Loving Sylvia Plath Audiobook By Emily Van Duyne cover art

Loving Sylvia Plath

A Reclamation

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Loving Sylvia Plath

By: Emily Van Duyne
Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
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A nuanced, passionate exploration of the life and work of one of the most misunderstood writers of the 20th century.

Sylvia Plath is an object of enduring cultural fascination―the troubled patron saint of confessional poetry, a writer whose genius is buried under the weight of her status as the quintessential literary sad girl. Emily Van Duyne―a superfan and scholar―radically reimagines the last years of Plath’s life, confronts her suicide and the construction of her legacy. Drawing from decades of study on Plath and her husband, Ted Hughes, the chief architect of Plath’s mythology; the life and tragic suicide of Assia Wevill, Hughes’ mistress; newly available archival materials; and a deep understanding of intimate partner violence, Van Duyne seeks to undo the silencing of Sylvia Plath and resuscitate her as the hardworking, brilliant writer she was.

©2024 Emily Van Duyne (P)2024 Audible, Inc. Art & Literature Authors Literary History & Criticism Marriage
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This is an excellent book, deeply researched and powerfully written. I've read a lot about Plath over the years but noticed in reviews of "Loving Sylvia Plath" that a great deal of new material had been unearthed by Ms. Zackman. Sadly, I'm unable to finish listening to the final quarter because the cruelty on Hughes' part is (for me) unbearable. Most personality disorders on Axis II of the DSM seem to be present in him, all forms of narcissism with its complete lack of empathy, and no commitment whatsoever to truth. I'm not sure if I realized before listening to this book that Hughes' second wife (like Plath, a brilliant and talented woman) also committed suicide, killing Hughes' and her young daughter at the same time. Once again, Hughes turned this tragedy into a story of his own martyrdom and superhuman efforts to save his fatally disturbed wives. I do recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about Sylvia Plath's life, but I caution listeners that for some it will be a painful experience.

Extremely painful to listen to

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Gorgeous exploration of subtext of Sylvia Plath’s life and treatment by her philandering husband, and his management and distortion of her legacy in service of his own.

Imaginative honesty

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As a fellow lover of plath, I found this investigative story on plath and especially the damaging effects of Hughes enlightening.

Sooo good

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