The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume 1: 1940-1956

Essential for anyone interested in Sylvia Plath the poet, the novelist, the person. It's a delight just holding this big, beautifully produced (and edited) book in one's hands -- an object whose magnificence reflects its contents.

A lot of detail, well researched!!

Plath has been much underappreciated. Ironically, she has oft been written about, and her poetry is widely read. But knowledge of her life, the tragedies and her successes is less well-known. This is an incredible volume of letters, and provides great insight as to her life.

My daughter in law like this author and asked for this book for Christmas.She is happy with the book.

For the price, I would have appreciated a book in “New” condition. The shipping package was secure; it appears the book was placed inside it looking like this.

Before I bought this book I thought the price point was kind of high but when it arrived I realized why! The book is huge. It's1388 pages long and I'm really excited to read it.

So comprehensive, and adds a new twist to her real feelings for her mother Aurelia. I only miss one or two replies to enrich the correspondence.

Nice shape. Enjoying it.

Sylvia Plath = perfección

This first volume of Plath's letters are described as a form of autobiography in the preface - but any reader of Plath's other writings must be struck by how different this voice is, generally, from that of her journals, her fiction and, especially, the raging, bloody poetry of Ariel. Only one or two of the searing love letters to Richard Sassoon contain echoes of the poems to come, and the drier-than-dry monotones of Esther Greenwood from The Bell Jar are rarely here either.Instead, what we get is, generally, an upbeat, energetic, lively Plath, in love with life even when she's anxious and overwhelmed with pressure and anxiety. The persona of the letter writer doesn't match that of the journal writer - and are all the more fascinating precisely for that reason. These letters, I'd suggest, offer the image Plath wanted to show to the world - even her intimate world of mother, brother, lovers and, towards the end, husband.A word on the volume itself: there is minimal editorial intervention so the underlying assumption is that we're familiar with the outlines of Plath's life (if not, I'd highly recommend Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath). Not surprisingly, foundational events (the 1953 suicide attempt, the shock treatments) are not mentioned in any of the letters. But this does include all the scholarly apparatus of notes, references, sources and a well thought out and immensely helpful index with direct links in the Kindle edition to the relevant letters.This ends in 1956 with Plath eager and excited - how tragic that we know how much will change in the following seven years...

Product delivery was quick and efficient (right to my door). The book will provide many valuable insights into this writer and the writing life.

It's a must have for Plathophiles, but it has serious drawbacks. The flaws in layout are unforgivable. I hope they fix before volume 2.

After several months of reading, picking up and putting down the book at a leisurely pace, I'm finally reaching the end of this first volume. I already read "Letters home" and prior to buying this more extensive volume, was wondering if it would be redundant.While it is inevitably the case at times, first it isn't a problem if one's enjoy reading Plath, secondly these letters are complete, there aren't parts of them missing as in the other book. Also compared to "Letters home", the list of Plath's correspondants is much more diverse, she writes a lot to her various friends (although her mother still remains her principal recipient). So overall it's a major occasion to be able to try and immerse oneself into Plath's life or at least her recording of it.One thing that can become kind of boring though is that Plath very often describes the same event to two or three, four different persons. Of course it is a normal thing considering the nature of this book and it may be interesting, but nonetheless...The Faber book is beautiful, the paper is of very good quality (smooth but thick enough). The only drawback for me is the dustjacket because as always, it isn't convenient at all, either it slips, either you have to remove it while reading.Concerning the letters, one thing that struck me is how Plath rapidly changes her mind and opinions about people. They begin by being absolutely magnificent and wonderful and a while after, they're dull and not worthwhile (it won't particularly come as a surprise to Plath readers but in these letters, it is even more noticeable).Apart from that, it is great to know more about what she did practically day to day, her work, her discoveries in terms of books, movies, theatre plays, her trips...Now I'm very impatient and curious to read the second volume!