe, the references made to works of fiction using her as a template are intriguing.

Louise is an historical jewel.… (altro)