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Showing posts from April, 2009

Got $4.5K

The following materials are being offered for sale by Richard Ford, a bookseller in London for £3000.00 (ca. $4537.05) . Book Description: [1976-1990], 1990. The Mother, the Neighbour and the Black Hand of Ted Hughes A small archive of material deriving from the papers of Professor Trevor Thomas, Art Historian, occupant of the flat below that of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath at 23 Fitzroy Road, Primrose Hill, London. It includes: a. Two Typed Letters Signed from Sylvia Plath's mother, Aurelia, airmail, to "Professor Thomas", detailed, 7 & 28 May 1976, one with handwritten date the other with a handwritten PS. 7 May 1976: She is responding to the haunting contents of a long letter from Thomas, convinced that Sylvia would have left letters for her family which she quotes Thomas[?] as saying were "destroyed when found". She comments that many inaccuracies have been written about Sylvia's work. For example The Bell Jar wasn't autobiographical

Sylvia Plath Books and an Event

Here is a little list of new/updated Sylvia Plath related things! The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill currently has an exhibit going called JOYCEAN GENEROSITY, JOYCEAN BOOKS . There are a number of Plath items featured in this exhibit. They are: 'Among the Narcissi'. Ashington, Eng.: Mid Northumberberland Arts Group, 1971. First separate edition. Lyonesse . London: Rainbow Press, 1971. Number 95 of 100. The Colossus . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962. Author's presentation copy to Alfred Young Fisher. The Three Women: A Monologue for Three Voices . London: Oficyna Stanislawa Gliwy, 1968. Setting copy and proofs for second edition. Thanks to April Brewer for the list of specific Plath items. For more information: On exhibit April 17 - June 30, 2009 Melba Remig Saltarelli Exhibit Room | Wilson Special Collections Library Free and open to the public | Exhibit information: (919) 962-1143 or rbcref@email.unc.edu - - - - - - - - - -

Sylvia Plath's Voice

The following was my introduction to yesterday's Sylvia Plath listening hour at the Woodberry Poetry Room. We had a nice group of people, as well as some lovely Plath archival materials which, I think, enhanced the event. The “voice” of the poet has a double-meaning. On the one hand it is speaker of the poem – the poems’ persona – which knows no boundaries: it can be a woman, a man, a shirt, a stone, a tree branch: anything. The other meaning is of course more literal: the spoken voice of the poet. And we are fortunate enough to work in or work with an archive of recorded poetry: the poet’s voice captured, here at the Woodberry Poetry Room. We are gathered here today to hear Sylvia Plath. Born and raised just miles from here, Plath’s first published poem appeared in the Boston Herald when she was 8. She lived in Jamaica Plain, Winthrop , and Wellesley before attending Smith College and University of Cambridge , in England . It was at this other Cambridge where, in 1956, she m

Plath's Voice at the Woodberry Poetry Room

Woodberry Poetry Room This is a reminder that Friday, 17 April, 2009, there will be an poetry listening event at the Woodberry Poetry Room in Lamont Library, Room 330, at Harvard. If you're in the area, come on by for a 3 PM start. I'll be introducing this week's Reel Time on Sylvia Plath, as well as playing a selection of Plath's poetry recorded for the Woodberry Poetry Room. On hand, also, will be some archival holdings that can only be seen in the Poetry Room!

Barstow on the Plath-Hughes Legacy

On Sunday, David Barstow of The New York Times published " A New Chapter of Grief in the Plath-Hughes Legacy " on the death of Nicholas Hughes. This is a very good article on the subject, certainly one of the finest published in the last three weeks. Thanks to Amanda for pointing this out.

Links, Reviews, etc. - Week ending 11 April 2009

Just a few things to point out and/or promote this weekend... Recently I found a very lovely blog: Sylvia and Ted Collection . In Sylvia and Ted Collection, Laurie is highlighting rare, limited, first, signed, and other editions of Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, etc. in her personal collection. It is an extremely generous offering with very lovely images as well as bibliographic and other commentary. Collecting Sylvia Plath (or Ted Hughes or another author) can be a very rewarding experience. Although some of these books, broadsides, long playing records probably cannot be or have not been read, handled or even opened, there must be a huge amount of joy in just getting to look at them daily. I've worked with many of these book myself at rare book rooms and I've gazed admiringly at them at Book Fairs. What Laurie is doing is something unique and fantastic for those who find themselves to be inclined to Plath. Plath Profiles , Volume 2, is really coming together. Are you working

"Three Women" pops "Balloons"

The winnter of the 2009 Sylvia Plath Poetry Tournament is "Three Women". "Balloons" gave its all, but could not rise above "Three Women". Thank you to all who read the poems, voted, and gave wonderful statements about their choices. From Sylvia Plath Info

The Finals: 2009 Sylvia Plath Poetry Tournament

The finals are set! The voters have spoken. From Sylvia Plath Info In this corner, weighing in at three voices, with too many lines and too many stanzas to count right now and representing Crossing the Water/Winter Trees Region we have "Three Women". Plath triple-voiced monologue tour de force which beat out The Colossus ' seven part extravaganza "Poem for a Birthday" in a fairly close race. And in this corner, weighing in at 30 lines in six, five-lined stanzas and representing Ariel we have "Balloons". Possibly the last poem Plath wrote, "Balloons" was able to dislocate, disengage, and discombobulate "The Rabbit Catcher" - completely. This is a wonderful, late poem by Plath composed just six days before her death. Though critics long called for the restoration of Plath's intended Ariel , you, the voters - all five of us, selected and elected a Hughes-inserted poem. A mighty battle. How ever will a winner be chosen? Simple - b

The Final Four: Sylvia Plath 2009 Poetry Tournament

Well, the final four are set. Thanks to those who voted by comment and by private email - I am so pleased that more people participated. The accompanying conversation to the posts is, I feel, a wonderful step in this blogs development. I hope it continues around other posts. Round 3 was decisive only in the Ariel Restored region, with "The Rabbit Catcher" amputating "Thalidomide". Each of the other races was decided by one vote each. From Sylvia Plath Info So, we have "Poem for a Birthday" vs. "Three Women" and "Balloons" versus "The Rabbit Catcher". Wow. In the former region, we have two seminal poems whose composition spurned the two choices in the latter region. I already know where my votes will fall and will re-read past arguments/justifications again and hope to see some new analyses.

Linda Gray Sexton on Nicholas Hughes

Linda Gray Sexton, the daughter of poet Anne Sexton, contributes the Op-Ed " A Tortured Inheritance " in today's New York Times . The Op-Ed is on the recent death of Nicholas Hughes, son of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes which of course gripped worldwide attention the week of March 23.

Round 2 Recap of Sylvia Plath 2009 Poetry Tournament

Round 2 One word: Bloodbath. "Sheep in Fog" and "Balloons" obliterated their challengers. Poor "Years" was left, like "Words", 'dry and riderless'. "Years", I'm sorry, but everyone "can tell what [you] lack": votes. "Candles" torched "Parliament Hill Fields" (something Guy Fawkes didn't even get to see) but the other competitions were all ties. How interesting! Round 3 features some really interesting match-ups. "Black Rook and Rainy Weather" versus "Poem for a Birthday" and "Candles" versus "Three Women". I don't know how "Sheep in Fog" versus "Balloons" will turn out; and "Thalidomide" versus "The Rabbit Catcher" offers Plath at her best. From Sylvia Plath Info Thanks to those that voted! Round 4 will be posted on Saturday with the finals appearing Sunday. Also on Sunday, I will start serializing a forth

2009 Sylvia Plath Poetry Tournament - Round 2

Round 1 Recap... Well, competition was as fierce the 2009 Sylvia Plath Poetry Tournament got under way - however with only three votes there were quite a few ties. I'll accept write-ins (Jim!), but with only one vote, Fever 103 sadly didn't make the cut. In Round 2 we'll hopefully see more votes and opinions from the blog's readers? I ought to lay off the wine, quite a few typos in the bracket. From Sylvia Plath Info

Sylvia Plath 2009 Poetry Tournament

Everything is March Madness here in the US. In keeping up with the times... From Sylvia Plath Info Vote for your favorite poem in the competition by emailing me or leaving comments... There are four regions in the 2009 Sylvia Plath Poetry Tournament: The Colossus Region, the Ariel Region, the Crossing the Water and Winter Trees Region, and the Restored Ariel Region. Poems were selected mostly at random; the selections in the two Ariel regions reflect those selected by Plath ( Restored Ariel ) and those selected by Ted Hughes (Ariel ) . This will be particularly fierce. So, start those office pools. Recaps and those advancing will appear through the end of the tournament. Results for Round 2 will be posted Tuesday. PS: Happy Birthday Frieda.