by Nancy Milford
Life of the Bohemian poet of the Jazz Age chronicled to great effect
Reviewed by: Helen Harvey
About Helen Harvey
Edna St.Vincent Millay (1892-1950) became the first
woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and was
the epitome of the Bohemian lifestyle, living it with
legendary decadence and flair.
Having persuaded Millay's sister and sole heir, Norma,
to give her access to hundreds of Millay's personal
papers, letters, and journals, Milford weaves them,
Millay’s major poems, quotes from friends, and
interviews with Norma into a rich tapestry
illustrating a short, but complex, life with great
fascination and poignancy.
Revealed is the portrait of a charismatic and flawed
seductress, who, despite having an adoring husband, in
a marriage that spanned 27 of her 58 years, was
promiscuous, and prone to infidelity and addiction.
Dying prematurely tormented by drugs, alcohol, pain,
and sorrow, having fallen down a flight of stairs and
broken her neck. The author does not speculate on the
often-pondered question as to whether it was
intentional or accident.
In a brief life of excess, shame, and self-indulgence,
married with a breathtaking creativity that rendered
her one of the world’s truly great poets, Milford’s
captivating biography reflects how exquisitely, and
often tragically, life can reflect art.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Copyright © by Helen Harvey, 2002
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